The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-03
INDECENT POSTERS.
The ManagersI.of the Bic u Thea.
a tire Fined Tor Having Posted
Them in this City.

The Court room at the City hall this
morning was crowded with people from
all stations Of life, from Bishop Coleman
down to the regular coaster. The attrac.
ton was the trial of ID. J. Marohant Of
the Bijou Theatre, for violation of City
Mr.. Knowles represented Marchant, who
was delayed by the train and did not ap-
pear.
George W. jackson deposed that he bill.
cd the city for the London Gaiety Com
pany and that he considered ID. j. Mar
chant manager of the Bijou Theatre.
He understood from his son that the man
ager paid the biil.
Four police officers testified to cutting
down the pictures.
Alfred ID. Warner testified that he saw
the posters Of the Gaiety Girls on the bill
boards and considered them entirely indie
cent and denoraliziDg.
Mr.. Knowles objected to such testimony
as 1t was matter of opinion He prefer
red that the matter BID, left to Judicial opin-
ion of the Court.
He was impressed with the fact that the
figures were suggestive as the human fig
ures were not properly clad. Ho was
shocked by the sight.
In answer to Mr., Knowles he stated he
was opposed to the ballet at an opera and
saw ladies riding In Ibioyclist suits that
made the riders indecent. Such conduct
should be suppressed.
Wilmer Palmer saw the pictures and
considered the figures insufficiently clad
He was shocked by the sight. ID answer
to Mr.. Knowles he stated that he objected
because the girl wore tights instead of
skirts.
He also saw improper costumes on BIZ
cylists
He was not shocked in the theatre where
the ballet was produced.
George NJ, ID. Cam saw the pictures and
considered they lacked clothing.
He thought the skirt should be down to
the knee.
Charles NJ. Curtis gave similar evidence
A. Gawthrop saw the figures posted aud
considered they were not properly clad.
He felt that II any woman was to dress In
asimilat attire and walk up our streets
she would shock every moral man, woman
and child who saw her.
The defense produced no evidence
Mr. Prlckett argued the case Mr., Knowles
said the ordinance under which the case
was tried even applied to a picture that
gave the beauties of woman. It was passed
to prevent things that shock every man,
woman aud child that see them. He
maintained that no evidence had been
given of immoral suggestion. Those pic
lures III themselves are ones OF afUlStlC
pride That they are'vulgar and indecent
he was astonished that any person could
come here and say they were shocked.
By study aud care the great artists burn
in fame to-day by OUTLYING the human
form of woman on canvas and in marble.
Any student of art would say that these
pictures are not obscene. AS matter of
fact If any pure minded child looked upon
those pictures they could not sec thing
impure or wrong in them. He would be
the last one to defend q man who was per-
verting the minds of the young Of this
city. Evil to him who evil thinks.
When the sight of = lovely woman in
her most lively attitude causes man Of
mature years to be shocked, he said
shame on such man to kill the noble
work of art. He held there was no per-
version of the morals and asked for dis,
missal of the case
The court asked Mr.. Knowles if he had
studied the picture Of a woman sitting
down.
Mr. Knowles replied that the picture In
itself did not suggest anything wrong, she
sat In chair wore shoes and tights with
light covering down to the ankles
There was nothing suggested that was
immoral.
Mr. Prickett felt that the picture named
might be a Venus, but if SO Venus Of
the Coast" Court imposed q fine Of $40
and costs.