New-York tribune., 1922-07-12
Jail Threatens
Sunday Golfers
Ex-Mayor, Counsel for Ball
players Accused of Sab
bath Dissertation, Invokes
Blue Law Against Links
Would Close Entire City
Prosecutors Part i'm Resort
Concert Called OFF After
Is Arrests ON Diamond
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


CONCORD, N. H., July 11.-Oficers
Of the exclusive Beaver Meadow Golf
Club to-day were notified that any
members playing next Sunday will be
arrested and prosecuted in police court
for violation Of the Lords Day observ-
ance laws by County Solicitor Herbert
w. Rainie. The action was taken at
the insistence of ex-State Senator
Nathaniel E. Martin, counsel for fif-
teen Sunday baseball players, who were
arraigned in police court last Monday.
Martin also has intimated he will de-
mand that all stores be closed on Sun
DAYS and that no newspaper or tobacco
be bought or sold. If he desires to go
the limit he can have all pleasure mo-
torine prohibited, for the old blue laws
are as drastic to-day as when enacted
by the Pilgrim Fathers. Martin was
Mayor of Concord twenty-one years
ago, and when objection was made to
violation of one phase Of the blue
laws he clamped the lid on tight and
had Concord dead town" for three
Sundays Then public opinion pre-
vailed, and there was loosening up
with full return to the easy going
observance which has prevailed since
until ministers protested to Mr.. Rainie
week ago Monday that Sunday base
ball was disturbing element in the
community.
Rainie is professional musician as
we'll as a lawyer and County Solicitor
and is choir leader in local church.
He also is leader of Rainie's Band,
which has been giving concerts Sunday
90 OF Gnnfooonnk Piuor paYf
resort owned and operated by the
Concord Electric Railways. He was ad-
vcrtised to lead his band and play a
cornet solo last Sunday, but when he
served notice on the ball players that
they would be arrested if they played
again on the Sabbath much talk fol-
lowed. He did not take part in the
concert program
Last Sunday the ball players had
scouts at the Beaver Meadow Club and
they took the names of fifty Concord
residents, most Of them professional
and business men, with few women
included. These names were turned
over to Mr. Raine, with request that
he treat them as he did the fifteen
baseball players. Rainie did not do
Frank j. Sulloway, president, and
George A. Foster, secretary, Of the
Beaver Meadow Club, that Sunday golf
is thing of the past for the. present
in Concord.
Rainie also has had complaints that
there is Sunday baseball regularly in
Suncook, seven miles from Concord
and the word has come from Franklin,
eighteen miles away, that there is to
be game there next Sunday. Both Of
these towns are in Rainie's jurisdic-
ticn. He has not indicated whether he
will take steps to stop the games.
| Ordinarily crowd of 500 was con-
sidered good attendance at bail game,
but last Sunday after Rainie had
threatened to arrest the players, more
than 1900 turned out and contributed
literally in the hat that was passed
around to get money to pay the fines,
The crowd and the players defied the
police when they tried to stop the game
and it went to ten inning tie. Pleas
of nolle contendere wore entered by
the players in police court. The cases
were continued for sentence until next
i Monday.
Mir. Sulloway treated the letter of
the solicitor as something of joke
and said he had no statement to make
He doubted if he would post the let
ter on the bulletin board at the club
which is hardly necessary, as the local
papers are carrying the story in
"scare" heads. No rule will be posted
the members being left to their in
dividual inclination in the matter OF
Sunday exercise on tho linkss