New-York tribune., 1919-10-21
Inspector Tells Auditors
There Will Be No Per-
formance; New Orders
Come at Last Minute
Then Legion Men
Cry Lets Co..
Mounted Squad Keeps
Crowd at Bay, but
Several Suffer Hurts

Tbs New Star Opera Company started
l.s season of German opera last night
a. the Lexington Opera House with
selections from "Die Meistersinger" and
sDss Nachtlsger in Granada" just as 1t
advertised it would. but with many novel
features no- herslded in advance. The
production vent on while hundreds Of
policemen, who had established lines
on all sides q block away from the
cptra house, repelled charging masses
of soldiers, sailors. marines and civil
ians, some Of whom attacked behind
The American flag. Before the per-
formsnce WAS over there were more
serious disorders, in which several per-
sons were injured
Lexington Avenue in the vicinity Of
the opera house was thronged before
the doors were opened. There were
people who had tickets, people who
wanted to get tickets, people who
wanted nobody to see the opera and
people who were sure that there would
be no opera.
Among the last we're inspector
Thonas Underhill, Captain William
Dpgr 81 and the 200 policemen under
Asir< mman6. The policemen cir
seniaild among the crowd, shooing
away soldiers and sailors who upset
sigma Of the opera company or other
wise called attention to themselves,
and warned every one who entered the
opera house that there would he no
performance, By order of the Mayor.
No Opera, No Trouble
The doors were opened, however, at
7:45 and the crowd began to flow in,
somewhat dubious as a result of the
warning of the police, but resolved
to enter anyhow. At 7:40 Inspector
underhill, pleasantly conscious that
there could be no opera because the
Mayor, to whom the American Legion
bad protested, had said there couldn't,
anticipated 10 trouble. How could
there be trouble, he asked, when there
wasn't going to be any opera?
But shortly after that the Mayor
ehinged his mind because he couldn't
Counsel, upon whom he had counted
70 confirm his decision to prevent the
production OF the opera, Grover A.
sMhalen, Commissioner Of Plant and
etructures, later gave out an ex2lana-
tefy statement which he obtained at
tae opera house by telephone from the
hsyoN 1t was;
After concluding that the opera
should be deferred until ratiAcatio On
er Tie treaty Of peace, I endeavored
reach the Corporation Counsel to
surse with him as to my legal rights
% nave the police arbitrarily refuse
- allow people to enter the Lexington
opera House. 1t was impossible to
fk. L
therefore advised the police not to
interfere until could obtain the ad-
wee OF the Corporation Counsel to the
sao tnat may proceed legally"
Injunction Next Step
After giving out the statement Mr..
lw.halen expressed the opinion that
the next step would be to apply for an
Injunction to prevent further produc-
aon OF German opera for tho present
~ $40 Inspector Underhill's de-
nssner had caangcd. He had just
Deen notified through Police Commits
n non Enright, he said, Of q decision
way the opera was to be permitted to
e on and an injunction would be OBJ
nnined today 10 stop it. Inspector
o1eerhiii began TO issue swift orders.
sohcemen who had been acting az
:oiunteer information bureaus, purvey-
.lny ly III news TO German opera seekers,
Nh INTO line and marched north, south,
m nsH and west. Police lines we're estab-
mneo at Lexington Avenue and FIT.
Sn zen street. at Lexington Avenue and
rut.y-hrst Street, at Third Avenue and
.li.issn Street and at Third Avenue
snd fifty-frst Street.
Dead Line Established
,.;lyd ;osyond those points no pedestrian
sMayhs pass unless ne could show q
.xssf entitling him TO seat at the
Toouction of the New Star Opera
oompany.
=. Soldiers, sailors and marines, some
~ sa,.em ,eem wounded-at least three Of the
ssa'ers on crutches and one Of those
S. ssse with his left leg ywathcd in ban
sids we're crowded back to the far
'iae Of the police lines.
ABOUT 200 Of them. their nurnbcrs
a.smshed by considerable number of
we we IN civilian clothes, gathered in a
inpaci mass at Forty Street and
.~Angton Avenue. A standard bearer
irving the American flag pushed his
'sg TO the front rank.
=. Less yo." shouted some one. and
hss, ri crowd took 1t up in a deep -throated
Aoaring incoherent threats. the mob
sfra forward and advanced north on
n,mngfon Avenue on the run. Captain
ssEah .. oappened 10 be with the police
81 onty a. Fiftieth Street and Lexine-
Z nnvsnge and SAY the mob coming
- nslsd the street from curb TO curb
'n' was coming at top speed.
Charged by Mounted Police
q, o.ptain Duxgan put his police whis
81. :" ols lips and blew single shrll
~ ihere was clatter Of hoofs
Ss,rslmen st Fiftieth Street drew
zoe Ike blue curtain To reveal
s-snly -nve mounted police charging
G7nstn"ed ON po0s three