Jackson Advocate

Natchez Called Hotbed Of Number Racket

NATCHEZ, Miss., May 22. Natchez is now the hotbed of the numbers racket, at least that's what legal and law enforcement authorities here charged last week.

The district attorney, a county attorney, and an influential lawyer, are in agreement that evidence has been disclosed showing that the racket abounds here, in all its viciousness. Said the attorney:

"It does not bother me to any great extent that some sap loses his money in a gambling game, but when white people conduct a lottery that is patronized mostly by our Negro citizens, and when a substantial amount is won at the lottery and white people refuse to pay off the Negro winner I get steamed up."

Testimony was introduced to show that a white lottery company, known as the Indian Head lottery, had welched on paying the sum of $435 to a Negro winner, Charles F. Engle, the attorney pushing the disclosure further said:

"I have names, dates and facts to submit to the district attorney and the county attorney in the event they feel a compulsion of duty to such an extent that they will take steps against the operation of this lottery. I have advised the operation of the lottery that if he does not pay his debts and conduct an honest lottery I will take steps to have it stopped, and that I would advise the client who came to me to bring suit against him in the courts for the amount lost in operation."