The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-08
BLUE
LAW REVIVED
IN NEW YORK
All Forms of Public Amusement
Prohibited Under Recent De-
CiSion Of Justice 0'Gorman.
POLICE INSPECTORS
GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS
Y. M. c. A. ENTERTAINMENTS
AND SYMPHONY CONCERTS ON
LEVEL WITH SCENT SHOW.

New York, Dec. IA blue Sunday
is promised New York tomorrow. A
literal enforcement of an old but not
seriously regarded statute under a new
Interpretation, viii deprive New Yorks
millions of any form of public enter
tainment for twenty-four hours at
least and perhaps for many other sun
days to come. Orders for a strict en-
forcement of Justice O'Gormans re-
cent decision in regard 10 the closing Of
all places Of amusement on the Sab
bath were issued today by Police Com
missioner Bingham.
Commissioner Bingham's orders to
eighteen inspectors call for a rigid en-
forcement of the law and clamps the
cover of strict suppression on all forms
of amusement, from vaudeville to the
Sunday evening entertainments of the
7. III. c. A. The commissioner informed
the inspectors that the Sunday closing
law covers everything from the SYM
phony concerts at Carnegie hall to the
scent vaudeville shows. and that any
attempt to evade the statute must be
met with arrest.
Promised TO Obey.
Theatrical mana gers and showmen
stated today that they propose TO obey
the mandate of the law, believing, they
say, that its strict enforcement will do
more than anything else to effect its
modification or repeal at the coming
session of the legislature. The only
places in Greater New York where
bright lights will shine and wheezy pi-
amos beat out q defiance to the police
will be in Brooklyn. The managers Of
five mOving-pictuTe shows and a skat-
ing rink have secured temporary In
functions restraining the police from
interfering with them tomorrow, and
Commissioner Bingham told the
Brooklyn inspector that the iniunctiOns
must be obeyed.
Commissioned Bingham, in delivering
bis instructions, said the closing order
prohibited everything in the way of q
performance OF entertainment. and that
the rule extended to dancing academies
and TO dance halls. The commissioner
said to the inspectors:
includes the Y. M. C. A.
Now that order and that decision
means simply the stopping Of any pub
lie entertainment or performance Of
any character in a place Of public
amusement on Sunday. All perform
ances of any character in a place OF
public amusement Is the way the de-
cision reads. Now that covers Car
negie hall as well rs the 1 and scent
vaudeville and moying-p picture shows.
1t covers roller skating, and it covers
benefits. The Y. NJ. c. A. entertain
ments on Sunday nights are perform
ances in public places, and while they
are run for the purpose Of getting
boys and young men of the streets.
under the decision it Is no go. 1t cuts
out the educational alliance with their
little arrangement that goes on Sun
day nights, because il is a place Of
public amusement
Delay in Start of Race.
Commissioner Bingham said the music
In hotels and restaurants was not to be
disturbed. He said that the law was
to be enforced on the outskirts of the
city, where it has been the custom to
play football and other outdoor games.
The siX-day bicycle race which was
scheduled to start at midnight tOmor-
row, will not commence until / O'Clock,
and the doors Of Madison Square Gar
den will not open until after midnight.
The Sunday closing law has been
long on the statute books, and bitter
and wide have been the contentious
over its interpretations. The police
have never been quite certain how far
they might proceed in closing the vari-
GUS forms of entertainments. though It
was generally held that performances
in which the actors and actresses ap-
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