The Washington times., 1921-12-11


It was somewhere along about the
year of 1900 when a genuine spirit
of reckless development began to
manifest itself in great many Of
the theatrical productions appearing
In Washington. About twenty
years before that, 1.-The Black Crook"
had appeared and stunned tho
National Theater-goers with q
spectacular production. including a
ballet in which twenty-five young
women appeared, dressed in short
skirts and pink tights. It was hor-
rible. Angry old ladies dragged
their delighted husbands bodily
from the theater and for the follow
ing ten years tho BLACK Crook"
Company was the topic of conversa-
ton in every bar-room and sewing
circles in Washington.
Lolita, tho San Francisco song
bird. next dazed an indignant pub
lie by appearing on q local stage
\ smoking a big black cigar. and
ENring a skirt which allowed about
thu ~ Nnches Of her limbs to b ex-
posed to the audience. There were
ono or two other daring performers.
who braved Jail sentence by ut
tempting to put some pep into their
work, but It was not until about the
year or 1900 that the real crime
wave in theatricals. hit Washing
ton. Little Egypt" started It by
attempting to pun off q shimmy
dance on tho stage of Kernan's
Theater. Richard Sylvester, our
former handsome major of police.
played q prominent part in putting
her performance on the bum.
COPS LOVED JOBS.
Rumors of the daring character
Of her act had preceded her. and
upon the opening night of her en-
gagement the house was crowded.
The stage was packed with blue
coats who had been pleading with
the major for weeks to detail them
10 lnc JOD IL was GU tHehl a
number of Congressman, who had
failed to get seats, had used their
pull with the chief and had them
selves sworn in as special cops.
At the appointed hour the curtain
went up and the dancer made her
appearance. A gasp of delighted
horror went up from the audience
when they saw her costume. 1t con-
sisted Of a pink undershirt, partially
covered with a green jacket. and a
pair Of pink tights. draped with a
network of lace. She moved to the
center of the stage and shivered her
shoulders twice. That was enough
for Dick and his bluecoats, Grasp
ing their clubs the tighter and draw
ing their trusty revolvers, they
rushed forward. The dancer was
surrounded. and in spite Of her pro-
tests, she was escorted around to the
First precinct, where a cold-blooded
captain demanded heavy bail. He
happened to be about the only cop
per who had found 1t impossible to
get off to see the show.
Next day the papers printed col
umns about 1t. All of the bluecoats,
except the congressman. had their
names on the front page and Dick
Sylvester had his picture published
I'm the same column with Little
Egypt" The dancer faced Judge
that morning who had witnessed the
performance the night before. After
making her repeat it for the benefit
of a bunch of delighted court attend
ants, he let her 60 with a small fine.
She appeared at the theater at every
performance during the week, but
she confined her offering to an imi-
tation of an italian immigrant,
much to. the disappointment Of the
policemen on the stage.
Sam T. Jack next took his life in
his own hands by shooing Fatima
on to the stage of n local theater.
She was reckless young woman
and she went through the same pro-
cess as Little Egypt" Then came
the Girl in Blue" She was
pinched also and the local judge de-
cided that he did not require a va
cation and stuck on the Job.
The folks of Washington began to
wonder what the world was coming