The New York herald., 1921-06-07
EVEN DRAPED ART
BARRED IN VILLAGE
Descending Night with Tulle
ROmpers, Ordered Removed
by Magistrate McAdOo.
THEATRE IN A FERMENT
Washington Square Purifiers
Score One Victory Over the
Gay BOhemians.

All the modesty that could be crowded
into a tulle skirt and waist was draped
over painting of Adoph Weinman's
famous figure Descending Night" yes
terday when the management of the
Greenwich Village Theatre heard that
Chief City Magistrate McAdoo was on
his way to view big sign on which the
reproduction in colors was being used to
advertise Audrey Munson In the photo
drama Needless Moths" Last night
the sign was resting in the theatre cell
lar and Louis Epstein. attorney for the
management, was preparing to ask the
courts for writ of habeas corpus or
certiorari or something in an effort to
find out how Magistrate McAdoo came
to order it off the theatres most promi-
nent wall
Allan Rock. manager of the Greenwich
Village Theatre, gave out a statement
that purported to explain ali.
He said that soon after the picture
was brought to the theatre, it occurred
TO him and others connected with the
management that as they were working
In Greenwich Village it might be well
to involve real art in their advertising.
A great sheet of canvas was stretched
over frame Of wood and on it they
had real artist letter what they wanted
to say about the show. There was some
SPoSc iCil ONeT anu SOME one tHOubhl
out the scheme to reproduce in it the
Weinman statue in oils. The work was
carefully DONE so carefully, in fact said
Mr.. Rock, that Descending Night" by
retaining her wings and drapes just as
the artist left them, might have walked
out on the beach at Ocean Grove.
1t was a great surprise to Mr.. Rock
Saturday afternoon when fifty delegates
of the Washington Square Association
headed by a police lieutenant in civilian
clothing, called at the theatre and pro-
tested against the sign. They referred
to the winged and beauteous Descending
Night" as an indecent hussey. said Mr.
Rock. And while the argument was
going on between him and the lieutenant
one of them heaved a two pound rock
through the lady's veil.
Then there was concerted rush on the
part of the delegation and Mr.. Rock
and his assistants had bad half hour
keeping the sign from being ripped to
pieces.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr.. Rock said.
word reached the theatre that the dele
gates were at the Office of the Chief City
Magistrate, and that what slurs they
weren't casting at real art as repre-
sented by the sign haven't been invented
He and his helpers, not being sure of
what was coming next, went to work on
the sign.
They had one Of the most artistic
ticket takers in the business drape the
painting Of Descending Night" in about
sixteen yards of expensive tulle The
drapes reached to a point regarded as
sufficiently far north and thence down
to a line even with the knee caps. Much
of the grace and the art of the painting
were lost, of course, but Mr.. Rock al
lowed that II was better to do without
the art than have the whole thing
ruined by the reformers.
Magistrate McAdoo arrived to view
the sign personally. He had two cops
with him. After a glance at the sign
he turned and told the cops to hand Mr.
Rock a summons unless the masterpiece.
tulle rompers and all, was removed by
5 40 That gave Mr.. Rock forty-flve
minutes to get help, and he won by
minutes 3ia seconds.