Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1914-12-14
CLOSE CABARETS IN
SOUTH AMbOY AFTER
D|SORDERLY SCENES
Chief Of Police M'Donne|I, Un-
der Orders from Mayor Dey,
Closes Up Cabaret Shows
After Alleged OutTageS.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.


South Amboy, Dec. 14:-Following
several big fights and other disorderly
occurrences which have occurred in this
city recently, Chief of Police James
Mcdonnell, acting under orders from
Mayor William S. Dey, ordered all cab
aret shows discontinued in this city, no
tifcation being served on the proprietors
Saturday morning.
In accordance with the orders re-
ceived, no entertainments took place
Saturday night at the Rippowan Hotel,
In Augusta street, or at the Amboy
house, in David street, the only local
cafes that have had the cabaret annex
Following the cleansing of Perth Am
boy from the cabaret evil, the South
Amboy entertainments became popular
adjuncts of the saloons and were potron-
ized largely by the youths of Perth Am
boy. The Amboy House, it is known,
has been the scene of many brawls, in
Guiding shooting affair which imph-
Gated the proprietor, H.. II. Bennett.
Only two weeks ago fight took place
between Bennett and two Perth Am
boyans, bottles and clubs which figured
in the battle nearly resulting in ia
tality AS result of this affair, Frank
"Bullo Mccormick and Walter Zehrer
are now under bonds to the amount of
5000 to await the action of the grand
jury.
Female entertainers were employed at
both cabarets and it is said that the en-
tertainments presented there were
threatening to demoralize the youth of
the city and be productive of crime.
In June a young woman from the city
reported at the city hall that she had
been imposed upon by Manager Bennett
of the Amboy House, stating that she
had been hired by him, through an
agency in New York, to appear at what
she believd was to be an entertainment.
Whenshe arrived here she was surprised
to find that she was engaged to sing at
a cabaret show and was doubly surprised
when Bennett insisted that she remain
at the hotel all night. She refused to
aeced to his terms and threatened to
prefer charges against Bennett, although
they were never pressed.
In view of the chain of circumstances
which has led to the Characterization OF
the cabarets as crime producers, Chlef
O'Donnell was instructed to close them
Saturday. The proprietors will not be
allowed to open the cabaret adJunets
now unless they pay license OF from
five to twelve dollars a night, to which
terms the owners have refused to ac-
ceed.
The Rippowan House, which was run
Jointly by James Reynols and Amos
Stratton, has been opened as cabaret
for the past three months. Reynolds,
it is claimed by Stratton, became aware
of the intention of the local authorities
to close the place and fearing prosceu'
tion made his "get away" Friday.
Whenhe left, Stratton claims, Reynolds
took with him $500 belonging to his
partner.
Stratton, who maintains that he
conducted his place in an orderly
manner, stated this morning that he
will be unable to pay the required
fee to run the cabaret and will con-
vert his establishment into board
ing house. He states that he was
under an expense of at least fifty
dollars a week in employing the en-
tertainers and that the license prac-
tically means the prohibition of the
cabaret features in local saloons.