The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-20
MANAGER OF BIJOU is
PLACED UNDER ARREST
tcoptinued From First PageD

t,oNttuucu FROM NSt ltSe.1
waited for something commendable the
worse the performance became.
lust what WAS there objectionable
to II? Why IL there was anything to
The performance which could recon-
mend IL to "a Richmond audience ! was
unable TO find it, The costuming could
be described as less than scanty, the
speeches were coarse, and at frequent
intervals there was the broadcast sug
Ststivencss. The two feature acts were
the most Objectionable portions Of the
performance"
Captain Sowell was equally emphatic
In declaring the show to be vulgar and
coarse. Had Major Werner been abb
sent ] should have considered II my
duty to take the steps which he has
taken" the captain said. There has
never. to my knowledge. been produced
in this city a show which was quite so
Objectionable in every way. We Will
not take any further stens against the
manager /: the performance is pruned
or its Objectionable features, as 1t un-
doubtedly Will be to-day"
WAS NOT CENSORED
BEFORE REACHING RICHMOND
Manager Briggs. who. with Charles
Rex. dlstric. manager for Jake Wells
in Richmond. was interviewed with re-
gard to the steps taken last night by
the police, said that the show had not
been censored before II reached Rich
mond and played In his theatre II did
not know before the performance be-
gan how Objectionable II was," the
manager said, land throughout the
performance was making notes as to
certain of the features which intend
ed having eliminated before another
performance was given. am extreme
~ sorry that we had no intimation as
TO the character OF the piece before il
was produced here. and believe 1t may
be necessary to have Il representative
go TO Baltimore each week and see the
plays there before they are brought to
Richmond"
The Bijou Theatre. which has been
extensively advertised as n family"
theatre, was this season made spoke
In the Progressive Burlesque Circuit.
Later, this circuit was combined with
the Columbia Circuit. the larger East
ern burlesquc wheel. and Of recent
weeks only shows playing this wheel
have been produced In the Bijou. How
ever. they have been cut before open
ing their engagements in Richmond and
have been advertised rs musical come
dies"
HAVE GRADUALLY
BECOME MORE DARING
Tic police say that they have real
lied that gradually the performances
have been becoming more daring In
their appeal
The Times Dispatch has also noticed
This inclination, and was the only paper
in town to comment upon 1t. In the
review OF the opening performance OF
last weeks show at the Bitou the re-
viewer for this paper said: Maybe 1t
will be trimmed a trifle for the rest of
the weeks performance, but without n
severe coat of censorship 1t Is not the
show one would have ones women
folk see"
Local theatrical circles were stirred
last night by the arrest of Manager
Briggs as they have not been stirred
since Mrs. Evelyn Thaw was arrested
for giving her performance at the
Academy OF Music against the order is
sued by Chief OF Police Werner The
news of the arrest spread rapidly to the
other theatres, and most of the man
ayers and Il number of theatrical peo-
pie OF the city either visited Police
Headquarters or called over the telc-
phone with regard to tho matter There
were also q number of calls made to
the headquarters by citizens who had
heard of the performance, and who
acted on their own initiative In in
forming tho police with regard to it.
The arrest had already been made.
though. when most OF these informants
appeared.