The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-20
SOCIAL EQUALITY.
EXCITEMENT AT THE OPERA
VILARs0 MCCARTHY OUsTED,

Mr.. Vilarso E. Mccarthy, colored man, native
of this CITY, who was educated in France, well
known by our Creole population as a music
teacher, and by the public generally as one of the
appoiOtees of Sheridan as police commissioner,
which position he held until the metropolitan
police bill went into operation, was last night
ousted from the psrterre Tin rear of the orchestra
chairs) of the Opera House. Mccarthy is of very
light complexion, very polished and elegant in his
style of dress, and withAl some what pompous in
his manners.
Recently he has been known to visit the st.
Charles thester, and On one or two occasions has
been unexpectedly admitted to the parterre OF
the Opera, which is generally frequented by the
middle classes, or such of the plsy-goers as do
not consider themselves dressed elegantly enough
to occupy seats in the more fashionable circles
this, probably, because he is better known
among the higher classes, and would sooner be
discovered with the humilisting consequences to
which he was subjected last evening. In comps-
ny with Mr.. Eugene stass, Mr.. NJ ,rthy obtains ID
admission TO the parterre of the Opera House.
The curtain had been up only few minutes
when Mr.. Normandin, the cOntroLetT of the estab-
lishment was advised that a colored man had
ntruded himself in that portion of the house
which is reserved exclusively for white persons.
Mr.. Normandin Immediately dispatched officers
Degros and Mcmahon to inquire into the fact,
with orders to Dust the intruder and return him
the price of admission. Officer Degros. speaking
French, was the spokesman, and politely address
|. ing Mr. Mccarthy, informed him that he had
orders to request him to leave the house
and return him the dollar which he had paid
for his admission. Mr.. Mccarthy arose and
asked the officer who had given him the
| order Mr.. Degros answered that he had received
| it from Mr.. Normandin, the conatrOueu' q Well"
answered Mr.. Mccarthy, tell Mr.. Normandin
| that wish him TO come down and put me out"
| or "tell Mr.. Normandin / wish to see him." The
| request having been transmitted to Mr.. Norman
| din, be went down, and was asked by Mr.. Nc
| Carthy what reason he had to order him out.
| Mr.. Normsndn answered that it was against the
| rules of the house to permit colOred man 10 sit
in places reserved for white men that there was
] place for colored men. After an enxchange of
| q lew more words, the officers were ordered to
| do their duy. Thereupon Mr.. Mccarthy became
very indignant, and remarked. in lJud voice,
| that it was an indgnity that he, colored man,
| should be thus treated in civilized community"
As he walked out Mr.. NormsDdin handed him
| one dollar, in return for that which he had paid
on his entTance-which act on the part OF the con-
| trolleur increased the excitement of Mr.. McCar-
| thy and caused him TO use some rather uncOmpl-
| mentary language towards Mir. NOrmandn, and
| finally 10 threaten that gentleman with correc.
tons by slaps in the face and kicks posteriort,
| TO be administered to-day. The excitement was
L
| to alsy the feeling. Meanwhile, inside, Mr..
| Stees, formerly captain in the Orleans Guards,
| whose conduct at Shiloh is said TO have been ir-
| reproachsble. and now q Radical and assistant
clerk OF the House of Representatives. who as we
| have said had been in company with Mr.. McCar-
thy, was accosted by Capt. Michel George, who
| lost leg III the Confederate servce-at Peters
| burg, we believe-and tainted him for his
repeated visits to the Opera House with a
| coIOred man. OF Mr. Stses's conduct at this
| moment we are not informed, but some dispute
| resulted, TO which officer Mcmahon objected.
| Mr.. Stses asked the officers name, and remarked
that be wished to cali the attention OF the officer
! 10 tbe fact that he had been insulIed. Officer
/ McMahon. after giving his nunuc, tUIu nj. Dvaos
| that be had not seen the beginning of the affair
| and could do nothing then but require the gentle
| men to keep the peace, and everything sank into
| silence end quiet, broken only by the strains oil
| " Bravo, Figaro" Figaro, bravo" Brsvissi
| MOI etc., Of PerOnt, as he dances out from be
| hind the scenes on the stage to meet 4tndutr6
! under the lattice window of ROSine.