Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
AFTER BAD PICTURES
POLICE STARTING ANOTHER
CRUSADE.
Capt Gessford to Pass on Theatrical
Posters-Respectabl Bounds
to Be Maintained.
ANOTHER
STARTING
CRUSADE.

Following a complaint by President Kel-
lar of the Christian Endeavor Union. made
to the local authorities. the police have re-
newed their crusade against alleged I'M
moral pictures. The complaint of Mr.. kel-
lar was made on behalf of 5000 Endeavor-
ers and referred more particularly to the
posters on the bill boards. Heretofore the
complaints also referred TO advertising pic
lures in store windows and to certain publ
cations. Detective Proctor has been the
art censor for the department so far as
the outside work was concerned, and now
Capt Gessford is to take hand in the
work at headquarters. This work Is not an
entirely new thing with the captain. for he
has heretofore passed upon the character
of pictures that were intended to be eN-
hibitei. Many were passed and some were
passed upon as being unit to be exposed
1.-The department will do all in its power
to maintain respectable boards. MAJ Syi-
vester stated in communication sent TO
the District Commissioners two days ago.
Bill posters have been notified by the
police that their bills are to be presented TO
Capt. Gessford for inspection before they
are posted. The lieutenants of police have
been instructed to institute prosecutions IN
all cases where pictures come WITHIN the
provisions of the law. In his communca-
ton to The Commissioners, Maj Sylvester
said:
Maj. Sylvester's Views.
4.Time and again this department has
notified the bill posters that if anything
contrary to law was placed by them 1t
would result in their being taken to court.
AS a general proposition they have been
quite willing to comply with the wishes OF
the department, although at times some
bills have been posted which required eff
facing in order to make them acceptable.
In order to secure conviction the prosecu-
ha cOmnplled to convince a Jury
under the following definition of the Com
missioners as to what constitutes an OBJ
scene or immoral picture:
If a picture would suggest impure
thoughts in the young and inexperienced;
IL its tendency is to create lewd ideas or to
corrupt or deprave the minds OF persons
subject to such Impressions; II its erect be
to excite improper emot1ons ana inward
thoughts: If 1t suggests an impure sense or
is liable TO produce depraved state or con-
dition of mind and arouse the passions, 1t
would be indecent
IF a poster is suggestive or desperate
acts as seen in the play, 1t would not neceS-
sarily be obscene or immoral, in my opinion,
under the law, but as L have heretofore
stated it will be necessary for jury 20
pass upon the subject In the decision
given
The crusade against alleged Objectionable
pictures on fences and In store windows
was started by Maj Sylvester some tune
ego Mayor Mccarthy of Richmond VINO
recently conducted such an active night
against such pictures in that city, communl-
Gated with Maj. Sylvester before he took
action 1t was upon the information iur-
nished by the superintendent OF po .tI's
here II is stated, that Mayor MCCARTHY
conducted his campaign In that city PIC
lures were taken from art stores ana 10
hacco dealers and the crusade assumed pro-
horizons which aroused the purity organiza-
lions A number of arrests were made and
nenaities were imposed upon alleged Of
Tenders.