New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08
BACCHUS SNUFFS
LIGHT AT TANGO
Engineer, While on Spree.
Causes Darkness in
Broadway Cafe.
MANY STALLED
IN ELEVATORS
Twice Gloom Descends on the
DancerS-Mechanic Must Go
to WOrkhouse.

The scene was not an unusual one to
be found in one of New Yorks cafe-res-
taurants where the tango in its many
variations is danced until dawn. There
were the gayly attired women, the flashes
of their gowns, jewels and eyes vieing
with one another whirlng about in the
arms of their sombre clad partners. And
there also were the diners seated about
tables. Such was the scene last Saturday
night in the Cafe de Paris. 42d street and
Broadway. when-lights were turned out.
OF course there was confusion. Then
there was noise, the women screaming,
the men shouting out orders for the lights
to be Immediately reighted. In about five
minutes the voice Of the head waiter
was heard assuring all that the lights
would he turned on and that they should
stand there quietly until such an event.
Then Thomas J. Braizer, one Of the
many private detectives in the cafe,
started for an elevator that would take
him TO the basement, where the electric
generators were. But the elevators, many
OF them filed with patrons arriving and
departing were stuck. And all the shafts
and cars within them were I'm darkness.
And Of course. there was confusion there.
too. The women screamed and the men
shouted orders. But II was all in vain.
Braizier Immediately walked to the
basement. where he found Peter McDou-
gal. Of No 925 72d street Brooklyn, the
chief engineer. lying on the floor. Quickly
the detective turned on the lights and
upstairs darkness was swept away and
the dancers danced and the diners dned-
all bathed in brilliant light. The elevators
scared swiftly up and sank swiftly down,
TO the accompaniment OF the cheers OF
their inhabitants.
And now TO return 10 McDougal in the
basement. According TO the detective the
engineer was intoxicated. McDougal. VINO
had recently been scoded for some mat
tention. was scolded again.
After lapse Of few minutes the din
ing parlors and the dancing salons were
Just humminc with activity. And the
whole scene, In other words. was just eX
actly the same as II was In the first para
graph, even 10 that last line where-the
lights were turned out
ing and eating in brll!ancy and then out
went those lights again. More excite
ment, more screams and more shouts.
More Of the same thing in pitch darkness
in stalled elevator cars. Only this time
the detective just naturally ran down the
stairs to the basement where he found
the engineer lying there. on went the
lights. and stayed on until the good old
sun crept in the windows and did their
work for them.
Yesterday afternoon In the Yorkville
police court the engineer stood before the
bar Of Justice. behind which sat Magis-
trate Barlow. The detective said:
THE life and the safety of those
patrons were endangered by the actions
Of this man
Il ordered McDougal." he continued. TO
leave the engine room and the building.
and ne refused He was aware at the
time that another man had been instruct
ed to take his place" Then the detective
recalled that the engineer had appeared
on one Of the upper floors OF the cafe
about II O'Clock and said:
II want 10 know who's 10 blame for me
getting in bad I'll fix this darn place
I'll put II on the blink"
The engineer, whose throat must have
been parched, said:
81 didn't intend TO do IT, In my excite
ment pulled the wrong levers"
Such an action as yours was dan
gerous thing. | am going 10 send YOU 20
the workhouse for ten days was the
magistrates comment.
He kept his promise