The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-12
THE COURTS.
Lager and Music Combined an
objectionable Offence.
SICK AND IMPRISONED.
An Undistributed Fund of the Old Adams
Express Company

There II statute which requires the payment OF
$500 per annum for the privilege Of giving theatrical
performances for profit The money realized from
license fees goes by law TO the support Of the
Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinauents
It's officers being charged with the prosecution OF
offenders against the law. From time to time The lager
beer gardens tho Bowery and cast side have come
In the attention Of the officers OF the society, and
many OF thom have been compelled pay the annual
lee or or the music and theatrical entertainments
as par, OF the hospitality dealt 10 their patrons
The owners OF these places have fought with great
pertinacity against the operation OF the law, claiming
that the addition OF instrumental and vocal music TO
their lager and prctzels was In no just
sense an Infringement OF tho law relating
TO theatrical entertainments Among the con-
tumacious and impenitcnt OF such propretors
John Meier, who kept saloon in the vicinity Of
Ludlow Street JAIL and would persist In mixing wine
and song for his customers without the payment OF
The $500 per annum He was taken IN hand by the
association and in April last found himself transferred
from the outside TO tho inside OF Ludlow Street JAN
Tor contempt OF court In having continued ms music
defiance OF injunction OF the Supreme Court and
without the socleiy's license. He has ueen incar-
ccrated fifteen days, aud evidently he lnds u not
10 agree with HIM. Yesterday, in Supreme Court,
d,scnarac before Judge Barrett THIS motion was
made the ground that tho sort OF entertainment he
continued 10 gvo after the injunction he did not re-
gard as an infringement oil It's terms; that he was
now sorry for his mstake was sick, without money,
and needed attentions which he could receive only at
his own home
Mr.. J. Randolph Robinson opposed the motion on
behalf OF the society He said Meier had bcen one OF
the most troublesome advcrsaries the society had 10
deal with; that ne had fought them for year and
half before referee put them 10 expense OF 5000
and tho counsel 10 loss of seventy-nve days. Even
this the society offered 10 abandon the prosecu
ton II no would pay them the $500 he had compelled
them TO expend, but he rejected tho offer, and now
asked TO be lot after but fifteen days imprison-
mrnt Colonel Spencer replied with warmth on behalf
OF vcnder OF music and drinks, saying the society
had collected $50 900 annually from men OF his class
and II rather email to now complain oil
an expenditure OF $500 OF that amount
His client without means, and II he
paid this any amount IL would have to como
from his friends. from whom those thousands had been
collected. For his part no saw no crime IN accom-
panying the cheering glass with cheering music; cor
ianly sufficient 10 keep his poor and sick client
in JAIL
Judge Barrett said he thought II the mans health
and condition such as represented no should not
be continued unrcasonaby long In JAIL but. under the
circumstances fifteen days seemed LOO short. he
thought thirty days would not be oppressive ana
might be q warning to others He would, therefore,
deny the motion ut present, with liberty 10 renew IT
ut the end OF fifteen days more.