The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-25
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
vulgar Versus Refined Vaudeville In
Gotham = Flippant Police Magin-
trates-Jokes and Justice.
Especial Correspondence.l


lt has for many years been asserted
by those persons connected with the
vaudeville business who have regretted
tho dcplorablc depths of dcpravity into
which that branch of the theatrical pro-
fession has fallen that the patrons of
the so called "burlesque" houses would
extend their support to entertainments
which were meritorious and in which
there should not be tho first suggestion
OF improperly. Several experiments in
this direction have been made hero this
season. Ono of them Mt least was nota-
bic. The entertainment provided was
real comic opera of n light typo, with
several concessions made to tho tastes
OF vaudeville lovers i'll the way Of tho
introduction of specialtics The piece
was handsomely mounted and costumed,
the book and music werc both of excel
lent quality, the paper advertising tho
attraction was mado by prominent
firm of photographers from special draw
ings done by one of tho best artists In
that limo in the United States, sup
posedly strong cast was engaged and the
chorus people wero all taken from the
ranks of tho big comic opera organiza-
lions. In other words, tho experiment
was mado under tho most suspicious
circumstances, and all tho managers
were on the Qui vive, for if that enter
tainment went i'll tho burlesuue
houses their OWN would havo to be rad
1cally modified to conform to tho new
taste which would thus be made mani
fest; but their fears wcro groundless.
Too Much Elevation OF the Stage
Tho vaudeville habitues stood the first
act, but they didn't applaud it to
amount to much, although the special
ties brought forth tho most noisy evil
dences of approval. When, however,
they discovered that they were expected
to sit through another act of the same
sort of thing, they rebelled. 1t was go
ing too far to expect that they should
take tho elevation of their stage in such
enormous chunks Tho attempt to sub
stltute merit for suggestivcness and real
music for the popular rag timo' songs
was conspicuous failure, and tho man
agcr of the enterprise, quick to appre-
ciato that no had overestimated the re-
fincment of his clientele, determined
to swallow his pride and his theories
and go back to the old thing with the
inevitable first part, olio and bur-
lesque, T" following i'll tho order named.
Tho show was switched about and tho
change was evidently appreciated. The
adage which relates to tho casting of
pearls before swine never had moro
forceful excmplifcation, although i'll
this particular case, it applied only to
New York, for tho managers efforts
were appreciated and approved in the
other cities visited. All of which is an
other evidence of tho fact that New
York is the most provincial city i'll the
United States
Tho Flippnnt Police Magistrate.
Any resident of small city or even
village who visits police court i'll
this city for tho first time cannot fail
to contrast the slipshod and loose meth
DDS which prevail here with tho dignity
observable in similar courts outside OF
New York. Hero no ono seems to appre-
clate that there is any solemnity con-
nected with an investigation involv-
ing the question of depriving q man
OF his liberty for time, whereas in
tho occasion is tacitly recognized by
every ono from the judge down to the
most unimportant court attendant.
Here things have como to such pass
that justices seem to think it splendid
sport to work off little joke of moro
or less merit at the expense of the poor
devil who happens for the moment to
be Ill their power with no opportunity
to resent the liberty, except with the
alternative OF going to prison for con-
tempt of court. Here is case which
actually occurred i'll ono of our police
courts Il few days ago. A young man
had deserted girl to whom he had
been very attentive. The girl resented
this. She called frequently at his place
OF business and created disturbance.
when he refused to have anything fur
Their to do with her. The man secured a
warrant for her arrest and she was tai,
ell to police court.
See that, judge" tho complainant
said as he pointed to his check. "That's
where she stabbed mo with PIN
Yes, but he stabbed mo with {.
knife, " the woman said. eff 1 had not
grabbed his arm, would have been
killed
The man said the woman was break.
ing up his business. She called often at
his place and threw stones at the Win
dows He did not feel safe while she
was at liberty.
Jokes Versus Justice.
Tho magistrate committed the woman
III default of 5000 bail for her good be-
havior for one month. Asshe was being
led down stairs she muttered something