Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-08-07
LOTTERIES OF EUROPE
The Way French and Italian State
Drawings Are Handled.
PRIZES PICKED IN PUBLIC.
Officials Who PresiSc al the Selection
of the Lucky Numhess-The Differ
enes Between the French Bond
Scheme and the Italian Lotto.

hcan. although he heard that a city Of
Paris bond which he possessed had
won f2Oo0. was SO skeptical OF the
Senuineness Of French government
lotteries that hc refused 10 believe he
could receive the money. even when n
check fcv the amount came to hand.
At last he was persuaded To- cash the
check. Accompanied by few friends.
who were going 10 get the money cor
know why" he set out FOR Paris.
They invaded The Hotel lie Vile and
came away gaping with establishment
because the check was cashed tue mo-
ment ne handed it IN.
The French state lotteries are
worked on a system which. while put
ting fortunes into the pockets of lucky
individuals. ena bles the country TO
raise loans when required Each stock
OF bond. besides earning IA small rate
Of Interest. entities the holder to par
ucipate in Il series OF drawings for
prizes. ranging In value from n SOW
ereign % several thousand pounds.
The bones range from Is shillings to
tGo and. being made payable TO bearer.
-an he turned into ready money very
easily.
The drawings for prizes must. ac-
eoriiug 70 law. take place in public.
and no enc. whether 4 bondholder or
not. can bc refused admittance TO the
Credit Foncier. where the drawing
takes place. At every drawing the
governor Of the bank and other high
officers are present. whose duty it IS
70 superinlend the whole proceedings
At the commencement one OF them
reads oct a list OF big prizes to be
drawn for. and also states the num-
Der CT bonds which are to be redeemed
at par
Each number is drawn 10y boy from
revolving wheel or drum. varying in
height from four TO eight feet. accord
ing 20 TIE number OF persons partici-
patinE in the lottery. This boy is usu-
ally obtained from neighboring or
phanage or similar institution. and the
snsa Of 10 francs is placed TO his credit
in his savings bank book as payment
for his services. Before inserting his
hand in tho aperture the boy faces the
audience with his hand In the air. fin
gers outspreld. and his arm bare to
tho elbow, ID show that he Is conceal
: Ing nothing before making the draw.
rs he draws each little scroll from
the wheel Of fortune the presiding of.
iiccr takes or the copper covering and
reads cut tho lucky number. afterward
passing Ii round u members of tine
press for verification. And so the
drawing goes on until the whole of the
prize winning numbers have been
drawn. After this the drawing OF
those bonds which are 10 be repaid II
par takss place. the boy drawing them
from the wheel In handfuls aud empty
Ing them Into crystal bowl. From
the latter they are taken. sorted out
counted and entered 10y clerks.
The italian state lottery. or lotto. as
ii IS called, is conducted. on somewhat
dimereat lines. Each week. at eight OF
The Principal cities in Italy. five mum
bers are publicly drawn from the mum
bers one II ninety. People have in the
meantime been busy taking tickets foI
the lotto. on which are specified ID,
numbers o. which they are PLAYING
II any two numbers selected by :
player appear among the Eve drawn
lie receives ffty-two and half time.
his stake; if three numbers appear
1850 times his stake, aud If four mum
berS. Go.O0O times his stake. The low
est stake is II centesimi. equal TO about
! penny OF our coinage.
Seeing, however. that there ar,
4.OO5 combinations OF two i'm ninety
numbers. 1I7.4SO combinations Of
three and no fewer than 2.J55.I9O com
binatiOns OF four. 1t is obvious that III,
odds are very heavy against winning
n spite or This, however. the lottery
IS ye.y popular. rs may be judged
from The fact that on an average III,
Italian government draws f2.5OOOOt
every year from this source.
In their selection of numbers til,
Italian gamblers are guided to very
great extent 10y dreams and events
Tor no people are more SuperstitiouS
Dream books are largely published
and bought while any untoward event
IS looked upon as furnishing clew
10 lucky numbers.
Some time ago. FOR instance. seri
GUS accident occurred ut Genoa. Two
horses bolted. fen headlOng from an
elevated piazza iuo Il street below
and We're killed. 4 lamp post being up
set IN their fall Immediately those
who Witnessed the tragedy decided to
play the following numbers: Two
number OF the horseS). five equivalent
OF horse. ninety meaning accident
and sixteen and forty tthe number
painted on the lamp post which was
upset. BY & curious fuke every one
Of the numbers came out. and over
100000 Ira s252OOO-was won.
In Austria and Germany, too. gov
eminent lotteries are fourlshing in
stitutionS. What Is known rs the
Royal Prussian lottery has monthly
drawings. and the number Of tickets
disposed of for each event Is close on
100000. Owing to their high price.
however. these are seldom held in their
integrity. md tickets for small frac-
tons Of each are issued Never during
4 whole century has the holder of an
undivided ticket won the great stake,
though thousands have won fortunes
by being HoSSesSors Of shares OF win.
Ming numherS.-London Tit-Bits.
The Per-ect SNrNy-rA