The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-25
COP DRAMA BY CHIEF MURPHY
SHAKESPEARE WROTE NOTHING
LIKE 1T, CRITICS SAY.

pinChed Across the NOFth ISiVer-MOfal
Lessoh9 Inculcated by \ Sergeant.
once each year Chief Of Police Murphy
Of Jersey City devotes himself TO an effort
70 tive dramatic exhibition Of tho work.
ing- u the Jersey City police system. Last
NIGHT begun a series Of eleven performances
Of hi, play entitled In Jersey City Police
station" Il was in many ways a remark
able drama. Many and competent critics
declared last night that Shakespeare never
wrote anything like il.
The only complaint heard from the audi
ence was that the play was 30 short. To
he sure. the program was filed out by a
vaudeville series which included such
diverse sources Of entertainment as From
Zaa to Uncle Tom and Herzog's horse
show. but there was none Of that thrill
Of bravery and beauty about this purely
professional part Of the evenings amuse-
ment which characterized Chief Murphy's
drama.
Il is to be hoped that the matinees during
the week will be heavily attended by the
youth Of jersey City. The play might
we'll have had the title, How to Avoid
Being Pinched, and What Happens 10 You
When You Are with special Wow TO the
situations in which tender youth may find
Itself.
The curtain rose upon q police station
front room, which may have seemed real
istic to Jersey City people, but certainly
was far more ornate and luxurious than
anything which has yet been provided in
any New York city precinct. II q seas
oned New York playgoer had not seen the
desk In the corner and the label Reserve
Room" over the back door he would have
almost irresistibly jumped at the concur
son that the scene was "Parlor in the Fifth
avenue residence Of Senator Snarke Of
Montana, OF Reception room in the st.
Splenjous Hotel New York There was a
clock on the back wall and a call bell indi-
Gator which rather strongly supported the
hotel theory.
Capt, John F. Kelly walked in and took
charge Of the station from Sergt, Closter-
man. There we're cheers and more cheers
from the audience, and there was no doubt
at all that the place was a police station
and that Capt. Kelly knew who was boss
in It. The captain was hardly in his chair
behind the desk when Crime poked its
ugly nose in the door. Policeman Van
Horn showed a small boy ahead Of him
through the door and lifted him high above
the rail for the awesome frown Of Capt.
Kelly
i've made a raid, captain announced
Van Horn. with pride. i caught this boy
shooting craps with a number OF com
panoins In Grove street
Tbs lecture on the evils Of gambling.
delivered by Capt. Kelly, was Of undoubted
truthfulness and moral force, but the
limitations Of space forbid its reproduction
here. He concluded by ordering the boy
cent to the back room while his mother
was sent for. announcing to the police
man in kindly, explanatory tones:
Under the new regulations Juvenile
offenders are held In the custody Of their
parents and are not locked up with drunk
ards and hardened criminals as 70 rmerly;
they thus avoid the demoralizing effect
of association with such oharacteH.'
The realism OF this utteTanos and the
broad humanitarianism Of II brought out
roar Of approving applause from the house.
II was 80 much better than II the sergeant
had said, as sergeants In some great and
wicked cities might have said
Chase the kid into the back room and
wait fer the Gerry wagon to grab him
Patrolman Galway brought in a lost
child who was put 70 bed in the matron's
room after another explanatory lecture
Dudley sang a soulful lullaby in the door
way. II was a moving ditty; the singer
moved clear down 10 the footlights In pur-
suit Of the last high notes Of bis ringing
tenor.
Inasrnuch as the child did not appear
again. il was assumed that the song had
remarkable qualities as a soporifc. But
IN order TO make sure that the infant would
not come TO, DOorman Dudley contributed
another. Marie" which had nothing TO
= vrfth . ha At all al hut
strangely followed by a changing Of the
FIRE alarm gong and the announcement
that there was fire somewhere or other.
In a monolog at the desk telephone
the sergeant explained to ths audience the
workings Of the new police alarm system.
He received, audibly. the report Of a
burglary in Bergen avenue, which included
The information that the burglar had
boarded a car headed for the Pennsylvania
ferry; the sergeant then called up the police
man A. the ferry by springing the visible
signal on the ferry police telephone box
and gave notice Of the coming 81 the thief.
Wonderful to relate, within forty seconds
the policeman at the ferry reported that
he bad caught the burglar; The citizens
OF Jersey City in the audience were 20
overloyed by this proof Of the unerTing
accuracy and alertness OF their guardians
nat they nearly cheeTed the roof on
ne arrest Of likely lOOd 9 'come-on'
from Tuscaloosa county Alabammer, IN
search Of green goods Che was locked up
for carrying concealed weaponsl ended the
exposition Of the workings Of the police
stat on machinery. There was drill OF
squad Of wenty-four patrolmen, in a man
ual adapted by Chief Murphy ON the latest
drill regulations Of the Regular Army. There
were times when the tramp Of the mighty
polioa feet shook the bulldog.
Mayor Pagan and Police Commissioners
Mitchell, Tilden and MoNulty were promi-
nent in the boxes last night. Tonight
the uneatg ~ honor will no the Hon. BOb
Davis and his associates in the manage
ment Of Democratic party Affairs in Hudson
county. The rumor IL denied that the
scene in the station Ia to be amplihed by
the bringing in OF politician, who Ia charged
with stealing four pussy cats from Esopus,
y. Y. Gov. Stokes has promised to be
present Wednesday night with Col. Dick
inson Of the Republican machine and other
prominent Republican politicians. The
clergy Of the city will be the guests on