The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-15
RIGHT TO HISS IN THEATERs.
Most Managers Deny it and Favor the
Prompt Suppression of Offenders.
From the New York Sun.

from the new 1 OTk sun
The question of the fright of a person
at a theater to hiss the performance has
been raised in two instances lately
Samuel Eisner of ,521 Third avenue went
into Keith's Union Square theater and
Kissed every act. For doing so he was
put out and arrested. At the jefferson
Market police court he admitted that he
had Kissed each act, but only after it was
over. Justice Voorhis discharged him,
saying:
las there is no contradictory testimony
to the prisoners statement that he Missed
at the proper time for showing his dlsap-
prevail, discharge him.
Oscar Hammersteins performance at
Roster & Biars,' when he Missed a singer
on his own stage and was thrashed for
his trouble by Count Kessler, the cham
payne man. was the other instance re-
ferred to. 1t naturally encouraged the
kissing Cranks to do their worst. The
section of the Penal Code which seems to
apply most directly to the offense is AS,
which says:
A person who without authority of law
wilfully disturbs any assembly or meet
ing not unlawful in its character is guilty
of a misdemeanor.
A difference of opinion regarding hiss
ing was expressed By managers who
were questioned on the subject, but the
majority were emphatically against hiss
ing After the Hammerstein episode
Roster & Bal may be regarded as ex-
perts on the subject. Albert Bal said:
IF a man goes to a theater and Kisses
he is nearly always either drunk or spite
full. The moment he emits hiss from
between his lips he lowers himself to the
level ola serpent. If any man came into
my house and Kissed ! would ask him 20
litely to stop. If he refused, his money
would be offered to him. II he still kept
l. I ~
him elected"
George Kahn of Amberg's Irving Place
theate- said:
"Why shouldn't they hiss? A man who
pays for ticket to a theater has as much
right to hiss to applaud, and ] have no
right to drag him out of the seat he has
purchased. Justice Voorhis was right"
George Lederer said:
Kissing in the Casino would be met
with a remonstrance and, If 1t continued,
with long pull and a strong pull and a
pull altogether till the loafer was out of
his seat Then he would be showed into
the street and his money thrown after
him"
J. Cheever Goodwin, the writer of "Dr.
Syntax" Wang" 1.-THE Merry Mon
arch" THE Devils Deputy" and lots Of
other things, said:
II have a perfect right as an intelli-
gent, independent man, to pay my way in
to any house, and then, If l choose / can
hiss to my hearts content, and IL a man
ager attempted to throw me out / tell you
there'd be trouble. / want audiences to
hiss anything of mine that deserves II,
and then I'll know where to improve to
suit the public. Yes, sir, Justice Voorhls
was right!'
well, If any one Kissed Crane ia feel
like punching his eye" said Mr. Tommy
Namack at the Star; but think I could
be made to rue It, think mans got a
right to hiss II he don't like a play; but
it's a mighty contemplate business"
Manager Burnham, who was present,
said:
well, no Kissing will go on here while
| am here, for IL Is a disturbance, and so
disorderly conduct. and should be stopped.
l would put out the offender"
while / don't approve Of Kissing" said
Manager Van Duzen of the Academy Of
Music, II think a man would have a right
to hiss II he didn't like the show so long as
he was not boisterous. Applause may be
made Just as disorderly as kissing, and II
a man persisted in pounding with his cane
or shouting Bravo, 10 the annoyance Of
his neIghbors, I would put him out II he
would not stop"
Tom Mcguire at the Fourteenth street:
I'D bounce him out into the street"
There are two sides to the question A"
said Manager Mccormick OF the Brond-
way. IF man Kissed and was quiet
about II 1 would have to let him stay.
II he was disorderly, ia have him
elected"
THE management Of a place OF amuse-
ment have perfect right TO return the
money OF any one in the audience and re-
quest him 20 go out" said Manager Block
OF the Herald Square theater. "If he re-
fuses they may use the necessary force.
II a man Kissed here ] would most GER
Harry Mann who Is managing 'gThe
New Boy" at the Standard for Charles
Frohman, said:
There should be no Kissing At all II
n man refused 70 stop it, or TO 20 out
when ] offered him the price OF his ticket.
& grpflIH him - 4 a