The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-12
sALooNMEN CEASE WAR ON vA
RIETY THEATRES.
CASES ALLOWED TO ORo6
Complaints Against Show People Win
drawn and Late complainants
Pay the Costs.

1
After several parleys the saloonmer|
and proprietors of the variety theatrea
have concluded to bury the hatchetI
not in accordance with the original in1
tention-into the sides of one another,I
but deep under the. ground. AS n
further evidence of their good faith
the saloon keepers who appeared
against the showmen will pay all costs
SO far incurred in the direction Of their
prosecution for violating the law of|
the state prohibiting the employment
Of women in public places where|
drinks are sold, females Of the humanl
race" as the complaint in one action
put it.
The cessation of hostilities was
brought about by mediation, and, it I'll
also claimed, by fear on the part OF
certain of the saloonmen that il they
persisted in the prosecution of thel
cases they would themselves bel
brought up with shot turn, not be-
ing wholly guiltless themselves Of vio-
lations of the statutes. They do say
that there is actual gambling for
money permitted in the places con-
Quoted by some of the men who wanted
the moral atmosphere purged to the
extent of closing up the show shops.
Whether this be so or merely
baseless slander, the fact remains that
if any one wants to have the variety
men prosecuted he will have to look
to some one else than any OF the men
who we're instrumental in having the
cases instituted that have been dis
missed.
Result of Agreement.
Yesterday was the date set by Judge
Fraser for hearing the complaints
against Minder & Balm and Josh Fogg,
the respective proprietors of the two
variety theatres. Before the hour ar
rived for the hearings, his honor had
received an intimation that the prose-
cution would be permitted to drop,
an agreement having been arrived at
between the contending parties Sat
urday night. At 10 o'clock, the hour
set for the first trial, the county attOr-
ney and W. M. Johnston, attorney for
the defendants, appeared in court. \
With them were some of the complains
ants. The statement was made to the
court that it had been agreed between
the parties to let the cases drop and Il
that the saloonmen would pay the
costs thus far incurred. To make
the matter more binding written
agreement was drawn up and to this
the proper signatures were later in 4
the day affixed, ,and the four cases were
stricken from the docket as dismissed
by consent of the prosecuting attorney.
The total of the costs that tine puri-
fiers of the community's morals will
have to pay is $33; $3.50 in one
acse and $3.50 in the other.
Were Twice Informed Against.
Two complaints had been lodged in
the case of each theatre. The first
was filed December %. On this Min
der, Balm and Fogg were arrested
and gave surety for their appearance.
They then returned to their respective
places of business and permitted their
houses to remain open as usual. Four
lays afterward complaints were again
odged against them, as they had not
been tried on the first. Subsequent
followed. Threats are
said to have been made that unless
hey would close their places, the thea
re men would be arrested for each
light they kept open, but this was
lot done, the complainants apparentr
y being willing to allow things to
un their regular course until trial
ould be had under the first COM
'laints.
The men who swore to the two
against Minder & Balm
7ere W. o. Lee, Dick Crysler. A. q.
chneider, Frank Swim, Henry Thor
on, H. G. Kerr. Charles Buns, ]. M.
'allows and John A. Christ. Those
'ho appeared as prosecuting witnesses
gainst Josh Fogg were Dick Crysler,
'. o. Lee, Charles Buns, Henry Thor
on, A. G. Schneider, ]. N. Ballows and
rank Swim.