CONSPIRACY CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21324, 27 October 1932, Page 15

CONSPIRACY CHARGE

ART UNION SENSATION BRISBANE LOTTERY DRAWING [from OUII OWN correspondent] SYDNEY. Oct. 20 A sensation has been caused by the arrest in Brisbane of a State lottery official, Donald Mackay, and William Llewellyn Evans, a traveller, on a charge of having conspired together to secure the first prize of £6OOO in the Golden Casket art union. According to the allegations of the police, a clever scheme was conceived, and it was only the alertness of an official that prevented success. The allegation by the police is that Mackay, who was the acting accountant, got Evans to visit a country centre for the purpose of purchasing two tickets in the lottery. Mackay, it is alleged, then gave Evans a marble corresponding with the number of one of the tickets. Evans in turn, the police say, gave (ho marble to his thirteen-year-old son, who was present in the theatre when the lottery was drawn. It has been tlie custom of the lottery officials in Queensland to call on a hoy from the audience to draw the marbles out of the barrel. It is alleged that Mackay was in charge of the drawing that took place on Tuesday last, and that he called upon young Evans to draw the first marble. Before the drawing, however, another official noticed something in the boy's hand, and drew him aside. It was then, so it is alleged, that he found the marble. The accused were brought before the Court and remanded until October 26. A lottery machine has been bought by the Government for use in future Golden Casket drawings. It. will obviate the necessity of having marbles. The only human element will be the. turning of a. handle. The Home Secretary, Mr. Hanlon, says the machine had been subjected to careful tests and proved to be, foolproof and correct in every detail. The machine had been manufactured and patented by a Brisbane engineer.