Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-10
opERA-HoUsE MANAGER IN JAIL.
j. VI. Barton Fined 1915 for Keeping q
Dfsorderly House.

In the Hastings Court yesterday J. III.
Rarton. who for some time past has been
managing the Opera-HOuse at the corner
of Eighth and Broad streets. was tried on
the charge of keeping disorderly house
Police. Captain j. b. Angle was the first
witness He testified that while the Opera
House bore a very unsayory reputation no
had no personal knowledge OF what went
on there.
DEN FOR BOYS.
Policeman Wilkinson's testimony was to
the effect that the place was one O, the
worst of the kind in the city. He had seen
as many as fourteen drunken boys como
out of 1t one night. One OF them, upon
being taken to the station-house, SAID no
cot his LIQUOR from Barton's, upon the
strength of which he was arrested Tor sell
ing to minors. In the Police Court, when
the case came up, the youth swore that ne
got his whisky elsewhere, consequently
the case was dismissed.
Continuing. the officer sald about half OF
those who attended the Opera-House were
bows. some of them mere children. Inc
women who freQuented the place were not
respectable. Frequently he had seen
Hguor handed around aud nearly every one
in the audience would be drunk. women
were embraced in the box seats IN tuu
sight Of the audience.
AN ALL-NIGHT HOUSE.
The testimony of Sergeant j. A. Cosby
was put even more strongly than that OF
Policeman Wilkinson. Scores OF niue
boys, he SAID, went there and were started
on the road to ruin. SO far az he knew all
the females who attended the perform
ances were of doubtful character lie
had often seen people coming out the SIDE
entrances long after the plays were over.
and alluded to the masQue ball that was
to have been held there last Christmas
night.
Squire Loving Graves told OF the charac-
ter of the crowds he had seen there. lie
also said there had been brutal glove con-
tests on the stage between negroes.
Policeman Foster confirmed the evidence
of the other witnesses. and said ne had
frequently seen men aud women leave the
house as late as four o'clock IN the morn
Often the females would come ont and go
TO other bar-rooms. sometimes alone ana
sometimes with escorts.
ABAD PLACE.
Messrs. d. S. Mccarthy, j. +. Tinsley;
II. H. Pelouze. and several officers testified
as tothe general disorderly character OF the
house. especially as TO the crowd which
hung around the front of the plasce
Mr.. Barton was the only witness for the
defence. He did not see how he was to
blame for boys buying whlskey. elsewhere
and coming to his house to drink.
The case was given to the Jury without
argument, and at 3 o'clock they rendered
n verdict imposing fine OF 1915 and costs
upon Barton.
Being unable TO pny the amount Barton
was committed TO Jail in default. He was
not locked up with the other prisoners.
but was given the cell not long since occu-
pied by r. Is. Grymes.
Last night the house was closed, and the
northwest corner of Eighth and Broad
street wore Sunday-lke appearance.
Other Cases.
Samuel Brown (colored) was tried for
! burglarously entering the house of Lucy
jefferson and stealing lot Of clothing.
1t appeared from the evidence that the
offence mad been committed in tho day
| time. and was. therefore, not burglary.
| Brown was acquitted, but was held by or
| der Of the Commemorative Attorney to be
| indicted at the next term for house-break-
ing and grand larceny.
| Andrew Carter, assaultlng Paul Johnson
with brick. Sent to jail for fifteen days
/ and fined one cent.
| The indictments against n. Leonard, W.
I d. Selden, and G.. II. Talman for selling
obscene papers, and w. o. Cox for posting
/ Objectionable bills were nolle prosecuted.