Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-29
CAPPER IS AMAZED
At BENEFIT SHOW
GIVEN GAMBLERS
Performance Rewards Four,
in Jail Here, for Refusal
to "Squeal."
FAMILIES TO RECEIVE
"GATE" TOTALING SIS, 900
Motley Throng Attends Midnight
Program-Services Are Do
mated by Artists.

Chairman Capper of the Senate Dis
| trict committee declared today that he
| was amazed by the reports of a per-
Torrance held at the Gayety Theater
| last night for the benefit of four men
who had been sent to jail.
| Senator Capper said he would not
| have been surprised to learn of such an
| event in some cities, but thought it was
| surprising situation in the Capital OF
| the Nation.
| A motley throng poured under the
entrance canopy at the theater to at
| tend the midnight performance.
Boosting inch-high "sparklers" and
! flashing stickpins, racketeers, bootleg
gers, prize fighters and gamblers mingled
with staid professional men, bankers
and socially prominent men and women
| and passed before the keen eyes of
headquarters detectives who loitered in
the lobby.
The gate receipts, amounting to
| $4,000, perhaps the largest sum ever
! taken in by the burlesque house for a
single performance, will be donated to
| the families of the four men who were
! brought before Chief Justice Mccoy,
December l, on gambling charges and
| sentenced to serve three years in Jail.
The quartet, Albert Lowry, John
! Mahoney, Ralph Holland and Frank
Stephen, now are serving at the Dis
| trict Jail.
Artists Donate Services.
The performance. one of the most
| colorful in burlesque history, began
promptly at 1890 o'clock with a group
of artists donating their services and
with the genial Jimmy Lake, former
& ct nf &C
Within that cosmopolitan audience,
| honoring the men who refuse to betray
their colleagues, were many prominent
Westinghouse. Attorneys who had
defended and convicted some members
| of the audience had front row seats
| and chatted with their victims -
| Physicians were greeted cordially when
| they entered. Bondsmen were conspicu-
Gus, police were plentiful and the news
papers were well represented.
| One woman, attired in evening dress,
was taken back when a curious reporter
addressed her.
What is your first name, Mrs.-?"
| asked the reporter.
"Oh-a-Well--er-
The reporter smilingly drifted away
and heard her sigh with relief.
Joe Freeman, local sport promoter,
was one of the hackers of the show and
he stood before the canopy, shaking
hands with the crowd.
Called for Short Act.
Wesley Eddy and his cohorts from
the Palace Theater, seated prominently
IN one OF the boxes, were called down
| to give short act. Joe Bonbrest the
Mohawk Quartet with "zu" Kenny,
Rockelli and his orchestra, Les Colvin,
| the grooming pianist, and many others
| gave performances. The Wine, Women
| and Son" company from the Strand
| gave section of their show and stars
from the burlesque world gave exhi-
| billions.
A trio Of well known gamblers, rated
| nigh IN the racket" bought 500 tickets
| and upon being informed that the house
was packed destroyed them. to provide
seats Tor those left out in the cold
Police headquarters was represented
| by Lieut.. Ed Kelly and Detective
SergtS. John Fowler and Joe Waldron.
who took advantage of the opportunity
| to look over the leaders of the various
| rackets who filed in
I A crowd estimated at 1000 attended
| the performance which was never pub
| llcly announced. If it was advertised
| 1t was only verbally, as "dey were pure
| gold guys" as one member of the
| audience explained.
| Agent A. j. Quinn, who received MANY
side glances from the crowd, sat coolly
through the show and apparently en-
joyed it.
Program Is Unusual.
An unusual program was distributed
to the crowd. mentioning not one of
the actors to appear. 1t contained only
advertisements and a line stating that
Jimmy Lake would announce the per-
formers from the stage to avoid con-
fusion.
Some we'll known names appeared on
the program, with Eddie Tipton's lead
ing all the rest, on full page contain
ing Only his name. Jimmy La Fontain
displayed an advertisement for his
stand at Center Market; Nathan Chest
yoir "monicker" led a page advertis-
ing his bottle company, Lou Fisher of
Baltimore contributed page which said
he "can be concerned with anything
pertaining to sports" Goldie Ahearn,
local pugilist, had his name in the pro-
gram and three pages were devoted to
the compliments" of Jimmie Windsor,
Leo Cohn and Charlie OBrien.
Another page led off with Patrick
OConnor will go your bond" and
others advertised the wares of Bonds
men Jimmy Conroy and Milton Kron-
helm.