Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-09
SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENTs.

mayor Rice Called Upon and Agrees to
Forbid the Sunday Exercises at ConIey's
Varieties.
Yesterday afternoon a delegation con-
slstlng of some ten or dozen gentlemen,
representing most of the religious denom-
nations of the city, headed by Rev. DR..
Dana, Father Stanley, Thomas Cochran
and L. p. Wright, called upon Mayor Rice
to protest against the entertainment to
be given at Conley's varieties Sunday
evening next, for the benefit of Edwin p.
Hilton, stage manager. Messrs. Dana and
Cochran did the talking for the delega-
ton, and represented to the mayor that
the reputation of the place was bad, that
1t was trap for the young and unsophis-
tlcated, OF both sexes, and that it was a
blot upon the good name of the city that
such place should be allowed to outrage
the moral sentiment of the community by
giving Sunday evening exhibition. DR..
Dana supplemented these accusations
against Conley's place by calling the
mayors attention to the fact that two Sun
| day evening entertainments had already
been given at Woods theater on
Seventh street, one on Easter Sunday
night, and that another was advertised for
Sunday evening next. This theater, DR.
Dana said, was of like general character
with Conley's, resorting to similar attrac-
tons to draw the young to its patronage
Further, he said the place was fitted up
with an upper tier of boxes, where parties
could be entirely shut off from all observa-
ton, and all sorts of orgies be carried on
without observation.
In answer to these charges Mayor
Rice assured the delegation no coma
plant had been made to him as
to either of the places designated and ask
ed what they desired as to the evening enter
talnments at the Athenaeum and Turner
hall.
DR.. Dana, for himself, said he did not
desire to be illiberal in this matter of Sun.
day observance, and as he had understood
that the music given at these entertain
ments was of very high order, and was
patronized by families, old and young, he
did not feel prepared to make any com.
plant against them.
Mr.. Cochran followed DIR. Dana with the
statement that he had no doubt the moral
sentiment oflthe community demanded that
| these and all other places of amusement
should be kept closed on Sunday, but he
did not feel like pressing this issue at
present. What was desired now was to
prevent the proposed entertainment at
Conley's and all similar exhibitions.
Mayor Rice explained that he had, dur
ing his entire mayoralty been ready to
| suppress disreputable places, and had ia
ken the initiative in doing so in many in
stances, but that it was impossible for him
or anyone else in his position, to accom-
plish such result unless backed by public
sentiment. As to the proposed exhibition
at Conley's he said he would give instruc.
tions to the chief of police to see
that it was not given. He had, however
given permission to the manager OF
Woods theater to give concert Sunday,
but he would see that it was conducted
with order and decorum.
For this decision the delegation thanked
the mayor, and then retired. Later tn e
mayor summoned Chief Weber to his
presence and gave him instructions in &C
cordance with the above.