Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) marked playing cards.

1908

K. McGaffey Sorrows of a Show Girl Ch. xx: Wilbur, after losing a little junk, gives the wise guys the office that he’s jerry to the fact that they are playing with newspaper.

2. (US Und.) 30 days in prison [the time it supposedly takes an illiterate person to read one].

1926		Maines & Grant Wise-crack Dict.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 134: Newspaper. – A thirty days’ gaol sentence.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).