The Morning herald., 1875-12-13
THE sHOW THAT DIDN'T, COME OFF,
MAYOR WHITLEY PROHIBITS THE sEANCE
HIS LETTER TO THE MASONIC HALL co.

MAYOR WHITLEY PROHIBITS THE sEANCE
HIS LETTER TO THE MASONIC HALL co.
During last week an agent called upon
Mr.. Baylis and engaged the Grand Opera
House, for the purpose, as they said, of
giving religious lecture. Subsequently
they advertised through the papers that
there wsuld be given in the above named
place last evening "seance," in which
there would be an exhibition of test medi-
ums. A number of persons waited upon
Mayor Whiteley and asked that he would
prevent this, which elected from him the
following letter to Mr.. George G.. Lobdell,
President of the Masonic Hall Company
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL,
WILMINGTON, Del, Dec. II, 1875.
To George G.. LobdsA, Esq.,, Pref. Masonic
Dear ns, sir: o01 1 notice, by handbills upon
walls and advertisements in the daily
papers, that the Opera House is to be open,
tomorrow, Sunday evening, for an ex-
hibitien of what is termed "Spiritualism :"
and it is annount ed that the "Four best
mediums in the world" are to appear, and
among other tricks stables are to float i,s
air." Esprit forms, eight or ten at time,
are to walk upon the STAGE" &C., &c.
As these handb'l lis and a1vertisements,
are unsigned, nor are the names OF the &C
tors given, cannot notify them, as now
do you, that it Is against the law to have
exhibitions of jugglery, or sleight OF hand
on Sundays: but any exhibition OF such
kind as this is so repugnant to the moral,
religious and common sense OF the commun-
ity, that think it is more imperatively my
duty to suppress it, than if it were a COM
mon breach of the Sunday law; and that If
the doors of the Opera House are opened
tomorrow night for such an exhibition, 1
shall close them, arrest the actors and enter
complaint against the Directors of the Ma
sonic Hall Company for violation Of the
Sunday law.
Very Respectfully your Obedient Servant,
WILLIAM G. WHITLEY, Mayor.
The following letter received at The
HERALD Office last evening explains it.
self:
WILMINGTON, DEL, Dec. II, 1875.
Editor Herald:
DEAR S1R:-You viii probably publish in
your next issue letter from Mayor White
lev to George G. Lobdell, President of the
Masonic Hall Company in relation to the
per ormance that was advertised to take
place this evening.
Permit me to request that should you pub.
lish the letter, that you also mention IN
connection with 1t that reply will be made
thereto. Mr.. Whiteley seems to have taken
an unusual course in this matter, having
prepared the letter for publication and sent
or given it to the press before it was sent
to Mr.. Lobdell. Permit me also to say that
Mr.. L. was away from the city yesterday,
and knew nothing of the renting Of the
hall until he saw the advertisement yester-
day morning when in the cars near Phila-
delphia, in The HERALD.
Very truly yours,
WM. W. LoBDE1L.
Saturday evening representative Of The
HERALD called at the Opera House and had
conversation with Mr.. Jesse K. Baylis,
the agent of the building, upon the subject.
He stated that the building was rented for
lecture on spiritualism, and he could not
refuse to rent it for that purpose. He had
not seen the agent who had enged the Opera
House that day, and did not know whether
he was in town or not. 1t 10 thought very
strange by many that this course should
have been taken, when it is recollected that
similar exhibitions were given in Church
on Second street year ago, on Sabbath
evenings, at which an admission fee was
charged, and nothing was said against 1t.