The Topeka state journal., 1900-04-30
DREW WILL SEE.
Topeka Mayor to Be at 'sSapho"
Performance.
StenOgrapher Will Make Notes
of Indecent Passages.
RING CURTAIN DOWN.
Police There to Stop Play at
Objectionable Part.
Provisions of Ordinance to Pro-
tect Public Will Be Enforced.

Mayor Drew will be at the production
or .Sapho' at the Crawford theater Fri
day night. He will be one of the first
IN line when the sale of seats opens to-
morrow morning. His intention is to
occupy seat in the bald headed row.
Mayor Drew will not be alone. At his
right hand will sit a stenographer dep
utlzed to take down every line of the
dialogue Nearby will be several in
V1ted guests, gentlemen of Topeka who
are capable of judging between decency
and lndeceney in a stage portrayal.
Chief Ramsey and a patrol of police
men viii be within easy call.
The presence of Mayor Drew and his
friends and the policemen will not be
due to the desire for theatrical enter
tainment- The first indecent line or ac-
tion in the production will be the sig
nal for excitement to commence in
which they will take a, prominent part.
The excitement will be incident to the
ringing down of the curtain.
IF the play is indecent and obscene
it will be stopped" said Mayor Drew
visions of the ordinance passed at the
last meeting of the council shall be
carried out. City Attorney Bird has ad-
vised me that nothing can be done until
it is proven that a production is in
decent, and Tor this reason L viii be in
the theater at the ringing I'D of the cur
tain. How long I will stay depends on
the piece
Mayor Drew gives every evidence of
being determined about the matter. If
the version of "Sapho" which it is pro-
posed to put on here Friday night is
| tainted with suggestiveness, the man
agement will have to purge it for the
| engagement if it hopes to go through
| with the performance.
Il don't propose to take any action
that will leave myself or the city open
to damages said Mayor Drew. Some
thing indecent will have to occur before
the performance will be stopped. But
| if something indecent does occur the
| people of Topeka may depend on it that
| the performance will not be allowed
| to continue.
''The fact that a New York jury de-
| cided the version now running in thai
city to be a fit entertainment will make
| no difference in Topeka We are moi
doing things here in accordance with
the ideas of New York jurymen. I have
never read "Sapho,'' but I have reaG
comments on the book which have ac-
Quainted me with it's qualities. The fac
that it's author would not let his s-I
read it until he was 81 years of age is
enough to show the character of tn,
novel. If the play follows the novel a
all it cannot be presented in this city
Olga Nethersole is now packing Wal
| lacks theater in New York with CLYDE
F'itchs version of -Sapho." 1t is doubt
full if any of the versions which are nov
being presented in different cities b.
cheap companies is as indecent as this
Mr.. Z. S. Brigham, who is now in To
peka, says that during the masquerad
ball scene in the first act the stage i
darkened after the maSkerS are seel
to enter ante-rooms adjoining the bal
room, and the sound of kissing ant
rioting is made plainly audible to tn
audience. The finale of the first ac
! shows Jean carrying Fanny UP til
spiral staircase and depositing her a
the door of his room. This finale neve
fails to be heartily applauded by New
York audiences, and in response to tn
call the curtain is simply raised, an
Miss Nethersole and her leading mai
fail to appear.
No version of ''Sapho" can follow tn
novel and fail to be indecent. Mayo
Drew will be altogether justified il
stopping the performance here if i
proves to be 50. His action will b
commended by the people of Topeka