Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-08-20
THE CITIZEN.
Couchae Dance In Court.
y. y. Sun.

NOuGH@G CdAlN~ 40 ~~SAN"
y, y. sun.
Underneath the waAtcoat of Detective
Antonio Vachris are cocealed imposing
capabilities. He exhibited these capa-
bilities Yesterday morning before Judge
Nostraud in the couchee-couchee dance,
the occasion being the trial Of AdJle Cos
tello. who performs that ancient rte at
Couev Island in a manner which the au-
thorities consider wrong. The Iurymen
in the case were 50 impressed with the
novelty of the dance as eIempllhed
BY Detective Vachris that they prompt
ly discharged the prisoner, and that
despite the fact that the detective was
chief witness for the prosecution. Alter
wards Judge Nostrand remarked that he
thought the jury had decided erroneous
iy.
Alter an unsuccessful attempt by Lawyer
Short, for the defense, to get the case
adjourned six good men and true were
selected for jury and took their places
with looks of anticipation. Out OF re-
spect for the court they took their hats
off when they entered upon their duties,
and out of respect for the temperature
they took their coats off. The agile
Adiie was there in sleeves four yards in
circumference Proceedings opened
| with the reading of the complaint which
| was sworn to by Detective Nachrls, by
| Jndge Nostrand.
"Now gentleman" said the Judge
''this lady is charged with having given
an immoral dance, known as the dance
| du veutre, or dance of the stomach, as 1t
is called. Have any of you any preJu-
dice against the prisoner.
Adiie cast a laughing glance at the
| jury, who mopped their brows and de-
clared fervidly that they had no preJu-
dice on earth against the lady. Then detec-
tive Vachris took the stand, His deposi-
ton was that on July 7 he went to the
Streets of Cairo at Coney Island''and there
saw Adjie doing dance which he con-
sidered immoral, in den of lions.
"You charge this woman with giving
an immoral dance, do you?" ask Jndge
Nostrand.
eyes, sir" said the witness.
Describe that dance"
"Well your honor, it would be hard
to describe it. It's queer sort OF
thing"
"But we must have some direct evil
dence before the jury" said Judge NOS
trand.
Thereupon the witness did hi. best to
analyze direct and portray in words the
contortions which he had seen AdJ1e
perform. From the description 1t must
have been very hard upon the animals
who were in the same cage with the
dancer. She didn't look pleased at his
testimony. The description being flush
ed the Judge said.
''Now what do they call that dance
which you have Just described"
THE couchee-couchee dance" replied
the witness.
"Can you do it YOURSELF"
ooh yes; guess I could do it"
''Do it them" directed the Judge, II
want the jury to see it"
Thereupon Detective Vachris got down
from the stand, took his place upon the
floor, opened his coat displaying loose
shirt, gathering his coat tails up that
none of the fine points of tie exhibition
should be lost, and after humming few
bars of the tune began to dance. II
would have been worth thousands to
kinetascope company to have had an IN
strument trained on him. First he pran-
ced gracefully forward. Then he pran-
ced back. Then he placed his feet firm.
ly on the floor and began to wrestle and
writhe abdominally. Up and down for
ward and backward, and from side to
side the muscles urder his shirt r1ppled.
A peck of green apples couldn't have
produced more artistic contortonS. men
the up-gathered coat tails began to nut
ter as the performer added other wiggles
| ard waggles to his repertoire. AND all
the time a sweet and alluring smile be-
decked his countenance. 1t was mastery
fort. The iuryman were enraptured, the
Judge was almost moved to tears, and
even the accused Adjie could not restrain
her admiration.
"Youse a corker," she cried using the
soft tongue of her native East (side),
This ended Detective Vachris's efforts
in the physical line. On cross-examina-
ton he said that Adjie's performances
had disgusted number of women Ill her
audiencies Acting Captain Lawson was
called to the stand and testified that nnm
Der of complaints against AdJie's dance
had been made. This excited that young
lady to the point of rising and declaring
that she wanted justice. She sat down
on being assured that she would get 1t.
number of witnesses for the defense
testified that the dance was not immoral.
One of them said that Adjie did not go
through all the movements of the dance
du ventre.
IF the jury desires it." said Lawyer
Shorter, Miss Costello will give the
dance before them in the lions den,"
The Jury smiled in anticipation, but
Judge Nostrand quickly quenched the
smile by saying.
THE jury cannot leave this court for
that purpose"
A moment later however the smile re-
appeared and broadened to grin when
the Judge added.
81 will allow the girl to do as much
here in court as Detective Vachr1s has
done"
But this offer was not accepted, and
gloom settled upon the jury, which not
even the appearance OF pretty girl
named Ellwood on the stand could dis
pei. Miss Ellwood said with coy smile
that she had seen the dance.
'Is there anything wrong about it,
ask Judge Nostrand.
Anything wrong?" repeated the wit
ness, glancing shyly at the jury. ION,
nc, l don't think it's wrong"
"Would it do to perform it in parlor
before ladies and gentleman" asked the
Judge.
"Well, your Honor, I-I-don't exactly.
I-I-don't think-"
ooh, your Honor knows that Coney
Island isn't parlor," put In Lawyer
Shorter laughing.
Here the defense rested. The Jurytnen
were out Just thirty-seven seconds. Ihey
acquitted Adjie, who gave them smile
apfaca ,yheu fhe decision was announced.