Case Name: The People ex rel. Alice Sanders, Appellant, v. Hugh J. Grant, as Mayor of the City of New York, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, General Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1893-06
Citations: 77 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 233
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People ex rel. Alice Sanders, Appellant, v. Hugh J. Grant, as Mayor of the City of New York, Respondent.
Judges: O’Brien, J., concurred.
Reporter: Supreme Court Reports (Hun)
Volume: 77
Pages: 233–238

Head Matter:
The People ex rel. Alice Sanders, Appellant, v. Hugh J. Grant, as Mayor of the City of New York, Respondent.
Prohibition of the employment of children in singing and dancing in a theatrical exhibition — consent from the mayor of a city — punctuation of a statute, considered in its construction.
Section 292 of the Penal Code, as amended by chapter 309 of the Laws oí 1892, enumerates, among the employments prohibited to children under the age of sixteen years: “In singing; or dancing; or playing upon a musical instrument; or in a theatrical exhibition; or in any wandering occupation; ” and afterwards provides as follows: “But this section does not apply to the employment of any child as a singer or musician in a church, school or academy; or in teaching or learning the science or practice of music, or as a musician in any concert or in a theatrical exhibition, with the written consent of the mayor of the city,” etc.
Held, that the latter clause does not authorize a performance by a child in singing or dancing in a theatrical exhibition, even with the consent of the mayor of the city.
That it was the intention of the Legislature that the whole permissive part of the , section above quoted should relate to the musical question and nothing else; and that the word “musician” in the last clause qualified both concert and theatrical exhibition.
That this appeared from the punctuation of the several paragraphs of the act.
Appeal by Alice Sanders, the relator, from an order made at Special Term and entered in tbe office of the clerk of the city and county of New York on the 23d day of September, 1892, denying her application (made on the return of an order to show cause) for a peremptory writ of mandamus against the mayor, requiring him to give his consent, under chapter 309 of the Laws of 1892, to the appearance of Zelda Sanders, her daughter, eleven years of age, in a theatrical entertainment at Palmer’s Theater, in which said child was desired to sing and dance.
Myer J. Stein and Wales F. Severance, for the relator.
William, M. Ciarle and Flbridge T. Gerry, for the respondent.

Opinion:
Lawrence, J.:
It is too late to question the constitutionality of section 292 of the Penal Code, and of chapter 309 of the Laws of 1892, amending the same.
The opinion of Mr. Justice Reach, at the Special Term, fully answers all the questions sought to be raised upon this appeal, and concurring as I do in the views expressed by him, I am of the opinion that the order denying the motion of the relator for a writ of peremptory mandamus should be affirmed.
O'Brien, J., concurred.
[The opinion of Mr. Justice Beací referred to is given on page 244 {post). It covered five similar applications brought before him at Special Term.]