The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-09
How the Sunday Association Propose
to Close Theaters and Gam
bling Halls.
IF One Don't Bring Down the Game
the Other Will be
Tried.
Judge Mcconnell Finds . Law Which He
Thinks Will Fit the
Case.


Montana Sunday association in the First
Baptist church, was the unanimous adop-
ton of this resolutions:
Resolved, That the president and secre-
tary of this association be requested to pub
lish the Sunday laws of this state in the
newspapers of this city and other places,
and to call on the gambling halls and
theaters respectfully but earnestly to OBJ
serve the law, beginning next Sunday.
1t was stated in connection with the reso-
luton tina the association believed in Civ
ing every man a chance to observe the
law voluntarily if he would, the assump-
tion being that many violated statue in
ignorance of its existance. It was likewise
stated that frien ds of the Sunday move
ment have been circulating around the
city on Sunday night. securing evidence
could be made avail able if it was found
necessary to prosecute.
Rev. T. V. Moore presided at the meeting
and Judge Newton w. Mcconnell was the
principal speaker. The judge quoted ex-
lively from legal decisions to show that the
country, and that when any community
was divided as to how Sunday should be
observed the wishes of the majority should
be respected and the minority must yield.
He called attention to the fact that the last
territorial legislature passed law which, if
form. The statute referred to is known as
section 157 of the criminal laws, and reads
thus:
1t shall be unlawful for any person to
keep open any play house, theater, dance
house, hurdy-gurdy house, prize ring. race
cards, on the first day of the week, COM
monty called Sunday, or the Lords day.
Any person who shall violate the provisions
of this section of this act, shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and, upon oonvic-
ton thereof, shall be fined in any sum not
less than one dollar, nor more than one
hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the
county Jail not less than one nor more than
thirty days, or by both such fine and i'm.
prlsonment.
BY duplication in the revised code Sec
tions ], 406 to LAOS provide for the same
thing, with the addition of including "any
game of chance" in the list Of violations.
This law, the speaker said, while recog-
nizing the oHense as of a very small grade.
would. if enforced, bring about a great
change. The Judge referred to the fact that
Helena was inviting people to come here to
develop her industries and invest their
money. "What kind of people do you
want?'' he asked. lis it the gamblers?''
He believed in ''sweet reasonableness," but
such course was casting pearls before
swine. The county attorney, the speaker
continued, had expressed his willingness to
prosecute any of the gambling saloons or
theaters if it was wanted. Judge McCon-
nell believed that the places could be closed
in week with proper effort. But until
christian men rose above the petty influence
of party politics and voted for pure candi-
dates for office they would never have any
better state of affairs. If such men would
get up citizens ticket they would elect it
| every time.
Alderman John w. Thompson endorsed
the views of Judge Mcconnell in regard to
electing pure men to Office. In the council,
he said, he had raised his voice against the
gambling saloons, and had proposed to tax
them out of existence. But he had found
no supporters for his proposition.
Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts suggested that Mr..
Thompson put the council on record by
making motion instrQcting the police to
enforce the law. Mr.. Thompson promptly
replied that he would do SO.
| The president intimated at this point that
the impression had gotten out that no
effort had been made to stop the wrestling
match Sunday night, but it was a mistaken
one. A committee had seen the county at
torney about the matter, but there was not
one of them who honestly thought. after
talking to him, that the law covered the
case.
Rev. w. +. Crafts said it was only fair to
give every man warning. He then paid
his respects to Helena by declaring that the
defiance of law and the corruption here was
| the worst he had ever seen.
"For the sake of Helena, I wish you had
gone to Butte frst," exclaimed some one in
the audience.
Some one else in the audience cried out
that when Alderman Thompson made his
anti-gambling hall proposition in the coun-
Gil the only reply he had gotten was: If
you close the gambling halls grass will grow
in the streets of the CITY," He wanted to
know where such man was raised.
voice-'In Helena" Laughter.]
The association completed its work al
night by electipg these officers:
President-Judge N. w. Mcconnell.
Vice Presidents-W. II. Conner, Helena
A. H. Barrett. Butte; Rev. w. G. Coombs,
Great Falls; Judge Batterton, Deer Lodge;
Rev. w. S. Fowler, Livingston; Rev. @. H.
Linley, Missoula. DIR. Charles g. Noble,
Dillon; John G. Curtin. Helena; Mrs. DR.
Waters, Bozeman; William Torey, Helena,
. Recording secretary and treasurer-H. g.
Arnold, Helena.
Executive committee-Rev. L. V. Moore
Helena; Judge j. w. Eddy, A. 6. Clarke
Thomas Goodwin. j. w. Thompson, DIR. S
/. Stone, Walter H. Little.
Resolutions were reported from commit
tee and adopted. calling on the ofticer
of Helena and Lewis and Clarke county
and of other cities and counties, to us
their best endeavors to enforce the lav
against the keeping open of gambling
saloons and theaters on Sunday; requesting
the next legislature to amend the law SO a
to close everything on Sunday, except work
~ Char ify and pacaSci<v. and nrOte9tinp 4