U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Western Tennessee April 15, 1871 (Lanham v. Patterson)

WITHEY, District Judge.

The plea sets up in bar of plaintiff’s action that the due bill was given for the payment of the proceeds of certain lottery tickets sold by defendant for plaintiff in the state of Tennessee, which sale was by the laws of Tennessee prohibited, and made a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment, wherefore the contract was unlawful and void.