The record-union., 1896-06-25
PHILADELPHIA GAMBLERS.
Lotteries ProSpered in the Quaker City
Until 1882.
Men Who Ran Then and Men Who
Won and Lost Fortunes by
Their Operation.

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 full
collection of old Philadelphia lottery
tickets, and many of these 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 1916, and, in clean
ing up the house a battered tin box was
found mad carried away by the wash
woman. Forty-siX years afterward,
her son, being sick at home, saw the
box and broke it open. II was full of
lottery tickets This came to the ears
Of Davis, who secured the find for $50.
Among them was one for 100, for a
prize of G10,O00, drawn in Philadel-
phia.
Few people have adequate knowledge
how extensive the lottery business was
here up to 1892 In 1901 Matthew Nc
Connel and George Taylor, Jr., ad-
vertised the Delaware Bridge Lottery,
also one to build an academy in Lawn
Dublin, Bucks County. In 1903 Will
State House, and he used to call his
prizes off the front steps. He had the
Second Baptist Church, the Univesalist
Church and the Holy Trinity Catholic
Church Lotteries at SD per ticket.
In 1870 there were thirty offices in
this city, and tickets were as low as a
quarter. In 1918 it was announced that
Henry Jamison, carpenter, had drawn
at John Francis Office, Third and
Chestnut streets, $4,000, but there was
considerable doubt shown, as Jamison
kept out of sight.
But there are authentic instances Of
prizes drawn. Johnny Dodds was a
short, sturdy wood sawyer here, ia
NOUS for his skill in his vocation He
drew $4,000 in Mike Fortunes lottery
office, Chestnut street and Hudson al
ley. Mike was very brassy Irishman
and he advertised the event by inviting
many OF the city notables to a banquet
Among these was General George Cad
walader, then a young man. The next
time Cadwalader met Mike he gave him
a sound Gaming, and it was generally re-
sarded as we'll deserved.
Dodds hung UP his saw, bought a 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 at
night, stopping at every tavern on the
road, and inside of three years was pen
n1less. He drank up the 500 600 and
went back to his saw without the least
show of concern. He died in 1910.
In 1892 General Patterson received a.
dollar ticket in settlement with one of
his draymen,. and this drew $4,000 at
James office, "a Market street, and in
1879 Joseph Dugan, General Pleason-
toms father-in-law, drew $4,000 and
got it.
A weaver named Patterson, who had
only been two months in this country,
and worked in Craig's mill, on Girard
avenue, drew $4,000 and at once
started for Belfast. Ireland, his native
place, and inside of two years drank
himself to death.
The most pretentious of all was the
Grand State Lottery to build the Union
Canal" 1t was chartered in 1895 with
100000 in alleged prizes, and the pro-
digious swindle lasted until 1890 The
grant was sold many times. Henry
Pratt bought it for $4,000. Lemon
Hill was one of the undrawn prizes.
There was a legislative investigation in
1882, and it was in evidence that the
last holders, Yates and McIntire, had
made a net profit of 81, ,124 $50.
Yates was a Southerner and a gam
bier, and he laid $50, 900 against $4,000
when Eclipse ran Sir Henry in 1898, on
Long Island and lost, as Sir Henry was
beaten. No one seems to have been
benefited by money made in the lot
teries. Both Yates and McIntire died
poor. So did Mike Fortune. He passed
away in a wretched hovel at Sixth and
woman who had known him in more
prosperous days of Louisiana.
The late Andrew G. Curtin used to
tell a good story of his own experience
He had come to Philadelphia when a lad
of is, and was given very handsome
cut-glaSs decanter as present for his
father. Coming up Chestnut street he
stopped at Gibbs lottery office TO hear
his music boxes play. One of the cap
pers invited him in to try his fortune
and he invested quarter. The wheel
was turned and bright silver dollar
was the prize. He was so e1ated that
he showed it TO the usual crowd around
the door.
Suddenly a negro lad snatched it and
ran. Curtin hurled the decanter at
him and felled him to the ground, smash
ing the glass. A dozen willing hands
grabbed the thief, but in the scuffie the
dollar disappeared, and the future Gov
eronr left disconsolate. But he bought
no more lotteries.