The Portland daily press., 1897-11-27

NfCSNAAN- L -OO-
Place Injuries their Youth-No One Says
Word for the Place.
In the aldermens room last evening
the committee on licenses met to consider
the petition of Thomas A. ssBrownrig,
for license for the Gaiety theatre.
gainst this petition there was a strong
remonstrance signed by many of the
members of the Second Parish church.
The - licensing committee consists of
Mayor Randall and Aldermen Pagan and
Leighton.
When the Hearing opened Mayor Ran
dali called for the remonstrants. They
were there in considerable force, mem
bers of the Second Parish church being
most conspicuous. When the remon-
strants were called for James W. Steven
son arose at once and said those whom
he represented assumed that the city of
Portland had a right to supervise to a
certain extent the entertainments given
to the public. The members of the Sec
ond Parish church were finding the;thea-
tire, which was just across the street from
their work. 1t was co1rupting the boys
in the Sunday school, in noticeable
manner. Some of them had fallen into
wrong doing. Mr.. Stevenson said he had
attended the theatre and found it as
cheap an institution as could Ebe found
The language used on the stage was
suggestive and as near the line of utter
| indecency as could be tolerated. The
title of the play was "Ten Bar Rooms in
One Night burlesque on "Ten Nights
in Bar Room" The nature and char
acter of the play was abominable. The
particular thing which he objected to
was the caricature of the Salvation
Army. which was doing noble work
and ought not to be insulted in such a
way. The scene was laid in barroom-
and that in prohibition Portland-and
the Salvation Army marched in. Then
they gave their testimony. A drunken
fellow declared: 81 used to be drunk
every day, but the Salvation Army took
me in and now 1 am drunk every night. +"
There were other statements made in
the play which cannot be printed. A
song was given which was suggestive of
the lowest kind of dance hall vice.
In another scene man and woman
came in and the man began to hunt in
the woman's s head for vermin-a disgust
ing play for Thanksgiving evening.
| Another scene represented a burglary,
in one part of which several girls ran
around the stageLin their night clothes
screaming, while the burglar ran behind
them dragging tinware, which represent
ed silver.
These are the milder instances OF those
cited. Some of thema cannot be referred
to in print.
Mr.. Jabez True Twas next called. He
had seen play once for 20 minutes. The
audience were mostly boys, and he
| thought that had some Portland fathers
known their boys were there they would
have not have enjoyed their q. evening
smoke.
William H. Hobbs spoke in the same
lire.
| Mr.. Converse E. Leach, superintendent
of the Second Parish Sunday school, said
he had noticed the effect on some of the
boys in his school, and had visited the
theatre. He had found the performances
very low, and in parts suggestive and
vulgar. The whole thing was disgusting.
One of the city officers was there and
took tickets. Thursday night there were
two police officers there.
The place was not decent for anyone,
and no women went there. No decent
woman would dare to go there.
Rev. Rollin L. Hack said he had not
been to the Gaiety theatre, but as pastor
of the Second Parish church he could
| say that the boys in his Sunday school
were being corrupted by the theatre. He
could, if necessary, give names of boys
who had been led into crime by that
place of entertainment. The church
prayer meetings were also disturbed by
boys from the theatre. Mr.. Hack then
read letter from lady who, in general
terms, denounced the theatre, saying that
the high kicking and living pictures
were particularly offensive.
After the renonstrants had stated their
case, Mayor Randall called for the other
side; but no one appeared.
The hearing.wasJt sJthen declared closed.
The members of the committee, having
other meetings to attend, did not meet
to decide on the question last evening.