The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-14
scheme Of dividIng profits with bis share

Norris paid to louisiana the DesSarly sum
of $4,000 a year, not a 1.-THE OF the sum the
people OF this city, with its annual Hst OF
thousands OF delinquent taxpayers3ah OF
whom bought lottery tickets-pald into
John A. Morris's pockets.
Is 1t to be wondered at that he willingly
offered 10 pay to Louisiana $l'2So,OU annu-
such a money-making concern as this?
That people here who happened 10 own
stock should look with favor on the schene
Is hardly strange. for it appears from one
of the many suits brought against MOTIFS
that s. 100000 was divided among the stock
holders in 1889 as their half of the pronts.
This after Norris had taken his 90 per
cent, commission to ticket agents nau been
paid, and contributions made TO the cam
paign funds of all political parties, snare
holders taxed enormous sums for salaries,
the bribery fund fattened, the national,
monthly allowances, advertising bills paid;
and the newspaper proprietors, editors anu
reporters nnab We're anoweq baG1 mi Tbere
was a confessed profit of S6.SO0,OO in That
one year. and one familiar With lottery
was fully as much more. including, or
course, the undivided share OF the prize
ury Of John A. Morris, assignee of the
Louisiana Lottery Company, and owner OF
So far as can be learned, Morris is to
pay Florida nothing at all save what ne
undoubtedly paid the last Legislature Ior
planting Of his million-producing scheme.
1t is now wholly his own property, as with
the death of the Louisiana lottery mere
gallons to divide the spoils with. any per.
son on earth. From what Is known or
Morris here there is no danger OF his ofer r.
bribing the newspapers and law makers OF
die Morris and his figurehead, Charles i:
Howard, had recognized the necessity OF
having persons superlntend the louiSrE
monthly drawings whose names should De
a guarantee for their honest management;
Howard is credited with having conceived
the idea OF getting a prominent, general
officer Of the Union army in the late war
and one from the confederate army TO take
charge of the monthly drawings ana see
to get a Union officer first; but, although
he at first offered a salary OF So,UN per
year which was Ia5er i me fn Sew DREAMS
but five days of each month, the RICH man
could not be found. Howard wanted an eX-
corps commander, at least. General Rose
Grams was tried; then Gen. Don Carlos
Buell. and half a dozen others. But the
man who would fill the bill was never
have their names apd memories connected
with an institution concerning which all
F FiIs1It 5be R RSG4tber had re6 Dgr one fea G 7 OF
the matter was relinquished.
BEAUREGARD'S ARGUMENT.
Gen. G. tt. Beauregard was a creole. Like
so many of his blood, he did not object 10
lotteries per Sc. He s~peciously argued that,
if properly conducted, the lottery and pol
icy scheme might add to the wealth OF
the city and State. So. with the under
standing that he should be allowed to
choose his associate, he agreed to take
charge of the lottery drawings, under a
condition that he and his associate were
not to be interfered with by the president
of the company or by the autocrat of the
concern, John A. Morris. If any sign or
fraud were discovered. the two directors
of the drawings, General Beauregard and
Gen. Jubal A. Early, whom the former
chose as his associate, were clothed with
authority to stop the drawings at once
and proceed TO criminally prosecute the
offenders.
AS has been shown. it was business pol
icy to nave the drawings conducted with
fairness, so as TO better advertise the thing.
But even If there was reason for a crook
ed' drawing. there was no chance OF de-
tecting il. Even had there been. the fact
that Morris paid the two generals an an
nual salary variously reported at from so;
600 to $4,000, they were men who would
not throw overheard SO good a thing as a
means of existence by taking the. action
they were empowered to take. But as
Morris never had even l cent at risk In
the affair after the return in one year of
his original one-hundred-thousand-dollar
investment, there was no reason for fraud.
and probably none was attempted, at least
after 1871, when the dividend reached As
The Beauregard- Early investment was a
good one for the lottery. for within three
months after they took charge the sales OF
tickets In the Southern States were doub-
led.
It was a further fortunate investment for
the lottery that it had General Beaure-
cessful attempt to have its charter incor-
porated in the States new Constitution,
and so brought the crowning shame TO this
State. This atrocious proposition crystal
lied ell the elements of the opposition to
the lottery that for years had been grow
ing in strength and power in the city and
State. Finally, when In 1879 the company's
charter was actually repealed, its enemies
leaped into the breach. The churches-ex-
| cept the Roman Catholic-were nominally
against ii and fighting IL, some actively,
some most listlessly, for the ministry had
been contaminated in many instances by
ties and building funds. 1t seemed that the
opposition would be triumphant, and that
the colossal fraud, with all its money and
influence, must at last go down. Then il
was that General Beauregard's influence
was most effective. Morris sent him to Ba-
ton Rouge, the capital, and there he
worked with might and main. Morris's
money and Beauregard's influence Were
Legislature. He changed many of them
from active enemies OF the concern to its
The worst blow the lottery ever received
prior to that which wiped it out of existence
in spite of its profered annual bride to the
State of N,25O.O0. was when Postmaster
general Wanamaker prohibited 1t from cir
culating it's printed matter through the
mails. This was a terrific blow to the Local
pCSt0fnce as well, Tor IN the last year thai
business was transacted through the mai
the lottery company received nearly 20.000,-
coo in postal notes, money orders and reg
istered letters.
/ The Louisiana Lottery is in liquidation
and it's shareholders will receive about 500
for 81 in the distribution, IL is said. Morris
as the known holder 81 1900 shares and the
trustee of Towards 1000 shares, getting
the lions share.
The observation-disclosures lottery takes iti
place, with Morris as the only holder o.
stock, except such shares as he shall pre-
sent to politicians, newspaper owners anC
such others as will help him to keep nj,
scheme afioat in Florida. That the stool
will be placed judiciously, everyone wh'
knows Morris knows perfectly well. III
Florida, thanks to the kindness OF the las
Legislature in changing the laws Of tn,
Stats, viii be situated the John A. Morri
Kindergarten and University of Gambling
1t will stay there If money will buy a foot
hold for it, for John a. Morris is prodigall.
liberal with lottery money if he know!
every dollar expended will bring back tw,
or more, or will silence opposition that /
feared. His main ambition now is to ge
once more the right to use the mails. II
this end he will benz all his marvellous an,
wholly INSCRIPTIONS energies. His lawyer
have advised him that the anti-lottery post
al law is absolutely unconstitutional. be
cause it is an interference with State an,
personal rights guaranteed by the Consti
tuition. On this ground he is preparing q
make the most vigorous fight OF his life
All the masks are now removed, and Johl
Morris &c the InffPrV KING stands no