The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-06
"SAPHO" PEOPLE ARE HELD
MA GISTRATE MOII'S DECISION IN
 THE NEIV YORK CASES,
Elan, Manager and Thenter Lessee to be Tried in Special Sessions-No Pre- sentation of the Play Lust Night-Atti- tUde of the Police.

New York, March 5.-As result of the decision to-day of Magistrate Mott, holding Miss Olga Nethersole, now fa- moue for the part she has been playing in "Sapho;" Hamilton Revelle, the lead ing man; Marcus Meyer, manager of the company, and Theodore Moss, lessee of the theater. each in $500 bail for trial at the special sessions on a charge of pro- ducing a play that offended public de- cency Wallacks theater was closed to- night and no production of "Sapho" was attempted.
 It was not until tonight that Olga Nethersole, her attorneys and her asso- ciates agreed that "Sapho' should be suppressed, for the time being at least. Immediately after the decision in Mag istrate Motts court to-day holding for the action of the special sessions the leading persons interested in the production of "Sapho'' at Wallacks Chief Devery handed the reporters q statement to the effect that radical changes must be made in the play or it could not be produced again. He added that there must be no tritling that the parts to which objections have been raised must be cut out. He said that until the courts had acted upon the matter the wide difference of opinion regarding the merits of the play had made it impossible for the police to determine what should be done. Now that duly authorized court had ruled against the production the chief said that the duty of the po- lice was plain.
 Chief Devery at o'clock telephoned to Manager Durham of Wallack's the aler and to Marcus Mayer, manager of Miss Nethersole, and suggested that it would be better not to give a per formance tonight. Captain Thomas was instructed at the same time to take ten men in citizens clothes, and visit the theater and to make arrests if an ef- fort was made to produce "Sapho" along the original lines. A notice was posted on the theater that there would be no performance and the lights were turned out.
 Lawyer Hummel, Managers Burnham and Mayer, and other members of the company held q conference in Miss Nethersole's apartments at the Hoff- man house later in the evening. After the conference MT Burnham said MT. Hummel had advised the announce ment that "Sapho' will not be present. ed again until the case is settled in court Instead Miss Nethersole will tomorrow night play "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray," and it is thought she will change after time to Camille" or Carmen
 The hearing in the case was resumed to-day In Magistrate Mott's private chambers All the parties interested, except Theodore Mose, who is i'll, were in court when MT. Hummel, counsel for the defendants, began his closing He made only a brief speech in which he outlined the testimony of the prosecution and spoke of the evil dence introduced in controvertion by the defense. When District Attorney Gardiner started to sum up his side of the case the magistrate intimated that he did not care to hear him, as he had looked up the legal authorities on the matter. Consequently Colonel Gardiner made but a few remarks. Colonel Gar diner at once gave information of the decision to the chief of police, with whom the responsibility now rests of l stopping the performance or otherwise. |