The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-06-13
A DAY OF THE LOTTERIES
Did "a FIourishing business in the
old Quaker city.

Did Ftourishing business in the
old Quaker city.
The sale of the late Dr. Robert c.
Davis curios will give collectors chance
to get some curious mementos of the
past says the Philadelphia Times.
Among them is a very fun collection Of
old Philadelphia lottery tickets and
many of them came into the doctors
possession in this way: A very old man
named Drake lived on the north side of
Fourth street. above South. He died IN
1S45, and in cleaning up the house a bat
tered tin box was found and carried
away by the washerwoman. Forty-six
years afterward her son, being sick 1t
home, saw the box and broke 1t open.
1t was fun of lottery tickets. This came
TO the ears of Davis, who secured the
find for $15. Among them was one for
1855, for a prize of $4,000. drawn in Phil
adelphia.
Few people have adequate knowledge
how extensive the lottery business was
here up to 1882. In 1901 Matthew Nc
Connel and George Taylor. ir., advertised
the Delaware Bridge lottery. also one to
build an academy in Lawn Dublin, Bucks
county. In 1903 William Keans had an
office opposite the state house, and he
used to call his prizes off the front steps.
He had the Second Baptist church, the
Universalist church and the Holy Trinity
Catholic church lotteries at $l2 per ticket.
In 1920 there were 30 offices in this city
and tickets were as low as quarter In
| 1918 it was announced that Henry Jane
son, carpenter had drawn at John
| Francis office Third and Chestnut
streets. $4,000 but there was considera-
| bic doubt shown, as jameson kept out OF
sight.
Money Killed Them.
But there are authentic instances Of
| prizes drawn. Johnny Dodds was a
| short, sturdy wood sawyer here, famous
for his skill in his vocation. He drew
$4,000 in Mike Fortunes lottery office,
| Chestnut street and Hudson's alley.
| Mike was a very brassy 1rishman, and
he advertised the event by inviting many
of the city notables to be present at a
| banquet Among them was General
] George Cadwalader then a young man.
| The next time Cadwalader met Mike he
| gave him a sound Gaming, and it was
| generally regarded as well deserved.
| Dodds hung up his saw, bought gig
| and horse. the possession of which was
then the dividing line between the pie
beian and patricians, and drove to Darby
| in the morning, returning a night, stop
ping at every tavern on the road, and
inside of three years was penniess. lie
drank up the $4,000 and went back 70
his saw without the least show of con-
Germ He died in 1910.
In 1922 General Patterson received a
dollar ticket in his settlement with one
of his draymen, and this drew $4,000 al
James office. No. "a Market street and ii
1925 Joseph Dugan, General Peasanton
father-in-law, drew $4,000 and got it.
A weaver named Patterson. who ha6
only been two months in this country
and worked in Craigs mill, on Girarf
avenue, drew $4,000, and at once started
for Belfast, Ireland. his native place
and inside of two years drank himself K
death.
Curtin Tried His Luck.
The most pretentious Of all was thu
Grand state lottery to build the Unto.
! canal" 1t was chartered in 1895 witt
l 100000 in alleged prizes, and the prodig
: ious swindle lasted until 1880. The gran
was sold many times. Henry Prat
, bought it for 600. Lemon Hill was on
Of the undrawn prizes. There was
legislative investigation in 1892, and
was in evidence that the last holders
Yates and Mcintyre, had made a ne
profit of $2,124, $3.50.
2 Yates was a southerner and a gam
bier, and he laid $4,000 against $500
when Eclipse ran Sir Henry in 1923, o.
Long island, and lost, as Sir Henry wa
beaten. No one seems to have benefite
by money made in these lotteries. Bot
Yates and Mcintyre died poor. So di
Mike Fortune. He passed away in
q wretched hovel at Sixth and Lombar
t streets, cared for by a colored woml
. who had known him in more prosperou
days of the Louisiana.
The late Andrew G. Curtin used t
, tell a good story of his own experience
He had come to Philadelphia when a la
: of is, and was given Il very handsom
= cut glass decanter a present for hi
7 father. Coming up Chestnut street h
stopped at Gibbs lottery office to hear tn
f music boxes play. One of the capper
!, invited him to try his fortune, and he IN
: vested a quarter. The wheel was turne
and bright silver dollar was the priz,
= He was SO elated that he showed it t
the usual crowd around the door.
: Suddenly a negro lad snatched it an
g ran. Curtin hurled the decanter at hit
and felled him TO the ground, smashin
: the glass A dozen willing hands grail
bed the thief, but in the scufile the do
| lar disappeared, and the future governc
: left disconsolate. He bought no NOR
? lotteries.
Electric Light Bugs
The Washington Star announces ths
/ IN r,f u.