The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-19
STOP THE RAGTlME DANCING,
SAYS MAGISTRATE CONNORTON,
TRIBUNE or TINE PEOPLE.
The Low Grab and Grip" That Goes With
II shocks the Officlal Chaperon OF the
Connorton Pleasure Association and
IT'S Barred At Ills Patrick's Day Hail.

Luke j Connorton. City Magistrate. and,
since the retirement Of William Stephen
Devery, Tribune of the People, Yesterday
announced that the ragt ime dance must
GO Mr. Connorton is the prince Of re fine
inent This is evident from the fact that
he spoke Of the ragtime dance as the half
time dance.
Magistrate Connorton ia the standard
bearer of the Luke j. Connorton Pleasure
Association Of Long Island City. He says
that the pure pun poses and high aims OF
his pleasure association have been married
in the past by the avidity with which its
members have pursued the thing which he
calls the half time dance
The pleasure association is to have a ball
on the night of March II. the anniversary
Of the chasing of the serpents out Of Ireland
by the good st. Patrick. Mr.. Connorton
wants no half time" dancing TO contami-
nate that occasion. lie * anxious to for
bid such proceedings, even though the
advertising of the dance be increased by
the prohibition.
There are a number OF we'll known and
wealthy people in the borough Of Man
haitian who think that the term half time
dancing means merely that the dancers
move very slowly in their gyrations in the
ballroom But Mr.. Connoron has OBJ
served that along with the slow time OF the
dancing certain other textures have APP
peared at balls where the Objectionable
half time" has been permitted.
He has noticed the tendency OF the gentle
man dancer 10 get what II pieases the
dancing masters of Long Island City to
call the low grab and grip, and the ten
dency Of the music, under these conditions, 70
induce the Greek wigge' whatever that
may be.
Therefore Mr.. Connorton has addressed
n petition to the Aldermen OF his borough.
Mccarthy and Kech, 10 inhibit the dane
ing of half time within the precincts OF
the city of New York The Luke Connor-
ton ball must be kept inviolate.
we suffered enough, said Mr.. Common
ton. Yesterday when va induced our
selves 10 Join with that sink OF corruption
the old city Of New York, without com
hitting ourselves to the. corrupt prnacI
tees which have obtained in what is called
highest society on that side Of the river.
, We may not be millionalres But when
heard that half time was fashionable
on the other side OF the river. and when |
realized the shameful influences for which
half time was responsible in this borough,
or AT least had been responsible Tor IN the
past made up my mind that it's deterorat-
ing influences should be combated here
first of all
1t was explained to Mr. Connorton that
the ragtiine dance az il was known in the
cemetery districts of Queens was not exactly
like the half time dance as 1t was known
on Fifth avenue. But he said il ought TO
be stopped anyway.
The influence Of these things said he.
lis conta gious You never can tell. We
can stand this sort OF thing over here.
But IL the movement mean the move
ments-I mean the style--is going to
spread to Fifth avenue. 1t Is time TO pass
law against it, As the official chaperon
of the Connorton Pleasure Association
feel hound to set my face against II