The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-12
MRS. THAV FREED;
NEWSPAPER Talk
NOT SUFFICIENT
FOR CONVICTION
So Holds Justice Crutch6eld in
Police Court When Notorious
Woman, Whose Dance City
Would Halt, Is Tried.
People Who Clamor to See
Such Shows, Witnesses
Declare, More to Be Blamed
Than Woman Advertised as
Most Talked of in America.

After Il tw1-hour session in the Po-
lice coHrt yesterday afternoon Judge
Crutchtteld dismissed the warrant
charging Mrs Evelyn NeShit inaH
with ua5aWiIlly, but not teloniousiy.
appearing at the Academy in d play
and pub.fc performance outraesing
public decpuCy aud 10 the detriment
oil public morals, and OF damage and
common nuisance Of all citizens OF the
Commonwealth.
the ludae--in spite Of opinions by
number Of local preachers declar-
ing that Mrs Thaw reputation in
thIs community was such as to outrage
their sense sci deceacy. and the eA-
pioitation OF her as he most talked OF
woman in America. which made mer-s
Chandise of her connection with crime
and vice-~dceided that these opinions
had been formed from newspaper Fe-
ports. ard not from personal knowt-
edge of Mrs ThaW or her history, and
that because Of this fact their opinions
were not testimony. He dismissed the
case by saying that there was no tes-
timony upon which to convict.
/ Mrs. Thaw. who was arrested by
! Chief Werner immediately after leav-
ing the stage following her first NATL
nee dance, did not appear at the POI
lice court She was represented by
Harry NJ. Smith and \. q. Collins. who
tcame from the Academy directly 70
/ the court. which was convened shortly
following the arrest,
Numerous preachers who testified
for the Commonwealth against Mrs.
Thaw were unanimous in saying that
her appearance here was everything
which the warrant CHARGED
The Rev, J. ". Shaekeford went
so far as to state that those who
go To sec her are moral inebriates,
either unframed or perverted. whose
curiosity has. perhaps, carried them
beyond the point of discretion
/ Consider Dances Wrong.
DR. MaClachian, who was given quite
| q quizzing on questions of morality by
! the lawyers. said that the appearance
7 of Mrs Thaw in Richmond outraged
his sense of decency. and that OF many
citizens.
He was asked If he attended the
theater. and admitted that he some
times went, although in the majority
of eases it was TO witness Shakes
sperean performances. He attended
the I<irmess.
Asked for. his opinion of her dane
ing he replied that he had not seen
her performance but understood that
she danced all of the modern dances.
To q question he replied that he cons
Sidered these wrong, whether danced
m the stage. public places OF in thu
home.
The Rev. Asbury Christian held that
the advertising of Mrs. Thaw as tire
most talked OF woman in America
showed that her management were
commercializing her connection with
crime and vice rather than denending
upon her ability AZ an artist. For that
reason he thought her public nui-
sance.
This seemed to be the opinion of the
majority of the preachers, and DR..
] Shackford. in replying as to when
she should be allowed to return to
/ the stage to make living If Ave
years of reputed clean living was ir,-
sufficient, declared that she should
wait unt1 public interest had shifted
from her connection with crime, to
her art He did not believe that II
had done ut the present time.
l. Critics See Nothing Wrong.
| Douglas Gordon and Taylor Robert
son. dramatic critics of local papers.
who had witnessed Mrs. Thaw's per-
/ Torrance at the matinee, declared on
/ the stand that she was an accomplished
dancer and that there was nothing
| immoral or Indecent in her perfor-3.
nance. A number of others, including
several officers, testified in 81 like vein.
several declaring that her art was
sufficient to draw large crowds.
Rev Il w. Mcdaniel, u. D.. threw q
bombshell into the prosecution. upon
/ taking the witness stand. by declaring
that he did not believe that the city
| officials could stop her unless the per-
Torrance which she was giving was
Indecent He said that he would not
permit his daughter to see Mrs. ThaW
perform. however.
The case of the Commonwealth was
based on portion of the law which
states that any exhibition or per-
: IA f.Rh ,gYfy sr a
morals or the public sense of decency 4
is a nuisance and is indctable as such
1t was held that because Of her
reputation the public morals were OUT
ragged.
The decision Of the judge. saying that
as this reputation was founded en-
tirely on newspaper reports and could
not he admitted as evidence sufficient Ne
TO insure conviction was dismissal.
The case was presented the court with
out argument by the attorneys.
There was considerable joking AnAN
passing of sallies during the progress #
of the trial by the various princtp1lAs5
DIR. Mcdaniel caused a roar of laughter #
when he replied to Judge Crutchheldsus
question as to whether Mrs. Thaw has,
as much right to appear on the gfAEA1
of the Academy as did he or Mr.. Pol
lard. that as long as the judge hAASss
named the company he thought thAe&
Mrs Thaw did have just as much right
as did they.
Upon question of morals heiM9 IS
raised during the early part OF tt
trial. Attorney Smith stated that " W1
question of personal opinion and tMAes
what might shock him wound NOT ntn00%5
the Judge. Another long lAugh
lowed while Justice JohhS WaM &
surveying the lawyer.
The police courtroom nlls4
after the information had AurAN0 =