The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-06
''The C0nfeSSion'' A Play Of High
 Dramatic Power
Thrilling Performance Grips the
 Audience at Park Theatre To be Repeated This Evening


 'The Confession" by James Hal before a fair sized audience at the Park Theater and fully justified the reputation made during it's run last year at the Bijou Theater in New York.
 The theme is unique, dealing with the inviolacy of the confessional as an institute of the Catholic Church, and requires both delicacy and strength in the treatment. MT. Reid was not lacking in either and ''The Confession" has earned the praise of some of the highest dignitaries of the Church in America.
 The action, for the most part, is in the Massachusetts fishing town of Gloucester. Father John Bartlett, a former Gloucester boy has been ap- pointed to the parish of Our Lady of Mercy in the town of his birth and ture labors by his mother and his brother Tom's fancee, Rose Creigh- ton. Tom himself is absent. Inquiry by Father Bartlett reveals the fact that Tom who has always been way ward, left the house not long before. to task for drinking. Household dut- ies call the others from the scene and Father Bartlett is left alone in his study, reading his office. He is start led by the irruption of Joseph Du- mont a French Canadian fisher of mands the privileges of the comics sional Father Bartlett hastily se- cures all the doors to guard against intrusion, extinguishes the light and after donnipg his stole, bids the con science stricken man to unburden his mind. Dumont's tale, poured out in a broken stream of poor English and Canadian patois, is a narrowing one. He has just shot and killed James Creighton, Roses brother, whom he accuses of having betrayed his, Du- mont's, sister about a year before. In a panic of fear and remorse, Dumont grovels on the floor at the feet of the priest piteously begging for mercy and forgiveness. A terrific storm raging outside, adds to the dramatic intensity of the scene: Calm and clear above the noise of the warning heard imparting words of advice and comfort to the wretched penitent be- fore him. He tells Dumont that should the time ever come when the burden of this crime is fastened upon an innocent man. he must surrender gives his promise and the priest pro- nounces the solemn words of absolu- tion. Hardly has Dumont left the house, when Tom Bartlett staggers in and tells his brother that James Creighton has been murdered and Rose Creighton and Mrs. Bartlett en- ter the room just in time to hear Tom accused of the murder of Creighton, by an officer of the law who has fol- lowed him home. Mother and sweet heart both declare their faith in Toms innocence and as he is being led away the brother almost forgets his priest ly VOW and starts to proclaim his knowledge of Toms innocence, but recalls himself ere the sentence is half uttered and leaves it uncom- pleted.
 But Father Bartlett's terrible or deal is not yet over. Five minutes after Tom is led away, Dumont re- appears and calls upon him to come and minister to his mother, who is the shore. Taking pyX and stole from a drawer in his desk, the priest draws on his coat and plunges out into the storm. bound on his errand of mercy.
 Upon his return home the next morning, he is again confronted by Dumont, who is now crazed with fear. Everywhere his gaze rests up on the face Of his dead mother who seems to command him to confess and save his soul Father Bartlett shows him a crucifix, tells him again of the mercy of the Saviour, and in a
  supplied by liquor, declares his inten- tion of giving himself up. But. the thought of the rope is too much for him. Crazed by the fear of death, he wildly renounces his promise, swears that he will go back to Canada and defies the priest to break his VOWS and reveal the secrets of the confes- sional
 Two weeks later, Tom Bartlett !s brought up for hearing in the pre- liminary court. The prosecution builds up strong case against him but the evidence is purely circum- stantial until Joseph Dumont is call ed to the stand. His testimony comes as a surprise to. both sides Under oath he testifies that he actually saw Bartlett fire the shot that killed Creighton. But the testimony of an- other witness convicts Dumont of perjury in enc of his statements, his testimony is thrown out, and he is After the summing up, counsel for Bartlett moves that his client be dismissed on the ground of evidence. The Judge de- nies the motion and holds Bartlett without bail for trial for murder in the first degree.
 The first scene of the last act shows