The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-02-11

seeleyites lndicteu - dagHtrHUe mOts
Again In Trouble - Booming Mayor
strong.
Special New Siorh Letter.
The present week has been peculiarly
rich in sensatio ms of various kinds.
First Of all we AVE had the general
opening of cleric ial batteries upon the
coming fancy DR. .ess ball to be given by
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Martin at the
Hotel Waldorf Rev. DIR. Rainsford, one
of the most eloquent and energetic OF
our Episcopal rectors, began the as
sault, which makes II the more notice.
able as gentlemen of that cloth are not
usually noted for opposition to social
pleasures. DIR. Rainsford, with all his
excellent qualities is given somewhat
to eccentricitles. The establishment of
a liquor saloon under the auspices of
his church was one of his pet expert
ments of a couple of years ago. 1t did
not succeed, yet was kept up for a time
under a regular contract between the
church and the saloon keeper as to the
manner in which ii should be conduct
ed.
There is no doubt of the reverend
gentlemen's sincerity and earnestness
in the matter. lie has really set in mo-
tion a lively crusade against the rich
spending their money in lavish social
entertainments. He argues that the
display thus made, and the attention it
attracts, leads to discomfort and envy
among the poor and this is q fruitful
cause Of the growth of anarchistic sem
timent. A number of other of our To-
cal clergymen have taken up the cud-
gels for him, and are Illuminating with
much zeal against the extravaganza Of
the rich. After all, the public takes
little interest in the matter The Brad
ley-Martins are going ahead uncon-
cernedly with their preparations, and
possibly the clerical attack will only
cause them to be more lavish. AS for
the average citizen, poor or otherwise,
1t does not particularly worry them to
see money literally spent in these hard
times. And why should it? The mon
ey will be mostly scattered among ca
terers, florists, liyerymen, modistes,
servants, ETC., and so will get into cir
culation. 1t is estimated that the
amount expended by the hosts and
guests at this ball which is to be an
elaborate fancy dress affair, will be full
ly 100000. The poor of this town can
take consolation in the fact that the
rich will be just that amount poorer
"after the ball is over"
We are to have a second expose Of
the now famous Seeley dinner, which
is perhaps responsible for the clerical
attack on the social pleasures of the
rich. The grand jury has found indict-
ments against Herbert B. Seeley, the
giver of the dinTCr, Theodore ID. Rich, !
his friend and assistant in the prepar-
Rtions for the affair, and James II. |
Phipps, the dr9maic agent who sup |
piled the peculiar talent for the dra-
matte part OF the affair. The guests |
generally at the dinner are not includ- |
ed in the indictment, as they were in |
fact merely innocent spectators-inno- |
cent at least as to knowledge or con- |
Germ in the preparations. The witnesses |
on whose testimony the indictments |
were made are Little Egypt" and |
Minnie Renwood, both dancers, and |
both appearing nightly in the same |
dances at Hammersteins Music hall. !
The indictments are found under Sec
tions 129, 1853 and 5S5 of the Penal Code
and charge a conspiracy to commit
public nuisance. The penalty, upon |
conviction, is a fine of $500 and one |
years Imprisonment, or both.
These proceedings are simply con-