New-York tribune., 1903-03-28

EGG RIOT AT THEATRE.
TRISHMEN IN Il RAGE.
Police Think attempt Vas Made to
Burn Ne1c Star.

Burn Ne1C OtGf.
The elimination OF a series OF attempts to
bring to an end the performances of the play
''McFsddens Row OF Flats" occurred last night
when the actors and actresses were pelted with
rotten eggs and bad vegetables and fruit In the
hrst act OF the play the New Star Theatre
Lexington-ave. and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
at.
In the middle Of the uprosr Roundsmsn Mills
discovered burning rag in one Of the aisles
and stamped it out without the rioting audience
discovering what was happening. The police
think it was an attempt on the part OF the con-
spirators to burn the theatre. Nearly two
thousand women and men were IN the play
house at the time.
The astounding assault Of last evening is
openly declared to be the work Of the allied
Irish societies Of the city. Major McCrystal.
formerly Of the 69th Regiment. declared that
the Irfshn7en of the city are banded to keep UP
this kind OF work until the burlesqung Of Irish
characters is stopped. Other 1rishmen said the
thing. They represent the Clan-na-Gaels.
the Ancient Order of Hibernians. and the Great
er New-York Irish Athletic Association 1t Is
said meeting was held In this city for planning
the action Of last night
il WIS in the middle Of the first act when
the disturbance took place last night.
Some signal was given by man. one Of four
in the orchestra it is believed and at least two
hundred men arose in all parts Of the theatre.
Some few women were among the people
standing up the eggs began to fly At least
two hundred eggs went across the auditorium,
landing on all parts of the stage. They struck
everywhere. Not q person on the stage escaped
being hit by at least two or three, and some OF
them got more. The donkey was ludicrous
sight
The scenery was ruined by the numerous eggs
which missed the players and smashed against
the make believe windows, doors and walls OF
the saloon.
After the egg shower the throwers drew out
apples and threw them at the players who lin
gcred on the stage Then they threw vegetables or
various kinds. the goods landing with a peculiar
sound against the stage and scenery and fall
ing down and rolling this way and that. 1t
seemed II the two hundred persons who were
throwing had thrown each five times. making a
thousand eggs and other articles flung at the
players.
The audience was in an uproar from the first.
After the eggs had been thrown nearly every
body jumped UP. so that it was impossible TO
find out who throwing It was the widest
uproar Imaginable. and fire panic could hardly
have been more uproa-ious.
Some Of the eggs struck a few of the
Chestra players who had fed precipitately- All
the ushers in the theatre had rushed down the
aisles at the first onslaught TO apprehend Of
tenders Four men in the middle Of the or
Chestra seemed TO people downstairs TO be the
ringleaders. These men were pointed out by the
ushers TO Acting Sergeant Hoffman, who was in
charge in the theatre and who had Detectives
Steinkamp, Dorset and Carney with hinl, as
We'll as the three policemen, These and the sPe-
cIal policeman, B. J. Conlin dragged the four
men out Of their seats into the aisle, increasing
the excitement Hundreds left the theatre and
followed the prisoners TO the East One-huildred-
and -fourth-st. station yelling and collecting a
larger crowd as they went along
The remaining auditors gradually settled to
order. After the arrests the scene was changed
the stage and the performance was resumed.
Hardly a line had been spoken when an Irish
man rose In the orchestra and shouted aloud as
he turned to the audience:
Il denounce this play shame and a dis
grace. and it's ridiculing the Irish race
Then before any could stop him he drew
hack his arm and threw egg at the stage.
II s.ruck fbe scenery with q th5Id and broke a
II triCkled down the scene. People in the audi
ence howIed at him. some cheering, and a repe-
tition OF the excitement of few minutes before
Rounds1nan Mills rushed down the aisle and
dragged the man into the street. OBrien cursed
roundsman had beaten him with club. He
called Mills q liar. and swore he would have him
broke" and that the Clan-na-Cael and other
Irish societies would help to put him on the
force.
The first four prisoners described themselves
as John OFlynn, a laborer, Of No. 1000 Second
ave; Bernard Cavanagh, a Iaborer of No 13G
West Forty-ninth-st-; James A Cooney, an In
surence agent of No 81 West Sixty-first-st,
and Martin O'Boyle carpet layer of No 131
Charles-st. OBren said he was Michael J.
O'Brien. en- electrician, of No. 149 East One
Daniel P. Sullivan, Of No. 302 Broadway, ap-
peared as counsel for all the prisoners. who
Lennon, saloonkeeper, OF Third-ave. and Nine
ty-nfnth-st., was on hand. with about thirty
other Irishmen. to give bail for the appearance
Of the men in court Lennon was accepted, 500
each being demanded a. bail.
Captain Smith went to the theatre with all his
reserves about thirty men. There were then
about forty policemen about and in the theatre.
and they remained to the end of the perform
snce. Among the 1rishmen who went TO the
station with the prisoners were ex-Aldernlan J.
J. Campbell. J. J. BriaH, ofithe Bradley Broth
ers. rapid transit subway contractors; ex-Alder-
man J. J. Coggy Major McCrystal ana Patrick
J Conway. of the Greater New-York Irish Ath-
letic Association.
This is only the beginning OF a general move-
ment to do away with buriesquing the Irish
people in any form We going to put a stop
it, said Briaty.
All the Irish societies in the United States
aroused about this play and the general
hurIesquing OF the Irish people" said Major Nc
Crystal. We are going to put a stop to 1t.
What happened tonight is going to happen
again II this burlesquing Of the Irish in such
outrageous fashion continues. The Irish are
banded to stop it"
Detectives went among a number of 1rishmen
IN a saloon ct OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
Iexington-ave., and say they learned that an
other attempt TO break up the play may be
made tonight.