The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-08
IS Mr.. FICkS IN A FIX?
CLUNTE OPERA-HOUSE MAN
AGER ARRESTED.
He II Brought Before the Legisla-
ture Under Arrest-Story Of
the Trouble.

Monday night the Sergeants -at-Arms
OF one or more of the houses of the
Legislature appeared at the doors OF
the Clunie Opera-house with warrant
Tor the arrest of members under a 'call
OF the house." They desired and de-
manded admission, but were refused by
Manager George w. Ficks, unless they
paid for admission. as did others VINO
attended Nance O'Nen's performance
of Camille"
After some little jower the officers,
who claimed that there were legislators
III the audience, and that they had
warrant for their arrest, retired, MT.
Ficks claiming that the audience in his
house, which had paid round price
for entertainment, ought not to be dis
turbed by search for members OF
the Legislature who might or might
not be in the auditorium.
Yesterday the manager received an
official letter from the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House,
notifying him that he must thereafter
respect the authority of the two houses
as represented in the persons of their
Sergeants when they appeared with
warrants for delinquents.
Last night the Sergeants again ap-
peared at the door of the auditorium of
the theater, and demanded admittance
to search for delinquent members,
whom they stated they had reason to
believe We're seated in the house en-
joying the discontinue of Fagin Weep
ing over the woes of unhappy Nancy
Sykes, and sympathizing with the mis-
fortunes of Oliver Twist.
On this occasion the Sergeants We're
admitted to- the auditorium, they show
ing authority for their demand, and
the manager waving the admission fee,
though he claims that no one has a
right to enter without payment except
they have search warrant and au-
thority to break and enter"
By the time the officers and manager
got into the house the drop curtain was
down on wait" between two of the
acts. while the scene shutters were
busy arranging the scene for the muir
der of Nancy Sykes by the brutal Blli
Sykes, and which, by the way, was one
of the most dreadfully realistic scenes
ever witnessed upon a Sacramento
stage-the genius of Nance O'Neil de-
serves that tribute in this place.
But though the drop was down, the
house was in darkness, at least. in the
auditorium, the electric lights not be-
ing turned up as is usual. Nevefthe-
less there was light enough to see one
way, thrugh it is to be doubted whether
the average Sergeant-at-Arms could
have picked out in that dim light the
averag e legislator with his best suit
on and alongside his favorite, be she
wife or maid.
The Sergeants finding that they could
not search in such a cleaning, asked
the manager to have the electric lights
turned on. In reply, according to MI
Ficks' own statement, he answered..
Whoever attempts to NEEDLE with the
electrical switchboard of the house.
except he is an electrician and famll-
lar with it, will get a bullet through
his head; l want no panic here. or
words to that effect
Mr.. Ficks claims that he meant no
contempt for the authority of the Leg
islature; that he has all due respect
for the supreme authority of his coun-
try and it's laws, which he has fought
in many a bloody battle to maintain
But he holds that while his language
may have been heated, it was because
he inferred from the demand that the
officers proposed to attempt to turn up
the lights If in that he was mistaken
he is sorry, but he thought. and sun
thinks that the audience should not
be disturbed, and the unities of play
broken up by such procedure as ne
feared was intended, and that indeed
if any one 'monkeyed'' with the cleo
trieal apparatus, which is very com
plicated, that a panic might result Win
disastrous consequences
Mr.. Ficks claims that the officers were
in the house, that they were at hberty
10 take their men then if they could
find them: that he did not know as a
fact that any of the runaways were
there as he does not know them, pul
that the officers had no right to direct
when he should light up his house;
that is interference with his business moi
warranted under simple order OF ar
rest of delinquents: that, in short tbs
warrant did net run against him ano
was not directed to him.
However all that may be, the nex'
thing Mr.. Ficks knew he was under
arrest. was carried off to the Capitol
and placed at the bar of the Assem-
blv for contempt The charge pre-
ferred was that he obstructed the Ser
charge of his duty by refusing him adj
mission. Second that he refused tC
order the auditorium lighted up, ane
thus committed contempt Third, thai
he threatened to blow off the tops OF
the heads of any one this side OF FIJI
ipino land who monkeyed with the cleo
trical switch board, and for all this
he was ordered to appear before the
bar of the House at 8 a. m. to-day
and show cause why he should not bs
punished for contempt.
Then the irate manager was permit
ted to return to the Opera house, which
he reached in time to see Fagin die il
the straw of his prison and Oliver Twis'
triumph over him in a new suit of navy
blue and a bob-tailed waistcoat, which
fitted the classic figure of minute Mis-:
Mcvicker, like glove on a bride:
hand.
In conversation with the manager
after the affair was all over, he stated