Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Critics Of a, certain type of motion
picture have protested that lurlo
Stage and ars Sromotiv O. Of e criminal
conduct on the part of
CI1We' young people. This charge
against the stage is by no means new.
n was brought in earlier days, wnen
thrilling scenes were enacted on the
boards. In The Star of July 70, 1870
is the following:
ssVhen AuRustin Days Under the
CasIight,' with its startling railroad
scene was brought out, and the lat
ter was subsequently cribbed by iml-
tatiye pIaywrights, including Boucl-
oat,lt. the particular scene alluded to
was regarded as an exaggeration' as
illustrating something without
parallel in real life. And yet, since
the production Of the play, several
parallel cases have occurred. one
took place in a Western State a few
wears ago. where a man who was
hound and tied to a railroad track had
an arm crushed, he having partially
worked himself of the track before
the train passed. Yesterday the tele-
Rraph brought the fact that man
who had previously been bound ana
niaced on the Central Pacific track,
near Truckee, was run over ana
crushed TO death by passing train.
The last recorded attempt at this
manner Of diabolism took place IN
New Jersey, where an italian named
Pizzano was drugged and robbed ana
subsequently tied to a railroad track.
Fortunately his perilous position was
discovered by persons living near, who
rescued him just before an express
train came laundering by. The query
that occurs Is, Had the introduction
OF the railroad scene on the stage
ANYTHING to do with suggesting to our
criminal classes an effectual way OF
disposfng OF their victims? Several
years ago two youths were arraigned
in New York for playing the role OF
highwayman. When arraigned they
stated that on the night on which
they had made q traveller stand ana
deliver they had been to one CT the
East Side theaters and witnessed the
play OF Dick Turpin,' Claude Duvalf
or something similar: that they ad-
nired the courage and dash OF the
hero and that on leaving the theater
they agreed to go on the outskirts OF
the city and demand the money or
the life of the first passerby, not be-
cause they were actually in need OF
money, but because of the romance of
the act. The judge. who seems to
have been of a very unromantic turn,
very properly gave them term in
the penitentiary. Here is at least one
instance where q pernicious play ex-
ercised a pernicious influence and in
duced two young men to take their
first step in crime"
-
Rutherford B. Hayes, the presiden.
tial nominee Of the Republican party
r.nS;5.4.,. 50 years ago. was being
CanuldateS criticized by the oppo-
cnstuma sitioh press for his style
of attire. The Star OF
July rs. 1873. says:
"Watterson of the Courier-J Journal
charges upon Gov. Hayes that he
wears q shining cravat. spotless kid
gloves, a neat-fltting coat. patent
leather boots and hat Of the latest
fashion This is very sad. We don't
very well see how man who wears
clean gloves and q coat that fits can
expect to be elected President OF the
United States. Mr.. Hayes viii do
we'll to DOH these store clothes at once
and don q suit Of well worn blue
jeans. Care should be taken TO Sc
cure q nlisfit. and q. conspicuous patch
or two win Be all the better. Then
let him change his patent feathers for
cowhide boots well creased with tai
low. Sleeping his hands In alum wa
ter for few hours will bronze and
harden them to the proper horny con-
dision. Then by sitting little hay
seed into his hair and robbing some
scarecr0w Of q 10.year-old hat he will
be all right, according to the Waiter.
sonian idea, for presentation before
gent suhragee. 2