The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-28
THE MERRY DANCE.
Just a Good Start Made, Then
the Police Came.
KEEPING THE HALLS CLOSED.
A Threat 70 Run in spite of the Police
Not Carried Out - Dancers
Taken to Jail.

Ben Pincus tried TO run a dance hall In
the variety district last night in defiance
OF the notice given by Acting Chief Hogle'
and as a result he occupied a cell IN the
city jail for while last evening. -Four
women that were ningiing with the crowd
and dancing in accordance with the iuies
of the place. also occupied cells. and De-
fore they had been there an hour We're
very anxious to get out. Detective Phil-
brick, who had been in North Seattle on
business. arrived just too late 10 take
hand in the round up" but when he ran
his critical eye over the lot declared that
no mistake had been made as to eharac-
ter. One OF the women Is Betsy McGIHnis
She said her occupation was cook. She
used to work at the New Zealand dance
hail. VERNE Woodward gave her occupa-
ton as a housekeeper but she used TO be
inmate OF disorderiy house. Hilda
Miller is not as we'll known. but the police
say they are not afraid OF establishing her
character. One young girl, who was evil
IDENTITY quite unsophisticated, and who had
just entered the hall before the officers ea-
tered, was allowed 10 go home after re-
ceiving a severe lecture. She told Hogle
that sae attended ball given at the Ar
mory and met a man who told her that
there was TO be a dance given at the cor
ner OF Washington street and Second ave-
nue. south Monday night. and If she at
dance. She said that when she entered
the hall she had no. idea OF the kind of
place she was in.
The police were informed from various
sources that Pincus was making the state
ment that he would run dance in spite
of the police. When the acting chief
heard this he laughed. and said: 1--WE will
see" At sos a telephone message was re-
ceived at headquarters as follows: 1.-The
dance has commenced"
Let them get 10 going" said Acting
Chief Hegle. and then We will go down
and see what kind of crowd is there. If
the women are not respectable then the
dance VIII be stopped.
One hour later HOgle, accompanied by
Detective Cudihee. Detective Phillips, De-
tective Williams. Detective Sam COrhett
Officer Baidus and officer Barbee entered
the nall, which is located directly over the
saloon occupied by Billy Belond, corner Of
Washington and Second avenue SOUTH
No sooner had the officers made their APP
pearanCe than there was a sort of budding
together Of the crowd that filled the space
not reserved for dancing. Fully 250 men
and five or six women were in the hall
The musicians acted as if something had
struck them One man who saw the fun
said that they tried to get their instru-
ments under their coat tails and then,
pulling their caps down over their eyes,
made a "sneak." The women went over
to the Temperance bar, where lemonade
and sweet soda, which some of the girls
drink was dispensed. and passed over
some checks Acting Chief Hogle sur
veyed the crowd. His experts as to char
acter decided that the women were not
above reproach.
Take them in said Hogle. who went
over and had talk with Pincus Pincus
said he was running the dance. Il shall
-. f.lr nj
Pincus went.
AS the women prisoners We're coming
out two women passed down the street.
one said TO the other: What, catch me
attending a dance there2 oh, no. not on
yer life
After Pincus had been in jail awhile
Donald McKinnOn came up and deposited
so cash bail for his release.
The women will probably be tried as
dsorderly persons and Pincus Will be tried
for running place where diSsolute women
work for percentage.