The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-02
PLACE WAS CLOSED SUNDAY,
BUT AFTER THE CONFERENCE,
THE PLACE WAS THROWN
OPEN ONCE MORE.
REV. DAWES EXPLANATION OF 1T
Mayor Willing to Let 1t Go If the
Man Who Made the Complaint
Gave His Consent.

Of Mayor Doran who acted upon in
formation placed before him by Rev.
David Bethel Morgan. Prospective pa
irons Of the theater found it dark and
the nightly sounds Of hilarity hushed.
Last night the resort was again run
ming wide open, and all by the consent
of the same Rev. David Morgan, whose
complaint to the mayor had closed it's
doors the night before. The same enter
tanners were seen on the stage, while
walters hustled about through the au-
dience with the familiar cry, Beer,
wines and cigars, gents.
At the foot Of the stairs stood the
genial Sodini himself, directing patrons
to the gallery where the females fut-
tered about in paint and abbreviated
costumes under the new order Of things
which has changed them back from the
body Of the house to the gallery.
Last Thursday Rev David Morgan
called upon Mayor Doran, as a mem
Der of a committee Of the Christian
Citizens league, and informed his
honor that the time had come for
closing Sodinis disreputable resort.
Decency and morality demanded that
the place be no longer tolerated, Mr..
Morgan stated. The proprietor had
broken his word innumerable times in
connection with the way in which he
had promised to conduct the theater,
and further temporizing with him was
useless. The manager Of the Bethel
boat also Informed Mayor Doran that
the evidence against the resort was
indisputable, he having sent private de-
tectives to the theater, who had re-
ported to him the existence of wine
rooms under the stage with an under
ground passage from the body Of the
house, and the presence of women who
were not there for their health.
This state Of affairs was a revela-
ton to Mayor Doran, Of course. Had
not Sodini torn out the boxes in the
theater, and later removed even the
remaining draperies? Yes, that was
true. perhaps, but he had afterwards
allowed the women to mingle with the
men in the gallery. Then the mayor
wanted to know if it were not fact
that when complaint was made Sodini
had banished the women from the
place entirely. This was not true, Nh.
Morgan said, as his detectives could
prove. The proprietor had pretended
to comply with the commands of de-
cency, but had in reality ordered the
women to do their soliciting for beer
in the body of the theater, and when
they got good thing" to shoot him
through the passage to the wine rooms
beneath the stage, where the Rev Nor
gan said orgies were being carried on
the same as ever or more so. His de-
tectives had been through the whole
place. Mr.. Morgan affirmed and had
gotten as evidence the brass checks
which the women received on each sale
of liquor, besides what information the
women had themselves divulged and
the detectives had seen.
This was terrible news for the head of
the reform" administration, and he
informed Rev. David that he would
send one Of his private detectives with
those working in the interest Of the
Bethel manager that very night, and,
If things were as Mr.. Morgan had
stated, the theater should be closed
at once.
What Mayor Doran's detective
learned in substantiation Of Mr. Nor
cams allegations can be inferred from
the action of the mayor in summarily
ordering Sodini to close his resort To
Rev. David the mayor stated that the
Objectionable resort was now Gin
ished," and that 1t could never again
be opened without Mr.. Morgan's per-
mission.
Naturally, Sodini did not relish being
thus laid down upon by Mayor Doran,
and yesterday he spent an hour or so
i'll consultation with the chief eXecu-
tive in the privacy Of the latter's Of
flee, with the result that, when he left.
his face wore complacent smile while
in his breast pocket nestled a persua-
siVe eptstle from Mayor Doran to REV.
David Morgan" Down to the Bethel
hurried Sodini, and, though the boat
is somewhat differently arranged from
the Central Garden thea,ter, he soon
found his way to Rev. Morgan's office
and handed that gentleman the may
or's letter. There was another con-
sultation. It did not last as long as
the one in the mayors office, and, when
Scdini left the Bethel, his smile wild
ened into a. series of satisfactory con-
tCrtions, which chased themselves over
his countenance as he scurried back
up the street 1t was too easy Soft ?
Well, rather. Even Rev. David Nor
gar was a good fellow, when properly
talked to.
At the theater, Sodini's prina don
mas, "hustlers." walters, bartenders and
stage hands were eagerly waiting his
return.
Cut her loose" cried the proprietor.
as he appeared in their midst.
del'OuI TIE UlS Oils, yelled SOd1ni.
Extra big show tonight Doran is all
right, so is Morgan. Just let me hand
out the CON- added Sodini, or words to
that effect.
Out went the posters of scantily
clad women, while the fairies" scam
pered away to the stage, where a full
dress rehearsal was in progress with
In half an hour. When evening came
the red light in front Of the theater
again welcomed its erstwhile patrons
and the place was soon filed, as usual
The only sign Of a new dlspensation
was big placard at the box office.
stating that tickets were on sale on
the inside, the absence of the women
was noticed. The females, however.
were only out Of immediate sight for
their voices could be distinctly heard
and a climb of the stairway to the gall
lery, showed them, thanks to the kind
ness of Rev. David Morgan, in all of
their old time abandon, with men who
had been directed where to find them.
Mr.. Morgan was seen at the Bethel
by a reporter for the G. | O b e last even
ing and asked If he had given Sodini
permission to reopen his place. Mr..
Morgan reached for his pocket and re-
piled indirectly, well, you see, I re-
ceived a letter from Mayor Doran
which stated that. while he did not
modify his order regarding the place.
or take back the promise given me that |
it should not be allowed to reopen |
unless I said so, Mr.. Sodini would like |
to make an explanation to which T |