The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-09-21
CANNOT SHOW
s.: FILMS OF BEULAH
People of Louisville Declare
Against the Woman in the
Case" and Say Pictures
Teach Bad Morals to
the Young.
LOUISVILLE. ky Special

LOUISVILLE, KY Special
Whether she's Juliet, Salvation Nell
or Tessie, the Beautiful Sewing Ma
chine Girl, Beulah Binford, one time
paramour of Henry Clay Beattie con-
victed in Virginia of numbering his
wife, won't have chance to display
her histrionic ability on Louisville
moving picture screens. Her appear
ance in any film will be followed by
Immediate suppression, according to
Police Chief Lindsey. The Mayor is
of the same mind.
So those Louisville people whose
curiosity has been aroused by the daily
budget OF questions and answers from
Chesterfield Courthouse and want to
get a better mental picture Of Beulah
are due for disappointment. Accord
ing to the police officials, the likeness
of the Binford girl in any role on a
moving picture screen would serve to
keep the questionable details of the
notorious case fresh in the minds of
the public and work far more harm
than would have the JeffrieS-J OhnsOn
fight films. A murder trial does not
make heroines, Chief Lindsey says,
and so say the members of the Wo-
mems Christian Temperance Union of
the Fifth Kentucky District, who dur
ing their annual convention in the
Beechmont Methodist Church adopted
the following resolution:
w nSTSdSs we learn with alarm
through the daily press that Beulah
Binford. the young woman now so
prominently and unfavorably before
the world in connection with q horri-
bic crime, is to appear in moving pic
ture films and to star in vaudeville
when released, according to arrange
ments made; and, believing that such
exhibitions would tend to degrade all
who attend them, since pictures are
strong agency in the education Of the
young and the audiences at such
shows are largely composed of youth:
Therefore, DE it resolved, by this
meeting, That We will do all in our
power TO prevent the appearance in
our city of this monstrous evil; that
committee be appointed who shall be
instructed to be on the lookout for
the coming of the vile exhibition and
to invoke the strong arm of the law
to prevent this exhibition of brazen
indifference TO her condition, albeit she
may be the victim of misfortune and
wicked associations; that We also call
on all women's clubs and organizations
to take similar action, and to act with
our committee If occasion demands"
The committee appointed was COM
posed of Mrs. Carrie NJ. Sewall Mrs
Jennie Pace Greger and Mrs. Helen
G. Pendery.
Effect on Children.
The erect of the moving picture film
on the minds of the boys and girls who
audiences has been conceded by au-
thorities to have become a powerful
factor in the shaping OF their thoughts
that the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union adopted the resolution pro-
testing against the appearance of a
character confessedly scarlet
Professor r. Il. Halleck, principal of
the Male High School, an authority on
psychology and author of several school
text books on the subject discussed
the matter from that standpoint.
The other day the steamship on
which l crossed the Atlantic" said
Professor Halleck, was detained at
quarantine in New York harbor while
a microscopic examination was made
OF the blood o. a passenger suspected
to be i'll of typhus fever. The quaran-
tine laws rightly guard against bodily
Infection. but If these Beulah Binford
pictures are TO be paraded before our
youth, 1t would seem as If the soul was
thought to be proof against Infection
I hope every city will establish a more
rigid quarantine against these pictures
than our government maintains against
Italian cholera.
Law of Psychology.
1T is a psychological law that the
minds and habits of our youth are
powerfully swayed by the ideals wildly
presented to them. 1t is also q law
that attention develops interest and
determines the channels of thought
II the attention of our youth is called
more V1Vidly to Beulah Binford than
to million unsullied mothers and sis
ters, she is thereby put into position
a heroine
"Anglo-Saxon youth have not in the
past been reared on such ideals
Shakespeare gave them Miranda
Perdita and Portia. Our literature and
history are filled with noble human
poems.
II think that the officials of Louis
vile have the same right to quarantine
against the BeuIah Binford pictures as
against yellow fever. / will go further
and say that 1 believe 1t is their duty
! 10 establish such a quarantine. As a
| teacher of youth, realize the vital
| necessity of protecting them against
| moral contamination"