The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-31
HOW IT ORIGINATED
Women VOcalistS Must Not Be En-
plOysd in Beer Halls.
THE MINISTER'S ULTlMATUM
Encouraged by Their First Victory
the Deacons VIII Again En-
deavor to Danish Female
Singers From Saloons.



Helena, Jan. 30.-The crusade against |
the beer halls started last November |
by the Ministerial alliance of this city |
has been renewed, and this time the |
ministers say they mean business. SUIT
will be commenced to-day in Judge |
Cages court against o. G.. Frederick, |
proprietor of one of the principal con- /
cert halls OF this city to compel him 20
respect the law which says that no wo-
men shall be employed in any capacity
in any place in Montana where liquor
Is sold. Jesse Armitage has made
complaint against Frederick. who at
present has has four female vocalists
appearing nightly at his place.
On the outcome of the suit depends
largely the fate of concert halls all
| over the state. 1t was said to-day by
| a member of the Ministerial alliance
that If the law is upheld. the ministers
| of Butte would proceed against the beer
| hall men of that city, and that proba-
| bly, the crusade would be taken up in
| Great Falls and Missoula.
| The trouble between the ministers
| and the concert hall proprietors had its
| origin last November. 1t was brought
on Indirectly by one of the concert hall
men, who engaged Miss Maud Mullery.
a young local celebrity, to take part in
| the musical programme of his place
| Miss Mullery had gone In good society
| in Helena and had sang In number or
! public and private entertainments. she
was only about 20 years old and had no
| parents or kinsmen in Helena. Early in
| October she created a sensation by
| joining the Salvation Army. For
| time she marched along with the red
shirted soldiers and bonnetted Saliva
| ton lassies and sang at the street cor
ner meetings. Her voice attracted at
fHfanras var
| had so large an attendance before she
made her appearance. But Miss Null
| lery fell from grace, and fell long
| ways. From being a respectable girl
with religious proclivtdes. she became
just the reverse. She longed for
more than a taste OF fast life, and as
she needed money she asked for ana
obtained a situation to sing in the y
l. concert hail.
The announcement that Miss Mullery
was to sing in the beer hall was made
through the advertising columns Of the
| press, and the night she was to make
| her first appearance the place was
| crowded from the stage to the doors
| But Miss iMullery did not sing that
night, or any other night, on a concert
hall stage. Jesse Armitage, a leader In
one of the local churches. called on the
| proprietors of the beer hall just before
the evening performance and told them
that If they permitted the girl TO sing
he would lodge complaint against them
| under the section of the codes prohibit
Ing women in beer halls, which section
he pointed out and read to them. Miss
Mullery, in consequence, was not allow
| ed TO sing. She was indignant, and
said she would sing in worse places IL
they interfered with her making liv-
: ing on the stage. She did not exactly
| keep her promise, but she went rapidly
from bad to worse, and is now sick
and friendleSs in the county poor house.
That Is the story of Miss Mullery $
brief career But IL did not end there,
so far as the concert hall men were con-
cerned. Judge Armitage, encouraged
by his first success, conferred with the
Ministerial alliance, and the result was
that the concert hall men were notified
: they would be prosecuted IL they al
! lowed women musicians. vocalists, or
women of any sort in their places. The
concert hall men got together and dis
cussed the probable outcome of a suit
against them. The statute was plain
1t read that the keeper of any place
where liquor was sold should not en-
ploy women in any capacity under pen
atty of from 81 to $500 fine upon con-
: | viction Of each violation. They decided
not to risk a suit, and discharged their
female orchestras. The ministers had
| won.
For several weeks the concert halls
4 1
orchestras The places lost nearly al
their patronage; a good share OF the
life of Upper Main street was gone
| Suddenly II was announced that GER
. tain prima donna from the East would
: appear at one of the larger concert
| halls, supported by other vaudeville
(, | STARS" Then a rival beer hall pro-
cured a galaxy of female artists. Bus
. mess became good at the beer halls; ex
= | ira walters were put on and soon the
! places had their old-time appearance
!. | This was looked upon as a challenge Il
/. | the Ministerial alliance to bring suit
. | People thought that the concert hal
: proprietors had looked up the law and
become certain that 81 could not stand
+, I'm case suit was brought. Nothing wa
: heard from the Ministerial alliance anS
IL was supposed that the ministers &C
knowledged defeat and had concluded
: | to back down.
n This was a mistake. The ministers
: had no idea OF backing down. The!
: believed the law was valid, at least !
. was on the statute books. and in tn
opinion of attorneys they consulted.
. was perfectly constitutional. The!
> were ready to take up the fight severa
weeks ago. but owing TO the press o
= business OF Massena Bullard. the cit!
!. attorney. who was engaged in the coun
= ell bribery investigation proceedings
a action was postponed until the presen
. time. 1t was decided 10 attack the con
= cert hall men a little differently THAI
!, had at first been planned. The code
l. made II necessary on the part OF IN
, state in order 10 secure conviction, Z
!. prove that the women were hired 70 ap
= pear by the concert hall men. Som
a years ago the city council passed a
. ordinance that was similar IN every re
u spect to the section OF the codes re
Il ferring 20 women in saloons. except
a | proofhFfe1 females in concert halls
whether they appeared for pay or no
Under the ordinance X would not b
necessary 10 prove mat the women WI
< appear nightly IN the beer halls wer
employed 10 so appear-simply ina
they were present. which would De
Il