The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-14
FRAUDS IN THE MAIL.
The New Law Gives the Death-Blow
to lotteries.

Washington Citv. Oct 1s-John l..
Thomas. attorney general for the post
office department has made his annual
raport TO the postmaster general. or the
operations OF his office. he says that dur
ing the year 21s fraud orders were is
sued. prohibiting the delivery of register
ed packages and the payment of money
orders TO certain companies and parties
named OF these, however, IS were dupli-
cate orders. The orders were issued
against So lotteries operated by so-called
bond investment companies; II against
avowed lotteries. q lotteries of miscel-
laneous character and 130 schemes de-
vised 10 defraud the public. Seventy OF
these orders were revoked upon IL being
made to appear that the parties operating
the schemes had abandond them This
left in force at the end of the year 14S or
ders. original and duplicates. Twenty
eight of the orders issued during the pre-
vious year were also revoked upon the
proper showing. Mr.. Thomas says that
the act of March 2 1s95. further amending
the lottery act. has been successful. and
has virtually closed the mails 10 lottery
concerns. He adds
This act goes farther still. and forbids
international state carriers from trans
porting lottery matter from foreign coun-
tries into this country, or from one state
10 another. This department has no jur-
isdiCtion however. to enforce that part
OF the law, and ! cannot state definitely
the extent TO which the lottery-carrying
business has been checked by the act, but
| am informed that the most. If not all.
of the express companies yield obedience
10 IL by refusing to carry the prohibited
lottery matter.
1T may be confidently asserted that the
deathkneu Of the avowed lotteries In this
country mas been sounded. and their bust
ness has been vastly crippled. IL not ruin
Fa~ hat
many business men think they must. in
order TO succeed resort to schemes that
appeai 10 the gambling spirit Of the peo-
ple and they accordingly connect their
legitimate enterprises with lottery adver-
tisenents and thus create a desire for
other and more pernicious modes Of OBJ
tanning something for nothing by hazard
or chance. These fascinating and appar-
entity innocent schemes reach the boys
and girls Of the land, and tend to make
them gamblers.
The number Of claims allowed for losses
hv burglary. fire. etc, were 1895, amount
ing TO slSs SIS. He again urges a law COM
pelling subcrdinates In postofices 70 give
security for the handling OF money. or
making the postrnasters responsible for
The losses incurred by subordinateS- Mr.
Thomas also calls attention 10 an inpor-
tant subject in the following way:
Attention has been several times dur
ing the year called 20 the dangerous and
injurious matter deposited in the mails.
and upon investigation IL wss shown that
there was no penalty prescribed for such
matter in the mails. and indeed there is
no statute forbiGding its being mailed.
Many substances. such as poisonS,
matches and other articles liable 70 ignite
or explode BY shock or jar: live and
poisonous Insects and reptiles. smallpox
virus, or germs OF contagious diseases. or
fatty substances, liquids. or sharI,-polnt-
cd Instruments. Some are very dangerous
10 life. health and comfort OF the body.
and others are liable 30 damage other
mail matter and mail sacks II they should
become loose in the mails