New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-22
THE CONSPIRACY
Crime Play by New Author Ex-
cites First NighterS.
LATEST CRIMES ON VIEW
Good Characterization by John
Emerson as a New Kind
of Detective

Sometimes 10 IS hard TO believe that
there are four and half million live and
often cheerful people still left IN New
York Statistics say there are that mum
ber but statistics do not explain how
they have the nerve 10 stay here. With
the police all giving up work 10 Join the
pleasure classes. with carmine lips smiling
~ every window. crime sitting az table
in the select hotels and murder tapping
up blood from every doorstep. IL seems a
courageous thing to stay on here 10 work
for. say. so a week. Talk OF the vine
growers living on the slopes Of Ncsuvius!
The ultimate thing took place last night
when the white slavers took possession
OF the Garrick or course We caught
them by u o'clock. but not with the help
~ the police They were off somewhere
IN The Bronx. on the wrong beat az
usual 40. 10 was the popular novelist.
Winthrop Clavering. who. aided by the
strong arm OF conference.-the length OF
which would have compared favorably
with that OF the Mississippi River
tracked the murderess 10 his own apart
mcni and handed over the three leaders
Of the Scarlet Band 10 the gentle au-
spices Of the law.
II was an ending calculated 10 leave us
uneasy-uot. therefore a happy ending
In the iolliest sense OF the WORD. The
criminals were handed over TO the police.
What was the use?
THE Conspiracy is both vaguely and
definitely full OF all the quaint little daily
horrors that have for so long a time now
been entertaining New Workers. Its main
purpose. however. is the mention OF the
white slave" subject. But the play need
not be discussed In whispers. 1t is quite
safe. after all. The topic is mentioned
because the heroine was once for three
weeks the innocent victim of II. But be-
yond the knowledge OF this and the fact
that ever since both she and her brother
the Assistant District Attorney. have been
fighting the industry, there is no attempt
10 take us beyond our depth into New
York life"
The excitement OF the play is worked
up with some cleverness, and there IL a
situation that is quite telling. Winthrop
Clavering, the popular writer. by coin
cldence, has as his stenographer the one
time white slave" She has recently
murdered the leader OF the scarlet band,
HdNlHb ''IiSh'f''N NV ''' - $780,
her brother.
No one knows who did the murder eX-
cept this amateur criminal expert Claver-
ing. and he knows by common sense and
intuition He is writing his theory OF
the murder as a serial for an evening
newspaper. and the whole town is reading
it. Clavering dictates his daily install
ments to his stenographer. who becomes !
more and more terrorstrcken as the In |
tultive wizard proceeds. Day by day he !
traces the whole course OF the murder
in the minutest detail.
A reward is offered for the finding U. |
the criminal and the crafty Clavering is !
not the one 10 scorn earning such a re-
ward.
Finally the scene comes in which with !
suspicious as to the identity OF the girl |
aroused. he dictates phrases and descrip- |
tons on purpose to break her down. She |
becomes slowly numb with terror. and at
last goes under completely.
The girl does not come TO gloomy end. |
She Is saved, as she desperately suggests |
herself. that his glory may be greater !
She will give him facts oy help Of which /
he may trap the whole terrible band |
which the newspapers and the reformers |
are trying so hard TO find.
This gorgeous trapping scene takes |
place on the stage. but not wholly before !
the eyes. The lights go out when the |
three leaders are brought into Clavering |
study, and lurid imagination is allowed |
to do its worst. There are shouts and |
curses and the flash of pocket lights.
When the glims go on again Clsvering
is grnninS from the top of the bookcase
and burly detectives from the Central
Office have captured all the crooks. The
Assistant District Attorney. who has been
imprisoned by the gang, drops In with
another criminal under his arm. the (
heroine (murderess and quondam white
slave'O accepts a newspaper reporter who
has helped her with promises all the way