Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-04-29
Try To Bring CannOns Name Into D0nneN Land Case
;TRICkER FOR PROBE OF IMMORAL Dance
Police Say They Did Not Know
immoral Dance Staged BY Fire
Company; Investigation Starts
Sweeping Probe Promised by
Chief Tonnesen Following
Mgr. CantWeII's Attack

Many members of the local po-
lice department heard of the fire
company smoker held in a hall with
in stones throw of st. Mary's
church. Centre and Mechanic streets
on Tuesday night, April Is, several
days after the affair was held, but
they did not know that nude women
performed at the affair."" Chief
Niels J. Tonnesen made known this
morning.
The police department head first
heard of Monsignor William P.
Cantwell's sermon delivered at mass
es in st. Mary's Roman Catholic
church on Sunday morning, when he
arrived at the police station early
yesterday morning. He heard one
member of the department discuss
ing the sermon with city official,
the conversation revealing that the
pastor knew of a smoker with nude
women performers being held here
two days after the mems mission at
ST. Mary's church had ended and
five days before Easter. Mention
was also made of the pastors report
that series of similar affairs were
being put on by the fire fighters.
After hearing the conversation the
chief made known that he would
conduct a sweeping investigation and
If 1t is possible to obtain the COM
plete facts, no one will be spared
from connection with this 'idemoral-
izing class of entertainment"
With Captain of Detectives Law
renee A Long assisting him on one
end of the investigation. Chief Ton
nesen started his work yesterday.
He questioned his sergeants and
learned that they did not hear of a
smoker until few days after the 18th
and that they did not know about
the nude women charge until Sun
day.
Outgoing squads of patrolmen were
addressed by the police head and
each officer was questioned individ-
ually as to what he knew about the
matter. Although a number had
heard of the fire company smoker
after the affair had been staged, no
one apparently heard of the nude
women report until this week.
Every member of the departm ent
has been advised to watch out in the
future and every smoker held in this
city from now on will be investi-
gated. "If persons interested in this
low down class of entertainment are
desirous of taking a chance of being
arrested, let them continue their al
fairs and they will suffer the con-
sequences" the chief has made
known. No warning will be given
and there will be no secod chance
from now on.
The chief has pointed out that 1t
is not necessary to obtain a permit
for a smoker, but he hinted that
anyone desirous of running an affair
of this kind surely would not report
same to police headquarters. There
is a possibility that an order may be
passed making it necessary to make
a report of all public affairs at the
station house.
The police chief made known this
morning that he would be most
thankful if Mgr. William P. Can't
we'll would turn over to his depart
ment the information he has regard
ing the immoral dance or at least
the names of persons who could give
him something definite on the affair.
Chief Tonnesen has intimated that
he is not desirous of letting this law
violation slip by and to be satisfied
with keeping the city clear of nude
women performers" in the future
He wants this to be test case and
will do everything in his power to
make a clean cut investigation.
In North Jersey about a year age
a complaint was made about smok-
ers of this type and evidence was
obtained. Indictments by the county
grand jury followed. The publicity
is the worst part of the penalty to
be suffered by persons who reside in
a district where the indictments are
returned.
1t is not known whether the police
will be successful in obtaining evil
dence from persons who were at the
April Is affair or whether they will
content themselves with waiting for
repetition and then get the offend
ers right.
Since reports have leaked out re-
garding the nude women performers
the police head would have little
trouble getting together raidine
party for a raid on a show of this
kind.
HoId-Tp mt DuneIlen