The evening world., 1912-08-28
TICKET "D|GGERS"
DIG IN BROADWAY
| |NNEW WAY NOW
n Lobbies of Theatres They
"Relieve Congestion"
Managers Explain.
BUT IT'S THE OLD GAME.
Police Are Friendly With Spec
ulators and Owners Don't
Seem to Mind.
BUT IT'S THE OLD GAME.

There 10 Q new school OF ticket specu-
ooAors on tho Great white Way. but
~ same game Of extortion 10 going on
5uet - msrriiy a. IN the good old days
Wben the "digeer''-as Broadway calls
~ ticket "broker"-was not threatened,
aeadsmicaily speaking. by . ten-dollar
nns
East and west. north and south. aionr
Broadway and In the ofY-shoo,ing SD"
streets where the electric signs glitter.
AsS 10 b found every night quiet but
ousy and prosperous dealers In down
efsnr' seats. The trading II a little more
tlrcumspsct than OF yore and conducted
r less obvious manner. but the pros
noct al the box ONCE In Just as bleak
- Il used to be when ''specuiating" was
Sot only frowned upon. but unlicensed.
Policemen were gathered In knots In
kont OF each OF the big theatres last
S1sht, for there had been complaints
Monday night from many victims. Ger
Onln managers, too. had let II be known
hey we're Wiling to aid the city In driv-
n the brokers out OF business, ana
"a sent word to the police that the
}stvhiIs "diggers" were back at work
0ut the policemen seemed TO have more
6ou0le in picking out the SPECTATORS
SAan aN an Evening World reporter.
ualtsA with . shave . shine and q petu-
nat cir Of one with much ready. rest
~ money.
YHG ORDINANCE READS FINE
READ It'll
The reporter carried In his pocket
. Q taiisman . COPY OF the ordinance
passsd BY the Board OF Aldermen Feb.
= last and approved by the Mayor two
Says later. II vas written In the hnesi
oyis Of the Corporation Counsel and
GDoionsA. IN the following terms. to ,u'
= end 70 Sidewalk ticket speculation
''be Il ordained BY the Board OF
,Aldssmsn ef the City Of New York
= follows:
'Bsctseu mo person shall con-
AusG on or IN any street In the City
- New York the business q selling
q Offering for sale any ticket Of ad-
mission or any other evidence Of any
noonse. eeotsact or right OF entry
- any oorformancs or exhibition In
or about the premises Of any duly
Noonssd theatre. concert hall. place
- public amusement. circus, COM
Den show. or Any place OF public
Measurement tor which . license 10
shot required By law. Nor shall any
boeSon solicit by words. signs. cir
Unlars or other means any person TO
.Duruhass any such ticket upon any
nch street. Any person guilty Of .
Violation Of this ordinance. or any
DArt thereof. shall. upon conviction.
bssors . City Magistrate. be pun
lshsd by Q hns not exceeding ten
dollars. and In default Of payment
OF any hns 90 imposed. shall DO
committed 10 the City Prison for a
,esrm not exceeding ten days. each
bay OF such imprisonment to be
Naksn ~ Q liquidation OF each dol
lar Of such hne.
'Ssctloa S-rhis ordinance shall
taks s8sse thirty days after it, ap-
Deeval By the Mayer"
OUT " SlMPLv MGANS 90 OR
TEN DAYS.
Or. - mAks Il sh0rlsr;
Ten dollars ~ Ten days for the dig
~ caught 'dlgginS."
Eve msa stood In front Of the Broad
Wv Theatre Although they neither
4panted strips OF neatly folded bills.
s11sd lsoks Of ueksls, nor crssd their
IhetsboArd wares. Il was evident they
0&D0So AuOy stokpou u aS@eh
Drties within hvs minutes, and In sew
~ casss their negotiatlons we're sue
Qesfui. When they found q customer
tDpy leah TO q nearby bar and there
dnplst6 The transaction. which con-
IoDssd Of the exchange Of an oblona
1pcs Of green paper for . smaller bit OF
drdhoard.
william Wood. manager of the the.
atrs. was asked II he coun,enancet
'Spsculstion' In his tickets.
II have asked the policemen on out,
ogtstls to drive the men away" he said
'Rhey have been here for weeks and
so they keep returning. ! guess thsl
conduct their business 30 quietly tina
10 " Impossible to gel positive evidence
against thsm.''
but saw a policeman talking to tn,
spectators and they seemed to be oil
friendly terms"
Il don't know anything about that,
~ Wood. Perhaps he was tellini
them TO move on.
Theatrs managers have no use 70
Spectators. II isn't so long ag
that they had to take drastic steps {
rA themselves OF the parasites. A ban
of strong arm men were rounded u
on the east side and put TO work aroun
the theatres. When a sperulstor be
san 10 DO business he was quickly give
70 understand II was not safe
soPEcULAroRe, WHY NO IN
DEED" SAYS HAMMERsTEiN.
Operations Of the Spectators at Ham
u1ofstein's seemed more fragrant tina
ct the Legitimate theatres. Two "dls
esrs' were ousy In the lobby and co
iscted many Fat "premluns' The n
porter asked Arthur Hammerstei
about II.
sepe culators'" he echoed. 'wh,
those men aren't spectators. They al
on the payroll Of the theatre. They al
Just posted In the lobby 10 relieve cor
session AT the box-office. OF cours
those who take advantage OF the a,
commodstion generally give them tip
but that isn't at all necessary oh. We
sometimes on good nights they migl
make great deal In tips. But then
know perfectly well that the boys In OF
odotroom average SO a week. It's ju
- accommodation to the public-that
en-"
- he Columbia Theatre there We