New-York tribune., 1922-02-07
The New PLAY
BY Percy Hammond
'sThc Law Breaker" Displays
William Courlcnay as
Noble. Elegan, and
Dishonest Crook
TIE CAST

Between various doctrines OF crimes
and criminals and various feats Of law
lessrcss by which they are illustrated
ir "Thc I.awbreaker," busy, thought
ful time is to be had these evenings
under the auspices Of William A. Brady,
at the Booth.
A bankers daughter MSS Blanche
yurka), having given the ts4io Of dis
honesty some nsdcration, decides
that the heart which beats in the breast
of cut-purse, is similar fundam entally
to that which performs in the bosom of
the upright Lack OF responsibility,
she thinks. is the clement that weak
ems character and turns its victims
from paths of rcctitude. To prove
the excellence OF her meditations in
the matter she undertakes to stand
sponsor for an elegant safe blower
William Courtenay>, who has robbed
her fathers vaults. She deposits her
pearls as surety for the handsome fel-
low, and gives him the responsibility
OF making good his pilferi,gs
1: r
Consequently. in the third act Of
The Lawbreaker" VIC have Mr.. Courte-
nay arriving late in the night at the
bankers mansion, bent upon restitu-
tion. His errand also has another pur-
pose. 1t is his eccentric plan to re-
turn the funds to the lady (justifying
her faith in him thereby, and then t.
deprive her by theft Of her necklace,
which, it seems, she still retains. He
has promised The pearls to his little
sweetheart or the underworld (Miss
Marguerite WaNwollN, though it is to
be inferred that the bankers dauchi er
Is much bus Dlood. Sir. Courtenay
appears III the drawing~room. serious
OF micn, faultlcssly dressed, and in
the best Courtenay manner proceeds TO
business. But the shrewd young
woman, removing the pearls from her
throat, places them in her corsage, ar d
bids him invade that haven if he will
AT this juncture. or soon thereafter
the little belle OF the underworld enters
through the French windows. an
nounces that the house is surrounded
by the police and that he has been be
trayed. Whereupon Mr. Courtenay
turns out the lights, upsets the furni-
ture and strives TO make & getaway
The police shoot at him in the dark
ness; but his lowly sweetheart inter
Knses her person between them and
sim and receives bullet wound in hen
arm 1t is then that the noble crook
discovers where his heart is. lie lifts
der gently in his arms and, defying the
grutf constabuarly, starts to carry he1
home
1The 1.awbreaker" is q bountiful play
and Jules Eckert Goodman has made il
to overflow with discussion and episode
There IS, in fact, so much Of both ir
It that there were those present in
the audience last night who became
confused by its multiple processes. The
work seemed to be bit untidy Mr.
Courtenay was nevsr more humorously y
suaVe when humorous suavty is de-
mandcd than he was last night haunt-
ing the police; and he was never more
earnest than when the rigors Of serious
situations asked him to be grave. Miss
Nurka was, as usual charming and in.
telligent, and Frank Sheridan had g
few interesting moments as pleasant
priest. There was also a remarks bl y,
unaffected performance Of the banker:
weak and troubled son by FREDERICK
Bickel. Miss Maxwell was vivid as the
pretty and slangy accomplice of the
bandits, and Morgan Wallace had I
good time with the role Of pic
tureSque crook.