Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-01
1115-1117
Farnaf11 Street.
WHAT AFALL, MY COUNTRYMEN
The Once 0pulent Monarch Groveling in
Honduran Swamp.
FRAYED REMAINS OF THE ExlLED LOTTERY
Shunted Into Rn Obscure Corner of
the Earth and Too Dead to Skim
Relics of Brigndiers, COlOnels
and Deluded Patrons.

A few short years ago the Louisiana lot
terry had penetrated and entrenched itself
in every city and hamlet in the land 1t
levied tribute on all classes and conditions
OF people, Its influence was not confined to
the sporting element. Men and women, 9TH
erwise mpervious to the gaming spirit, read
lily fell victims to its malign power and be-
came regular patrons. To such proportions
had the evil grown that tickets for given
drawing had to be purchased a month in
advance, and a steady stream of wealth from
all states and territories flowed unchecked
into the Golfers of the lottery kings.
But how the mighty have fallen From
the pinnacle Of opulence and arrogance to
the malarious depths of Honduran swamp.
The present home of the exiled lottery king
was recently visited by Mr.. Richard Harding
Davis, and his observations cover nearly two
pages of Harpers Weekly.
Every one who goes to ANY theater in the
United States, says Mr.. DAVIS, may have
read among the advertisements oil the pro-
gram an oddly worded one, beginning, Con
rad! Conrad Conrad!' and goes on to say
that
In accepting the Presidency of the Hon
State Lottery Company, l shall not sur
render the Presidency of the Gulf Coast
Ice and Manufacturing Company of Bay
Therefore address all proposals for sup
plies, machinery, etc, as Well as all bust
PAUL CONRAD,
Puerto Cortez, Honduras,
Care Central American Express,
Fort Tampa City,
Florida, U. S. A.
You have probably read this advertisement
often, and enjoyed the naif manner in which
MIR. Conrad asks for correspondence on diff
hat alat
to "all business communications, and how
at the same time he has so described his
whereabouts that no letters so addressed
would ever reach his far-away home in
Puerto Cortez, but would be promptly stopped
at Tampa, as he means that they SHOULD.
After an anonymous friend had told me of
Puerto Cortez, l read OF 1t on the program
with a keener interest, and Puerto Cortez
became to me harbor of much mysterious
moment of certain dark Significance and
OF possible adventure. | remembered all
that the lottery had been before the days Of
its Punishment and all that II had dared to
be when, as corporation legally chartered
by the state of Louisiana, It had put Its chain
and collar upon legislatures and senators
judges and editors, when 1t had silenced the
voice of the churcn and the pulpit for many
times together by great gifts OF money to
charities and hospitals, so giving out In a
lump sum with one hand what 1t had taken
from the people In dollars and half-dollars
Ave hundred and six hundred fold.
with the other. remembered when
its trade mark, in open-facad
type. La. s. L." was as familiar in every
newspaper I'm the United States as were
the names of the papers themselves. when
It had not been communicated by the post
master general, and before It had had to
hide It's real purpose under carefully
worded paragraph In theatrical programs or
on dodgers" or hand bills that had an
existence Of moment before they were
swept out into the street. and which. as they
were not sent through mails, were not
worthy the notice of the federal govern
ment.
1t was not so very long ago that 1t requires
sny effort to remember 1t. 1t is only few