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The Irish Hospitals Sweepstake in the United States of America, 1930–39

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

Marie Coleman
Marie Coleman*
Affiliation:
School of History and Anthropology, Queen’s University of Belfast
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Extract

From its foundation in 1930 until the end of 1934 the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake sold the overwhelming majority of its tickets in Great Britain. Alarmed at the success of an enterprise that was illegal in its jurisdiction and that resulted in a considerable financial drain to the Irish Free State’s hospital service, the British government enacted a Betting and Lotteries Act in 1934 to curtail the sale of Irish sweepstake tickets there. The result was a substantial decline in British contributions to the sweepstake and in the overall income from ticket sales. The British action threatened the continued existence and success of the venture.

Type
Research Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 35 , Issue 138 , November 2006 , pp. 220 - 237
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2006

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References

1 For a more detailed account see Coleman, Marie, ‘“A terrible danger to the morals of the country”: the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake in Great Britain, 1930–1987’ in R.I.A. Proc., cv (2005), sect. C, pp 197–220Google Scholar.

2 New York Times, 2 July 1932.

3 McLellan, R.D., ‘Now it’s gambling’ in Readers’ Digest [U.S. edition], xxiv, no. 142 (Feb. 1934), pp 25–7Google Scholar.

4 James Grafton Rogers to Michael MacWhite, 23 Oct. 1931 (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (henceforth N.A.R.A.), RG 59, State Decimal Files (henceforth SDF) 1930–39, 841D.513/9).

5 Henry H. Balch, ‘An estimate of Irish sweepstakes tickets sales in the United States’, 29 Mar. 1932 (ibid., 841D.513/18).

6 These figures were calculated from the lists of prizewinners printed in the Irish Times after each draw.

7 The proportion of tickets sold in both the U.S.A. and Great Britain has been estimated on the basis of the number of prizes won by residents of these countries.

8 Audited accounts of Irish Hospitals Sweepstake draws, 1930–39 (Oireachtas Éireann Library).

9 Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department to Secretary of State, 29 Mar. 1932 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/16).

10 Fred B. Smith to Henry L. Stimson, 6 Jan. 1931 (ibid., 841D.513/1).

11 Post Office Department, fraud order case files (ibid., RG 28, files 5307, 5332, 5333).

12 Office of Postmaster General to Secretary of State, 14 Jan. 1931 (ibid., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/2).

13 Joseph McGrath to J. V. Fahy, 8 Sept. 1930 (N.A.I., DFA 34/13).

14 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, c. 1970s, p. 19 (in the possession of Professor John Horgan, Dublin City University). I am grateful to Professor Horgan for allowing me use of this document.

15 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews re workings of Irish sweepstake organization, especially in the United States’, enclosed with John K. Davis to Secretary of State, 12 Feb. 1940 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1940–44, 841D.513/83).

16 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 13.

17 Lord Powerscourt to James Geoghegan, 15 Aug. 1932 (N.A.I., DJ H240/76). Original emphasis.

18 Public Hospitals Act, 1933/18 [I.F.S.] (27 July 1933), Section 2. Emphasis added.

19 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’ (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1940–44, 841D.513/83).

20 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 42.

21 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’.

22 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 11.

23 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’.

24 Questionnaire completed by Joseph Andrews for Commissioner of Internal Revenue, July 1940 (ibid., 841D.513/97); memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 39.

25 Post Office Department, fraud order case files (N.A.R.A., RG 28, file 7084).

26 Circular letter from A. A. Cooper, Ajax Trading Coy, n.d. (ibid., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/25).

27 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’; memorandum of Joseph Andrews, pp 12–15.

28 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, pp 27–31.

29 Tarpey, Marie V., ‘Joseph McGarrity, fighter for Irish freedom’ in Studia Hib., no. 11 (1971), pp 164—80Google Scholar; Hickey, D.J. and Doherty, J.E., A new dictionary of Irish history from 1800 (Dublin, 2003), p. 296Google Scholar.

30 Connie Neenan to Moss Twomey, 21 Mar. 1933 (U.C.D.A., Moss Twomey papers, P69/185(50)).

31 M. H. Enright to Joseph McGarrity, 27 Nov. 1933 (N.L.I., Joseph McGarrity papers, MS 17450); Tarpey, ‘Joseph McGarrity’, p. 178.

32 Irish Times, 26 July 1979; Cork Examiner, 26 July 1979.

33 Hanley, Brian, The I.R.A., 1926–1936 (Dublin, 2002), p. 163Google Scholar.

34 Irish Times, 26 July 1979.

35 Moss Twomey to Connie Neenan, 28 Mar. 1933 (U.C.D.A., P69/185(25)).

36 Tom O’Hanlon, ‘Drew Pearson — the sweep’s U.S. link man’ in Profile (July 1973), p. 21. This is contained in the original July 1973 issue of Profile, which was removed from sale and replaced with an issue that did not contain this story.

37 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 16.

38 Ibid., p. 13.

39 Ibid., p. 16; ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’.

40 ‘Joseph McGarrity leaves $20,000’, unidentified newspaper report (Villanova University, McGarrity papers, group II, box 6, folder 5).

41 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 14.

42 Ibid., pp 38–40.

43 Ibid., p. 26.

44 ‘Report of Mr Joseph G. Andrews’.

45 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, pp 34, 17.

46 Hull, Mark, Irish secrets: German espionage in wartime Ireland, 1939–1945 (Dublin, 2003), pp 43, 61Google Scholar.

47 Stephenson to Sir John Maffey, 18 Apr. 1940 (P.R.O., DO 130/8).

48 Hull, Irish secrets, p. 61.

49 George H. Barringer, ‘Irish sweeps tickets sold in the United States’, 29 May 1933 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/31).

50 F.B.I., file no. 61–555: ‘Irish activities in the United States’, Apr.–Sept. 1939. I am grateful to Dr Brian Hanley for a copy of this document.

51 Telegram text reproduced in the diary of Joseph McGarrity, entry for 19 Apr. 1939 (Villanova Univ., McGarrity papers, group II, box 2, folder 6) (McGarrity had daughters named Deirdre and Ann); for Neenan see N.A.R.A., North East Regional Archives, New York City, Criminal Cases: Southern District of New York, C104-68.

52 Irish Independent, 1 Aug. 1930.

53 New York Times, 23 Jan. 1931.

54 Ibid., 22 June 1931.

55 Memo by James Grafton Rogers, 22 Sept. 1931 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/6).

56 Cable from Department of External Affairs to Washington embassy, 6 Sept. 1933 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 1008).

57 John Cudahy to Secretary of State, 5 Oct. 1937 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/33).

58 Post Office Department, fraud order case files (ibid., RG 28, file 6079).

59 Ibid, (files 6007, 6025, 6026, 6076, 6079).

60 Fred McDonald and Bob Considine, ‘Not a clean sweep: the inside workings of the Irish lottery’ in Collier’s Magazine (4 June 1938), pp 16–17, 55–7.

61 New York Times, 17 Jan. 1939.

62 P. J. Fleming to Michael Goldberg, 11 Sept. 1935 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/470).

63 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 26.

64 Ibid., pp 40–41.

65 Hospitals Trust Ltd to Henry J. MacFarland, 26 Feb. 1932 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/47).

66 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 41.

67 ‘Enclosure to despatch no. 516, dated 24 June 1941, from American consul Francis H. Styles, Dublin, Ireland … [to Secretary of State]’ (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1940–44, 841D.513/107).

68 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, pp 36–7.

69 New York Times, 6 June 1934.

70 Ibid., 16 Mar. 1937.

71 ‘Hidden history: If you’re not in …’ (broadcast, RTÉ 1 television, 2 Dec. 2003).

72 McDonald & Considine, ‘Not a clean sweep’, p. 57.

73 ‘Hidden history: If you’re not in …’.

74 New York Times, 21 June 1931.

75 Ibid., 30 June 1931.

76 J. R. Clark to Minister for External Affairs, 27 Aug. 1931 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 1008).

77 Ibid.

78 Printed circular letter from Hospitals Trust, 1 Aug. 1931 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/9).

79 Office of Postmaster General to Secretary of State, 10 May 1932 (ibid., 841D.513/19).

80 New York Times, 24 Feb. 1935.

81 Office of Postmaster General to Secretary of State, 12 Oct. 1931 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/9).

82 J. R. Clark to Minister for External Affairs, 27 Aug. 1931 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 1008).

83 Henry H. Balch to Secretary of State, 10 Mar. 1932 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/15).

84 F. H. Boland to Minister Plenipotentiary, Washington, D.C., 11 Sept. 1940 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 1008).

85 Henry H. Balch to Secretary of State, 31 Mar. 1932 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/17).

86 Office of Postmaster General to Secretary of State, 12 Oct. 1931 (ibid., 841D.513/9).

87 Circular letter from Joseph McGrath re return of remittances for 1931 Manchester November Handicap sweep (ibid.).

88 New York Times, 17 Mar. 1934.

89 Memorandum of Joseph Andrews, p. 43.

90 Washington embassy to secretary, Department of External Affairs, 2 Mar. 1937 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 108).

91 New York Times, 26 Mar. 1937.

92 Ibid., 27 Mar. 1937.

93 Washington embassy to secretary, Department of External Affairs, 2 Mar. 1937 (N.A.I., DFA, Washington embassy files, file 108).

94 Washington embassy to secretary, Department of External Affairs, 1 June 1937 (ibid.).

95 New York Times, 28 Mar. 1936; MacDonald & Considine, ‘Not a clean sweep’, p. 57.

96 Irish Times, 13 Apr. 1931.

97 McDonald & Considine, ‘Not a clean sweep’, p. 57.

98 Ibid.

99 New York Times, 5 Aug. 1938; L. J. Falck to Mr Sayre, 2 Aug. 1939 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/79).

100 New York Times, 25 Apr. 1935.

101 Ibid., 25 Apr. 1935, 15, 28 Aug. 1936.

102 Ibid., 7, 11 Aug. 1936.

103 Office of Postmaster General to Secretary of State, 10 May 1932 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/19).

104 Department of State, Division of Western European Affairs, memo, 16 June 1932 (ibid., 841D.513/16).

105 ‘Conversation between Mr R. E. Eggleton, Post Office Inspector, and Mr Reber’, 6 Aug. 1936 (ibid., 841D.513/46).

106 John Cudahy, ‘Prevention of violations of United States statutes by the Hospitals Trust, Limited’, 27 Oct. 1937 (ibid., 841D.513/52).

107 K. P. Aldrich to Secretary of State, 22 Jan. 1938 (ibid., 841D.513/57).

108 Welles, Sumner to Cudahy, John, 4 Feb. 1938 (Foreign Relations of the United States (1938) ii, 196)Google Scholar.

109 John Cudahy to Secretary of State, 9 Apr. 1938 (ibid., pp 197–9).

110 John Cudahy to Secretary of State, 23 Apr. 1938 (ibid., pp 200–01).

111 P. J. Fleming to U.S. agents, 5 May 1939 (N.A.R.A., RG 59, SDF 1940–44, 841D.513/83).

112 Department of State, memo, 7 June 1938 (ibid., SDF 1930–39, 841D.513/68).

113 I wish to acknowledge the support of the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences.