Mr. Steve Gallon
264 Orange St reet
Waterbury, Connecticut

May 13, 1958

Dear Mr. Gallon:

Thank you very much for taking the time to
send me a telegram concerning the cancellation of the rock
and roll show which was scheduled for last Thursday.

I am confident that the vast majority of our teen-
agers are decent and peaceful; if they were not, our future
would be bleak, indeed. Unfortunately, however, there are
a few who tend to seize upon the opportunity which crowd
excitement presents to incite parts of the audience to violent
and improper behavior.

I am sure you will agree with me when I say that
the entire community must be considered at all times, and
that anything which would be detrimental to the public safety
becomes the responsibility of public servants and officials.

I intensely dislike interfering in the life of the com-
munity, but I do believe that when morals and decency are in-
volved -- as certainly they were in this case -- that I, as Mayor,
had to do something in the interest of public safety. I can fully
appreciate your feelings in the matter; the merit of the music,
of course, was not the issue; rather, the welfare of the people
of our city was in question, based on the disgraceful rioting in
Boston which was an end result of this particular show.

My very best wishes to you. Once again, thank you
very much for your telegram.

Sincerely,

WESTERN UNION
TELEGRAM

W. P. MARSHALL, PRESIDENT

The filing time shown in the date line on domestic telegrams is STANDARD TIME at point of origin. Time of receipt is STANDARD TIME at point of destination

BB570

1958 MAY 8 PM 6 42

B WYA451 NL PD WATERBURY CONN &
MAYRO RICHARD E LEECITY HALL
NEW HAVEN CONN

THE PAPERS REPORTED THAT THERE WERE 200 LETTERS RECEIVED IN FAVOR OF YOU BANNING ALAN FREED'S ROCK AND ROLL SHOW AND SEVEN LETTERS AGAINST THE BAN I WOULD LIKE TO BE NUMBER 8 BECAUSE I BELIEVE SINCERELY A MAN HAS A RIGHT TO MAKE A HONEST LIVING IN HIS CHOSEN PROFESSION AND IF YOU WOULD CHECK MR FREEDS RECORD HE HAS DONATED HIS SERVICES OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO MANY WORTHWHILE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS IN CASE MR LEE DONT GET THE MESSAGE TAKE A LITTLE TIME OUT FROM YOUR POLITICAL DUTIES AND GO SEE THE ST LOUIS BLUES CAUSE ROCK AND ROLL AINT NOTHING BUT THE BLUES

STEVE GALLON 264 ORANGE ST WATERBURY CONN

Statement of Richard C. Lee

May 5, 1958

It has just come to my notice that in the list of events scheduled for
the New Haven Arena for the month of May furnished to the Chief of Police
May 1, 1958, that a "Rock and Roll" show has been scheduled for May 8 at that
place of amusement. The official notice furnished the Chief did not describe the
show, but simply listed it under the name of the Master of Ceremonies who
appears to be one Allan Freed.

Our information is that this show is under the same auspices and of
the same sort as that which was held at the Boston Arena last night, where, after an
evening of disorder and confusion, a disgraceful riot followed what the promoters
called a "Rock and Roll Jam Session." In the rioting, 15 persons, including six
women, were stabbed and others were slugged and beaten or robbed by gangs of
teen-age boys and girls who raged out of control through the streets of Boston in
the neighborhood of the public garden.

After consultation with the Corporation Counsel, I have directed the
Chief of Police to immediately cancel the permit for this show on the grounds of
decency and public safety. Appropriate measures will be taken to that end today.
Not only will this show not be permitted, but while I am Mayor there will be no
rock and roll melees in this city. Our problems of juvenile delinquency are
already serious, and do not need to be further complicated by this sort of dis-
graceful incitement to illegal and criminal conduct.

A formal notice to the management of the New Haven Arena will be
sent by the Chief of Police today.

XXX