The Washington herald., 1916-12-16
PHILADELPHIA POLICE
ON TRAIL OF LOTTERY
Endless Chain for One-cent Car Tickets
May Bring Indictments.
Special to The wohinetou Herald.


Philadelphia, Dec. 13.-Following a
searching investigation by the police de-
partment and district attorneys office in
this city of the so-called "endless-chatn-
trolley-car-ticket" system of high finance,
indictments may be presented to the
grand jury soon by District Attorney
Rotan accusing two of the promoters OF
the alleged "get-rich-quick" scheme with
operating a lottery.
James Chern and Philip Francis are the
names of the promoters of the trolley
ticket scheme against whom the charges
have been made. and upon the result of
the case against them District Attorney
Rotan and Director of Public Safety Will
son are counting upon saving thousands
Of citizens from further investing in the
scheme which the district attorney says
Is one In which the public is bound to lose
The arrest of Chern and Francis was
ordered by the district attorney when his
attention was called to the fact that all
over the city inducements were being held
out to the public to invest in the end
less-chain-ticket" scheme and to act as
agents for the promoters to induce other
citizens to purchase a book Of coupons
which is part Of the system"
The Original Promoters.
Chern and Francis were the original
promoters of the trolley scheme in this
Francis, Chern & Co., In a building not
far from the Broad and Chestnut streets
center of the citys retail business and
financial district
Within comparatively short time SINH
lar car ticket business firms were
cropping up in other parts OF the citys
business centers and agents representing
the firms were placed in all parts OF the
city urging the public to invest in books
Of coupons.
In effect the systems" were identical.
The public was shown how, through the
purchase of books OF coupons, 1t was pos
sible to obtain Twenty-Five genuine troll
ley car tickets. good on surface lines, the
subway or the Market street elevated
for Is cents.
Thousands Led to Invest.
Thousands Of car riders were led to in
vest in the coupon books. The men en-
gagged in the business OF letting the pub
lie in on the system" said they were
conducting a legitimate business and that
neither the Philadelphia Rapid Transit
Company. which operates virtually all
the trolley car lines in Philadelphia, nor
the police could interfere with them.
Oficials OF the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company were at a loss as to a
course of pursue They said it was i'm
possible for their car tickets to be sold
for one cent each without somebody les
ing, and they said that the somebody"
| bound to lose in the end would be the
public.
The Philadelphia Rapid Transit officials
said the tickets sold at the company's
offices cost all purchasers five cents each.
and they declared the "endless-chain"
promoters were paying that price for the
| tickets.
District Attorney Acts.
District Attorney Rotan decided to use
| the legal machinery Of his office He as
| signed Joseph H. Taulane, one Of his
cooperation with Detective Captain
James Tate and Detective Meiklejohn OBJ
tained evidence for warrants for the ar
rest Of Chern and Francis
The two are now under bail to answer
the charge OF conducting an illegal lot
terry.
With the disclosures following the po-
lice and District Attorneys Investigation
| the endless chain" scheme apparently
met with a general break up. According
| to Captain Tate and Mr.. Taulane the
scheme" has at least been put out of
business temporarily.
May Be Waiting Trial.
ut is possible that some of the gentle
ilel WHO nave Deen counting upon reap
ing rich rewards by inducing the public
to hand over their money to them may
be waiting upon the result of the criminal
proceedings against Chern and Francis"
Mr.. Taulane said today
IF that is So they will probably find
they are up against the statutes Of
Pennsylvania
Tt is my Judgment the endless scheme
Of selling trolley tickets for ] cent is
| unlawful and that It is scheme in
which the public will be heavy losers"
Comparatively little is known here as
| to the antecedents of Chern and Francis.
1t is understood the District attorneys
office has been investigating them and
| also the principals connected with similar
| organizations. Francis. il is said. came
to this city from Denver. just before
his arrest, when it appeared that the dis
| trict attorneys office and the police de-
partment were doubtful OF legal grounds
to act Francis described his scheme
IAN a person must do" he said, rs to
pay 81 for a book containing three cou-
pons. He sells these three coupons to
friends for % cents each. This leaves