The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-08
DEVERY IN VAUDEVILLE ACT.
AUDIENCE PAY rs CENTS EACH
TO HEAR HIS LE(TCRE.
"Jlistice for Downtrodtien Beachers," HIS
"FlaminE Battiecry"-Whcn He was
Chief He Let Actors Play In stage
CIOthes-Sincere, He Says, and VIII Win.

NWtucN-StuVVbV, Soso e''' WV
big Bill" Devery "lectured" last night
| in Morrison's Theatre at Rockaway beach'
His subject was "Why the Hon. william
s. Devery Should Run for Mayor of Greater
New, York" His stunt was the seventh
number in vaudeville performance ana
was announced on the stage by two Dig
placards bearing Devery's full name IN
startling green letters lined with gold
I.ottie Gibson, the vaudeville singer, pre-
coded him, and two German comedians
came on after he finished his act. Ad-
mission was IS cents.
All Of Rockaway Beach turned out to hear
the lecture" and every seat was taken.
The Midway, during the performance,
was as quiet and deserted as country
lane almost all the places having shut
down for the occasion. Big Bill an
no,lnced beforehand that his lecture
was the product Of considerable thought
and somo careful preparation.
That was evident from the dictlon alone,
for he made only one break in the speech
That was when somebody in the back OF
the theatra shout I'd Hurry up! after
Bill had been feeling around for several
seconds in search Of one Of his lecture
form" words. Then he unconsciously let
an "aint' slip out in place of one OF inc
ARE nots" and ais nots" that had been
flowing from his lips.
The Chief spoke from a box The rain
was dripping through on the stage and he
refused to go up there and get wet. his
son-in-law. Eddie Fink, sat behind him dur
ing his act, and his daughter, Annie Laurie,
was down in front. lottie ellison intro
duced him by singing Little VINE.
The orchestra burst out with MIR, Dew
cry" as Big Bill" got up
aIadies and gentlemen" he said, in
fine language, Mr.. Wainwright. the father
Of Rookaway Beach was to have INTRODUCED
me, but that task was left TO 1ottie. She
was MINUTE little Willie wasn't in it.
II think we are in i, TO stay. The Rev.
DR.. Iorimer saws that the American young
gentlemen, especially when they are nged
with German are not to he trifed with
when they want their beer. agree with
| the Rev DR.. Ldrimer,
"You folks are here enjoying everything
ha, il taking place the actors, the actresses
and all the o,her comedians. should
think tha, man In charge of the Police De
parmant would have, spoiled The whole
the rights Of the beach people, Justice
for the downtrodcer 'baachers' is my
| flaming battle cry tonight.
we want no oppression no ttyrannical
orders such as have been issued by Zen,
! Greene. When | was chief and audiences
came here and paid admission, he meat
was not taken ont of the show by the actors
and act resses having to 60 on the stage
in civilians clothes. IShril cries Of Hear,
hear! from the stage wings. That takes
all the fun out of it. You do not get the
effect you expected and paid your money
! for.
please don't think now. ladies ard
gentlemen, that am getting any OF the gate
| receipts. | am not. | am simply here
to lecture to you about oppression
! near Two-thirds of them come here to
have all the pleasure the Almighty bestows
on the flock
They take their lunch baskets with them,
and they have to lead their children: with
for sandwiches. Is not that hardship?
THE beach peoples right, say, are in
terfered with. Why. picture to yourselves.
Only this morning was in butcher shop
buying some steak A policeman came
along and saw her and made her put it
| back,
as not that a bad state Of affairs. | ask
you? Here is also an old man, white with
the burden Of years, who has been making
living for almost a generation collecting
and painting sea shells and he has been
deprived Of that right. Is it tyranny, tell
me? The people are being deprived Of
| everything
I'VE are paying taxes but we have nothing,
! not oven one Of those things that says to
the dust Dust, your name is mud-not even
sprinkler, You've got man supplying
YOU who is worked by string fastened
TO Croker I refer to Cord Meyer He
has a trust--a trust for supplying water.
| His wells run dry the other day and all the
swamps and meadows got on fire.
There was no water to put the flames
out. and that, ladies and gentlemen, is tie
cause Of the smoke which had cast it's veil
over New York for the last few days. There
is no truth in the report that il came from
| the Adirondacks.
Il would like TO call your attention to
some educational matters. II ia fact
| that one-half of the children in this city
are being schooled on half time. The Board
Of Education is too busy listening to Max
well and appointing high salaried officials
to do anything about t. You know and
! know that we are not getting much from
our reform government. We want glass
Of beer, ri sec of meat, a little milk on
Sunday: But. no, policeman is stuck in
sold. The city people are deprived of
their rights Just the same. They are de-
! prived of their dock fronts, their recreation
piers and their free baths,
| 1T is high time the people, irrespective
/ Of religion or politics, took this matter
in hand 1t ia not alone a matter of right,
it is not alone question of beating the
grabber, it I"hurry up!" somebody holered !.
as Bill hesitatedl 1T amt he exclaimed
roughly. "A film fam matter Of guesswork
Devery then advised the Rockaway
Beach volunteer fremen to bring suit
against the city for back pay before the
| bill was outlawed.
Some people," he concluded. think that
| am Joking about running for Mayor.
am not No. l am sincere, very sincere
in It and hope every one Of you will think
the matter over closely and sec that Rock
away and other places gets what is coming
to them