The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-22
Chief COrbitt Orders Men
to Stop Every Form
Of Amusement.
CHARITABLE SHOWS
TO BE INCLUDED
Bowling Alleys, Moving Pic
lures, Every Place of Enjoy
ment Under the Ban.
"N0 MORE PERMITS" is
FIAT OF POLICE HEAD
Says He Has Been Pestered TO
Death with Applications
for Performances.

BY order of CHIEF of Police Corbitk
or place where one might nmuse him
self. will he closed tightly ali or next
Sunday and the succeeding Sundays.
This order, issued today to all police
captains I'm the city. includes not only
theafres and moving picture shows, but
all bowling alleys. and, in fact. every
place which ..sSA. ss..s=ss the seasf
amusement or relaxatfon for the pee-
pie, such as public halls. He said the
Sunday laws win be enforced strictly.
No benefit performanee-not even for
earthquake sufferers-may be gfven
under this order
The order practically jolts Newark
back into the Puritanical blue-law
period. Only religious and solemn
gatherings will be permitted in the
churches. game of quoits in mans
back yard. being an amusement, will be
as heinous a crime as running a saloon
with brass band and concert singers
on Sunday.
Verbal orders were issued to all police
captains and. besides this, Captain
Ryan, of the First Precinct, and Cap
tain Brown, of the Second in whose
districts are all of the theatres and
most of the public halls and moving
picture shows, were called to the CHIEFS
office today and he explained verbally
and at considerable length just what
his order meant.
Chief Was Pestered.
Chief Corbitt said that he felt called
upon to close up all anusements by the
advantage which several of the theatres
had taken of the permission which had
been given to hold benefit perform
ances for the earthquake sufferers.
Since then they had been giving Sun
day performances as benefits. and now.
he said, all the moving picture shows
and other places of amusement de-
manded the same permission.
Therefore, he said, he felt called upon
to close up everything and forbid ali
manner of amusements, even Sunday
bowling, under the law.
1t means that there is TO be no
amusement which is against the law
IN this city on Sunday" said the chief.
No matter who makes the application.
or for what purpose, whether for
earthquake sufferers or anything else.
no benefit performances or any other
kind of amusements are to be per-
mitted. ! am not allowed to do so un-
der the law.
4 want every bowling alley in the
city closed. There shall be no bowling
anywhere. under any pretenses. I do
not care who they are or what infiu-
ence they have, no one is TO be given
permission to bowl or TO have any
kind of an entertainment or amuse-
ment. This is final
Il shall not stand for any desecra-
tion of the sabbath in this city on
Sunday. because the law won't allow
me to. and I will hold the police cap
tains responsible. Every shooting gall
Iery and moving picture show must
close"
Chief Corbitt was asked particularly
If he meant bowling and he replied.
most positively;
Under the law bowling IS a desecrs-
ton of the Sabbath. and it must not be
permitted Anyone caught in q howl
ing alley on Sunday hereafter viii be
arrested and I'll make it hot
for the owners OF the places. 1t makes
no difference if they are connected with
saloons. Bowling is an amusement and
is forbidden. / want il understood that
l, am merely carrying out the law"
The new order was not generally
known throughout the city, but those
who heard of it were more than
amazed. They predicted that it would
be severe blow to the city, driving
from the city. perhaps to New York
city. those who desired to remain near
home and enjoy harmless amusements.
The German Hospital benefit, which
has been advertised for the Lyric for
Sunday, and the benefit for the Tuber-
culosis Hospital, which was to be given
at Proctor's Sunday, must be aban-
doned, according to the chiefs new and
sudden order.
From these societies, which include in
their membership many OF the most
prominent residents Of the city and
suburbs, it was expected that a power
ful protest would be made.
Manager Currie, of the Lyric Theatre.
when asked for an opinion on the or
der issued by Chief Corbftt, safds
\ hava paithaE rscefved nor heard