The Washington times., 1907-02-25
Planned Mixed Race"
Play, Rival of "The
ClanSman."
Woman Arrested, Held
on the Charge of
kidnapping.

Intervention by the New York Do
lice, and subsequent filing of llidnap-
ing charges, nipped in the making
a scheme to put on a play in Wash
ingtOn with white and coIored
actors, designed as an answer to
DiNon's The CIansman.v which
stirred the negroes of the country
recently.
The play was advertised for four
productions at the True Reformers'
Hall, Twelfth and L streets north
west, the home Of the coIored secret
organization known as the True Re-
formers It is described in gaudv
circulars as a beautiful English So
ciety melodrama, with a Iadv de-
scended in straight line from the
English nobility as leading Iadv.,
The handbiH promises a Mixed
Race Dramatic Company, with
genius, elegant costumes, and
bright, pretty girls"
Young White Girls.
These bright. pretty girls were in
the plans Of the promoter Of the enter
prise. TO be. youthful white beauties of
New York, and, perhaps. Washington
Sunday afternoon. about 3 O'Clock. Po-
lice Captain Sheylin. of New York
dropped IN at so Mott avenue the
Bronx, and found Mary a. Pitts. col
ored, keeper of a boarding house ana
unlicensed employment agency. who
had with her four stunning Bronx maid
ems, ready to start for Washington on
the Congressional Limited.
Mary and her four charges were
paced under arrest Later, Mary
BTeretOn. fifteen: Isabella Carney sey--
enteen. and Catherine Fitzpatrick six-
teen, were turned over to the ChiIdren's
society. and Kate FrOeIich. nineteen,
was released
Enticed From Home.
From the stories told by the girls II
appeared they had been enticed away
from home. First, they had seen an ad-
verusement. Then they met Mary and
she taught them few dancing steps.
No Tickets Sold.
All were TO have received SIS a week.
with the exception Of Miss Fitzpatrick.
who was to have a speaking part in the .
play and receive so. Her part" in
volved the following lines:
i viii not marry. I am too young TO
marry. l would rather throw myself
from yonder mountain than marry such
a man as you
According 10 Walter r Griffin. man
ageT OF the True RefOrmers' Hall. Mary
Pitts came 10 Washington about Febru-
airy f. She engaged the hall for four
perIorTn3nceS-F ebruary 26. y, % and
March land the proceeds We're to have
been divided on a percentage basis.
Mary wanted TO put tickets on sale in
various places about town. but Walter,
foreseeing a lot of tickets and no money.
declined. saying that he would sell all
the tickets from the box office In this
way, no ticket sale was made
kidnapping Charge.
Griffin says that the woman was TO
have had a company Of sixteen. In view
OF the fact that she was starting from
New York with only four. it would ap-
pear that some OF her players were 10
be recruited in Washington. Griffin
says he knows nothing Of the woman's
company or plans. She was here from
February to 10. contracted for his hall.
and promised TO have her company here
for rehearsal today. Beyond that he
knows nothing. he asserts. of the mixed
dramatic company.
The New York police communicated
with Major Sylvester, and Captain
Bcardman had Griffin turn over tele-
grams that he received from the Pitts
woman The latter was arraigned today
on charge Of kidnapping.