The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-22
A GAIETY DRAMA.
A Performance Not On the Bills at
That HOuse Of Amusement.
THE MEETING OF OFFICER BOYN-
TON AND YOUNG SINCLAIR.

1t Lead to the Arrest of the Officer on
Charge of Assault and the Telling of
the Story of the Play in the Police
Court-Two of the Gaiety Performers
| Take Part in the Production-The Ad-
ventures of Nellie Sinclair in the Bra
matte Profession,
| There was performance in progress
behind the scenes at the Gaiety theatre
last Tuesday night which rivalled in in-
terest the show which the audience saw.
1t resulted in the arrest of Theodore
Boynton the special policeman at the
| theatre, on charge of assault and bat
terry, the allegation being that he unlaw-
fully seized and held Charles Sinclair
who was trying to speak to his sister. one
of the performers, after the show was
over. In court yesterday on the witness
bench sat Boynton, in the uniform of a
motorman of the Cape road, position
which he. also holds, BY him sat young
Sinclair the complainant, with his
mother and sister. The sister who is one
of the leading characters in this drama of
the region behind the scenes is young
short and of dark complexion. She wore
a sailor hat with ribbon bearing the
name of one of the vessels of the new
navy. When Miss Sinclair took the stand
the iron rail around itswas on a level with
her shoulders. At the other end OF the
seat were Mrs. Octayia Smith, one of the
Gaiety performers, and her lady friend,
Mrs. Jennie Wentworth. They too had
leading parts and one of the acts OF the
drama took place at their house on Mon
roe street. Assistant County Attorney
Allan appeared for the government and
Hon. George NJ. Soldiers represented
Boynton.
Mr.. Allan outlined the charge against
Boynton substantially as 1t has been pre-
viously printed in the papers and called
Charles L. Sinclair to the stand as the
frstawitness. Sinclair told how 1s.unole
had seen his sister on the stage at the
Gaiety on Monday evening and reported
that fact to her relatives. Accordingly
| Charles went to the theatre on the next
nightIto see his sister and to try to get
her to return home. "When the theatre
began" said the witness, II saw my
sister come onto the stage. l saw her IN
the first and last acts. She wore short
dress" Then Sinclair related how he
had asked for the head man at the theatre
and after the performance had been told to
go out by Boynton with others who had
fingered in the house. He said that after
wards Boynton had told him that he
might enter the house again and walt
| there. When he returned he told man
| named Brown that he was waiting to see
his sister and said that he then went out
side as Brown told him that he could see
his sister when she came out the rear
door. He hid at the corner and watched
the door. Twice, he said, he saw it
opened q little way while ssomebody
peeped out. Then he saw his sister come
out. She.was walking between two other
women and wore. "a mans coat and hat.
Sinclair ran down the street and took
hold of his sister 1t was then that the
alleged assault was committed. Accord
ing to Sinclair, Boynton held him until
the girls had had time.to run away. Sim
clair claimed that Boynton led him across
the street to the corner of Federal and
Pearl streets and held him while watch
ing the girls as they went through the
mark, At the same time Sin clair WAS
telling Boynton his story. On cross ex-
animation, Mr.. Soldiers asked the young
man If 1t was not the case that Boynton
released him as soon as he had finished
telling this. story. Sinclair stuck to it
that the officer did not let him go until
the girls were out of sight but admitted
that the girls were lost to view at about
the time the story wassfnished.
John White was standing at the corner
OF. Congress and Pearl streets when the
affair took place at the rear door of the
theatre. He said that as he looked down
by a man he took to be Boynton because
this man wore badge. The man looked
out and closed the door. A little later,
White saw the group at the door and ran
down because he thought Sinclair was
about to strike one of the women. When
he got there he heard Sinclair say to
Boynton "Come over here. want to tell
you sOIneUul1lB, Suo rs my SleUor. WnilS
said that at that he passed on as he did
not want. to get mixed up in a family
quarrel.
g. II. Brown, the janitor of the build
ing, told of his conversation with Sin
clair during which Sinclair told him
that he wanted to see his sister. Boynton
was.not present when this conversation
took place.
Then Nellie Sinclair was called to the
stand. She talked fast and in substance
this is the story she told on the direct
examination: just before the perform
ance began on Tuesday night they told
me that my brother was in front and
need not go on If did not want to and
l said that I'd just as lives and went on.
And after the show we went down to the
door and Boynton looked out and they
told me to go back to the dressing room
and they brought me hat and coat and
), l put them on and then we went out and
my brother came up to me and took hold
of me and then we went through the park
and down to the house of one of the girls
and | staid there that night.
1t did not take the witness long to rat
tie through her story and then she was
cross examined by Mr.. Seiders. In an
syyer to his questions she said that she