Mexborough and Swinton Times January 27, 1928
Football Lottery
Comparison with Crosswords
Thurnscoe Man Fined
Jack Harrison, described as a Pugilist, of Halesbury Ave, Thurnscoe, was summoned at Doncaster on Tuesday was a breach of the Lotteries Act and not having his motorcar identification plate illuminated; also with having no offside front line. For the two offences he was fined five shillings each.
Mr W Lindsay Crawford, defending, pleaded “Not guilty.”
Mr C.P.Bruton, prosecuting, said that an officer visited the Collingwood Hotel, Bolton on December 9 and in the tap room saw defendant sell four tickets. The officer also bought two tickets which were football lotteries based on goalscoring.
At 8 PM the same evening another officer entered the Collingwood Hotel and so defend sell a ticket to a customer in the bar. This officer also bought a ticket, for which he paid 6d.
The police had evidence that the defendant is a tremendous business, and that 5000 tickets were obtained each week. They further knew that the defendant mailed a large amount to agents each Friday evening.
Mr Crawford drew the attention of the Bench the father Harrison was summoned for having sold the tickets not for having organised a lottery.
Harold Parkin, a representative of the Mexborough and Swinton Times printing company, said that owing to a misunderstanding the company printed the tickets, numbering 5000 a week for Harrison.
PC Rowling gave evidence bearing out the opening statement.
Cross-examined by Mr Crawford he said that there was printed on the front of the tickets, “ Sylvo’s English Cup tie selection, price 6d.”
Mr Crawford: You pay 60 for this English cup selection with a free football treble, so that what you really pay for is a free tip, such as you might buy on any racecourse. The free selection was Huddersfield Town?
Witness: Yes, that is so.
PC Forsyth also gave evidence.
Mr Bruton: What induced you to buy the ticket? – I was there for that purpose.
Mr Crawford: How did your teens go on? – They got 14 goals, I think.
Mr Crawford: did you get a price? – I don’t know; the ticket was not in my hands on Saturday.
Mr Pettifer: do you get any prize if Huddersfield win the English Cup? – I could not say sir.
Mr Crawford asked the Bench if they could tell him the difference between this and the crossword puzzle competitions published in newspapers of which money prizes were offered.
Mr Pettifer: In the crossword puzzles if you guess right where you get the prize. In this case, and what the free tip you have then to back the winner to obtain any benefit.
Mr Crawford: you have also in these crossword puzzle competition to estimate the number of competitors.
Mr Pettifer: Has your man any special means of arriving at the truth?
Miss Crawford: he’s a tipster, and tipsters have special skill.
Mr Bruton: The teams are selected for you in a football competition, and in the crossword puzzle you have to estimate. That entails an element of skill, perhaps a very mild element.
Mr Crawford: It is published on the front of the ticket as a football team, and the three teams are free. You pay 6d for the tip.
Mr Pettifer: The only issue is whether your man sold the tickets or not?
Miss Crawford: I admit that he disputes these tickets to agents, but it was not a lottery. If the Bench so so, Harrison was prepared to give the competition up. He would simply call Harrison into the box and ask him if he sold the tickets to the offices or not.
Harrison said he did not sell the tickets to the officers. He admitted visiting the Collingwood Hotel that night, but he did not sell any tickets. If he did sell tickets is a difficult thing that he was taking their custom. Denied that he said anything in the Collingwood Hotel.
Mr Crawford said that the competition was not a lottery. Harrison carried on the competition quite openly, and honestly thought that it was bona fide.
The magistrates return of 10 minutes, after which the Chairman (Mr J Dymond) said that the Bench thought there ought to be a conviction. Harrison will be fined £5 on each charge.