Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-07-19
PASTOR IN WRITING
MAYOR SAYS RENO
FILMS ARE PLAGOE:
The Rev. DR.. John M. Mcdowell
Insists the Authorities Can
Stop Fight Films.
URGES NEW ORDINANCES
If LAW is POWERLESS
Meanwhile Corbitt Is Dickering
for Theatre and Says He'll
Start Exhibition Monday.

Coincident today with the positive
statement OF Frank E. Corbitt that the
Johnson-Jeffries fight pictures will be
shown In Newark not later than next
Monday comes a vigorous letter to
Mayor Jacob Haussling from the Rev.
John Mcdowell of the Park Presby-
terian Church, denouncing the pictures
and calling on the Mayor to stop them
in the interests of morality.
The Rev. DR.. Mcdowell calls the at
tention of the Mayor to the fact that
he and other city officers are empow-
cred to prohibit the exhibition OF i'm
moral, vulgar and obscene signs and
pictures on billboards, and claims the
same right should apply to pictures
shown In theatres. "If 1t does not, an
ordinance should be passed at once
enabling you to do so," declares one
part of the letter.
Negotiations for Theatre.
The positive statement made by
Frank e. Corbitt, who is promoting
the reproduction of the fight pictures
here in Newark. did not seem to have
any strings attached to 1t whatever.
Corbitt is dickering with the Columbia
and Empire theatres with view of
renting either of those houses for the
purpose of running the pictures. He
favors the Columbia. as 1t Is the larger
house The deal for one or other of the
theatres will be closed today, declared
Mr. Corbitt this morning.
Mayor Hauysling was not at his
office today to discuss the Rev. DIR.
McDowells letter. The mayors secre-
tary, Wilson Vance, said the letter had
IxrnA
attention.
Rcy. DIR. McDoweil's Letter.
The letter In full follows:
Albany, N. Y. July Is, 1910.
Mayor Haussling,
Newark, N. j.:
my Dear Mayor Haussling-Though
absent from the city on my vacation,
6n deeply interested in everything that
concerns the welfare of Newark In
my Judgment at the present time New
arks welfare is vitality related to the
question of exhibiting the Jeffries-
johnson pictures Knowing your in
terest In the city and your desire to
promote the highest interests Of New
ark, am taking the liberty OF writing
you to express the hope that you will
ind way by which you can prohibit
the exhibition of these pictures in our
city. The Jeffries-J Johnson pictures are
by their vary nature breeders OF moral
tuberculosis, and l. therefore. appeal to
you as father. as citizen and as
an official to save our city from this
plague. In nay Judgment you have the
authority, and II you haven't the au-
thority, through city ordinances. you
can secure It, Certainly the State law.
which prohibits prize-fighting. would
warrant you in taking action In this
case. realize the difficult position in
which you are placeAs Doubtless there
are many urging you t6>take no action.
but not to act is TO open ths GiltTsss.,ffip"
influence that will contaminate the best
asset Of our city, namely, the boys and
girls, and furthermore to bring disgrace
upon the name of the city. Surely if
We have authority to keep our bill
boards clean, by that same authority
we must have the power to keep these
picture places free from pictures that
are unwholesome and crime breeders.
You will see from what I have written
that l feel very deeply on the sub
ject. l want to assure you of my serv-
ice in every way possible to make New
ark an honored city, and I hope at this
time every man and woman who has
the interest of Newark at stake will
support you in any move you may make
to prevent the Johnson-Je pictures
from being exhibited in the city.
'If 1 can do anything to assist you
please command my service.
with best wishes, I am very re-
spectfully yours.
JOHN MCDOWELL"
AS for the picture films, the actual
signing Of the right to produce them in
Newark will be gone through with be-
tween Mr.. Corbitt and the vitagraph
Company in New York this afternoon
and the films will be delivered here
tomorrow ready for production.
First Production Next Monday.
* have decided, however. to hold Oh
the first production until next Mon
day" said Mr.. Corbitt this morning,
''as do not care to start showing them
30 late in the week. The pictures are
how running In but three theatres, two
IN New York and one in Brooklyn, so
that Newark will have them almost as
soon as any city in the country"
Asked about the license for the pic
lures, Mr. Corbitt said he did not an
tic1pate any trouble in securing 1t. IT
will apply for It Just as soon as II is
positively determined where the pic
lures are to be shown. AS I understand
the situation there is no protest being
made by anyone in authority against
the exhibition of the pictures in New
ark. Hence / do not think there will
be any trouble in obtaining a license"