The times., 1897-08-07

The first arrest for violation OF the law
| in this respect was made about IL o clock
yesterday morning by Detective Watson,
when he apprehended George Prenaer, who
I is alleged to he the eompany's agentin TINS
city, and locked him up in No. g station
Prender is ostcnsiby a life insurance agent,
and has an office at his residence, No. 63S
Tenth street southeast, but the detectives
say he is really the head of the Louistana
Lottery Compan y in this city, and has been
acting as such for some months past
The lottery business had just begun TO
flourish again. Detective Watson, who has
special charge OF pUlIoycases, and who has
succeeded in breathing up all the shops in
Washington, learned. the facts some time
ago, but has heretofore been unable 70
fasten a case upon Prender. Yesterday
he sighted him passing two suspicious
looking slips or paper to two men, and
iInmedi ately placed him under arrest. The
two men at once surrendered the slips,
which proved TO be regular lottery tickets
in the Honduras, formerly the Louisiana
State, Lottery Company,
In Frender's Possession was fosfnd
paper containing the names Of twenty-five
persons to whom he had sold tickets, and
the cOTrPsT1 11TdiIg numbers.
The tickets which Detective Watson Sc
cured were Nos. so, ,353 and 92,s46. and
read that the drawing will take place on
Saturday, August Ii, at Puerto CorteZ,
Honduras, under the direction of the Hon.
furas National Lottery Company, governed
by the Louisiana State Lottery. The 3,434
prizes noted on the slips range from 900,
OF $8 each, to one grand prize OF $4,000.
Pronder has been accustomed to trans
acting his busi ness with the company by
means OF express TO avoid sending his
matter through the mails He was locked
up in No. 6 station on the charge OF pro-
noting policy lottery The penalty for
the offcnse is quite severe, being both fine
and Imprisonment. The case viii come
up in police court this morning.
George Prender was at one time we'll
known and well liked in Washington. He
is OF English birth and is fifty-five years
old. He came TO Washington forty Years
ago. He has held many excellent positions
in this city, and has always given salts
| faction TO the people with whom ne has
como in contact. Many years ago he re.
signed ST. 500 positionin the Treasury De-
partBent and started a stationery store
next to Tbompson's drug store. This bust-
ness was bought ont by the Brentanos
A reporter for The Times called on Mr..
Thompson yesterday afternoon and asked
him about Mr.. Prender. ''Yes, know
George Prender very well,'' he said. HE
kept the store next daor to me for long
time twenty years ago, and we Were very
good friends. He was very punctilious
about his monetary obligations, and re-
member III at five years after he had given
Up that store be came to my place and
paid me 50 or SIS that he had borrowed
and that had entirely Forgotten 1 have
seen him at intervals OF two or three days
TO a few years ever since that time.
He told me . few days age that he was
in the Insurance business. / do not be-
heve, from MY knowledge of the man,
that these charges against him will prove
TO be true
Several years after this time Mr. Prem
der was employed In the sixth auditors
office. He resigned from this place, or
was transf erred TO the War Department.
Two years ago, ia a general reduction or
force in the War Department, he was
one OF the several who had to give IN
their places
Inquiry at the Treasury Department and
at the War Department, where he was
well remembered showed that his reputa,
tioE in these places, both for his worI,
and for his personal character, was ex-
celient Several people spoke OF his gen.
erosity and OF many acts of kindness that
had signalized his work in the office,
After Mr.. FreHder left the War Depart.
ment he did not succeed SO well in n
business way as formerly He became the
agent for silver plated ware firm, and
for soap establishment. Later he gave
that up, and Within the last few weeks
has been ostensibly an agent for the RoyaI
Life Insurance Company. 1t cannot be
learned, however, that Mr.. Prender has
done any insurance business.
Prender Goes not deny the lottery ticket
sale He was seen by Times reporter
yesterday, and gave a full account of
what he alleged to be the facts OF the case
II did sell the Tickets he said. 81 sold
three OF them. I didn't deny this to The
detective nor refuse TO give my correc1
name and address The tickets were given
to ME by man named Thorpe, who lives
in my neighborheod, for debt he owed
me- don't know how he got them except
that be said he found them.
The two men who bought the tickets
from me 1 never saw before. ! pot To
talking with them about the Klontike
sold. and they expressed the wish to go to
Alaska. l remembered the tickets in my
pocket. and having no use for them, said to
the men.
I've got something better than the
KicnCike.' Ishowed them the tickets Thorpe
had given me, and they immeliately v offered
to purchase them"
Mr.. Prender showed the So theyhad given