The New York herald., 1874-01-19
The. German Theatres, Concert
Halls, Bathrooms and SUM-
day. Side Shows Open.
WILL THE LAW Be ENFORCED ?"
one Hundred Thousand Germans
in Harmonious DiScOrd.
ITCH HABE DEN CAPTAIN GEsEHEN"

What will the Germans do to-day? They have
been denounced by the law" SAID a reporter OF
the HERALD TO a wen known German merchant in
q German club not more than half mile nom
Reservoir square.
The DID, respectable Teuton smiled and drew
draught of smoke from his cigar. He then crossed
his legs and arranged his coat-he had just come
in from . drive. This gentleman was
well known citizen, banker, and who
had dealings with all the great financial centres of
the worad-London, Paris, Frankfort and San Fran
cisco. After he had spoken few moments in pri-
vate conversation he said -
1.-THE German people are an industrious people
mean the majority OF them. 1t is true that there
are many very wealthy Germans in New York,
yet the majority are poor people. You
nave stated IN the HERALD to-day that
there are not more than 175,oO0 people OF German
birth in the city of New York. Well, there is not
more than that number of Germans born in Ger
many, 1t Is true. But how many are there OF Ger
manic extraction ~
''This is very well; but what is there to be said
about the Sunday law ~ then asked.
1.-The Sunday law is q humbug. 1t is not law at
all. How can a law be a good one that Will not
permit the assemblage of decent people in their or
dinary resortsS During church hours In Germany
and France the populations have no right TO con-
gregate, but late in the afternoon 1t is almost I'M
possible to convey TO you sir the idea OF the per-
L
the Ee7naesse and have been at the theatre and
the opera. We at that time respected the Sunday,
Du1 on SS nena NAV de our n seaasd fe fSe OH
5ervances OF Sunday, yet am certain that we
must recognize one thing, and that is the law But
what Is the lawf II you will have the kindness to
visit any OF our clubs or halls to-day you will find
very orderly and decent class OF citizens"
"And how do you account for the lawless spirit
displayed il the publication OF advertisements, to
the effect that concerts and balls are to be held on
this Sunday evening against the lawY"
q
pounded to me- l mean that it is prolific
Onr oRn wa but tSe SSa Of
ment must be conferred on our citizens.
There are so many poor Germans, 10000 OF them,
who have no amusement on any other day in the
week but Sunday, that 1t seems TO me to be q very
harsh measure TO deprive them Of their one days
sell, but have, suppose, 100 Jewish friends and
three OF them came to me and said that the regular
Hail tonight. Now % cannot @ understand star q such n an
order as that. have information direct that all
the police captains who govern precincts in which
German or Jewish balls are to be held will have
money paid to them directly at the different sta
tiOn houses tonight to allow the different societies
to have their concerts and their dancing balls alter.
ward
'If this be true" said the reporter of the
HERALD how can you justify the proceedings Of
''I shall not attempt to justify them; they must
have their own Justification"
left this enthusiastic German and visited all the
different German places OF amusement. It would
seem that tfl police orders had done nothing to
affect them. In every amusement hall there was
q great crowd, and every proprietor OF
these halls insisted on showing his
ballroom. All these bathrooms were alike They
bad smooth floors and chairs around, and the
three cOlors OF Germany displayed from the music
stand, which generally at the upper end OF
each hall There were numbers OF young fellows,
well dressed, and smoking wretched cigars, and
there were wives and children and their
friends, who came 70 see the conflict which ala
not take place. At Germania Hall there
very decent assembage Of persons, both
male and female, who did not think for moment
that they were disobeying the law in listening to
q concert under the direction OF the law. There
ball at the conclusion OF the concert. At this
place the Eighteenth Psalm was sung by very
good chorus, and to make the lelicles more sacred
there waltz played from ''FauSt'' and also
the overture from the "Tannhduser.n 1t was the
same in every place visited by the writer. There
was much conviviality. much good humor much
good order, but IN every place-Beethoven, Con-
cordia, Turnhalle or Harmony Hal-there was the
same disregard and utter defiance OF law.
The police, who were to make so many arrests
yesterday did nothing. They were, in TACT,
absent everywhere, excepting at the Atlantic
Garden and the Stadt Theatre, at which places
they seemed to be attending to their business.
All over the city there was much excitement, but
no dif1culty, for the Germans laughed at the law.
The agents OF the sabbath Committee visited
every place and they acted very discreetly. They
took notes OF every incident tnat happened, and
at the Harmony Gardens and at the Tivoli Theatre
they counted the men who went in and out and
the women who carried nosegays In all that was
done yesterday there was order among the Ger
mans but the most utter disregard OF law and the
usages OF the country in which they live and get
their bread