Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-01-14
ROYAL GAMBLING SCHEME
The Havana Lottery Which for
Years Has Been a Curse
to Cuba.
A GIGANTIC SWlNDLE.
Tickets Sold Broadcast Over the ISL
and, But Winners Few and
Far Between.

Two Hundred and Fiuy Thousand Issued
and Drawing Every len Days. Though
Misery Rrigncd- Gcnerai Lees Char
actcristic Message to Our Government
The End Near at Hand.
The Royal Lottery of Cuba. with
headquarters in Havana. is still doing
business ~ ticket. and the king OF
Spain. as ever. winning the grand prize
ot S5o.0'D AT each drawing. The royal
gambling scheme. however Is nearing
the end of lis fortune promising. pau
producing career III Cuba.
Here for many years this corpora
ton. existing 10y royal grant and under
royal favor. has conducted Il thorough
~ honorable Swindling business. Its
little red tickets have spread over the
island. irritatingly, like the signs of
prickly heat over the body. Billettos
de- I.oteria have sold l.O00.0OO month.
at 81 each. And twenty-five per cent.
IF this 81 .OO0,0OO has been paid month
~ To the royal ruler of Spain. But now
that the said royal ruler is no longer 10
rule Cuba. since his royal army is TO
avacuate the island. his royal lottery is
in danger of eviction.
Hence. the corporations president
and all its vice presidents have put
their heads together and concoctcd q
scheme. 10y the operation of which they
hope 10 continue business at the old
stand. They have planned 10 cut loose
from the royal head in Spain. to drop
from their concerns name the word
Royal and substitute the word Gu
ban. Moreover. the twenty-five per
cent of the gross receipts now demand
Il f.sh nj
will be offered to the Cuban govern
ment. The question now is. will the
Cuban government. or rather. ought
the Cuban government. 10 accept the
oroffcrcd bride and permit the lottery
70 continue business.
In Havana, Santiago. Cienfuegos.
MqtanzaS. everywhere in the island,
ottcry tickets are sold by every worth
le.-s man. woman or child. who can
secure the confidence of Il broker. The
broker trusts the peddlcr with the
tickets. and the prd,ller sells them for
l certain commission. Thus far the
lottery scheme is good it furnishes
employment for the needy and the
aecr-do-well. The peddlers infest the
streets. wharves. and shops. While
gOu sit in u cafe. YOU are offered TWEEN
" hilletes 10y twenty different vendors
IN as many minutes.
In the old prosperous times, the tick
ats cost 81 each. in Spanish silver.
But since the beginning of the Cuban
war. more than three years ago. the
lrice has been 81 in paper. Two hun
ircd and fifty thousand tickets are is
sued and there is Il drawing every ten
lays. At the last drawing on the
morning of Oct. 10. the bait offered to
he poor people of Cuba consisted of
he usual grand prize of $4,000 and.
addition. one premium of $4,000 one
II $1,000. four Of 81 600 each. two of
Roo each. two of 500 each and seven
hundred and ninety eight of 500 each.
making Il total of 500 premiums. am
mounting 10 Sl:0.Oo0. Two hundred
md fifty thousand tickets were issued.
md supposedly. all sold. Yet during
the ten days in which that quarter
million pieces of worthless paper were
sold AT 81 each. misery rcigned in Gu
ba. People were starving To death.
Eight cents Il day would have saved
and still save n life.
lust before the war. when the United
States began the work of Cuban re-
icf. money was sent To Consul General
sec The general distributed the nee
,ssary s cents day To those Of the re-
.onccniradocs who We're found worthy.
still the starving starved What did
heSe people do with their : cents?
zen. Lee investigated. lie found that
lie money went toward the purchase
Il lottery tickets: ana he ut once cablcd
Washington: Don't send cash. Send
'ornmeal and goldfish
Since the raising Of the blockade the
people generally have lost some of
heir confidence. for the lottery officials
nave been detected passing ont count
.rfeit coin with good currency Still
he drawings are held every ten days
An observer has noticed that out of the
thousands of spectators present at each
lrawing. not one. on any occasion. held
/ winning number.
Two hours after each drawing the
names of the winners are published in
he Havana extras and cried in all
he streets. he names are telegraph
"a to the newspapers in Santiago. Ma
anZaS. and other cities. But as no adj
lressPS are given. il is obviously i'm
possible to meet winners face To face
The Royal Lottery officials positively
'efusc Ia give any information what
soever. Their plea IL that they must
aspect. keep sacred" the privacy of
heir patrons After the drawing of
Sept. 10 one oi the vice presidents was
asked u very ordinary question con
'erning the conduct If the lottery. His
'cplN was: ''Senor. this is our business
md not yours
This royal company of pickpockets,
however. may soon have to walk Span
sn by order of an American