Sunday, 23rd November 1913: Burlesque Probe Started By Chief And By Recorder, The Atlanta Constitution

Reading Time: 9 minutes [1466 words]

Order Goes Forth That Costumes Must Not Be Too

Abbreviated and No Girls

Under 16 Employed.

SHOWS ARE

VERY TAME

WHEN BEAVERS APPEARS

Chief Makes

Round of the

Houses Saturday Night

and Finds Chorus Girls

Demurely Clad.

Alleged burlesque naughtiness is

being probed in Atlanta. Chief Beavers, one of his trusty men and Recorder Nash

Broyles have shouldered muskets in the war against rumored conditions in low-priced

Vaudeville and burlesque theaters in the city. The first skirmish in the battle

to end theatrical vulgarity and the appearances of young girls on local stages

has already been fought. The big battle will probably be fought this week in

police court.

Plans of the campaign were made known

last night by Chief of Police Beavers. The head of the police force

acknowledged that for some time past his aides have been reconnoitering the

position of the managers conducting the cheap vaudeville and burlesque theaters

of the city. He intimated that action could be expected during the present

week.

Arthur at Work.

Edward Arthur, a private official of

Recorder Broyles court, has been working on the burlesque and vaudeville

situation here for several weeks. His map of conditions is now ready for

presentation to his commanding generals. His scouting took him over the

theatrical ground in and about Atlanta for the past two weeks, and his findings

will be ready for Chief Beavers inspection soon.

The evils that have been most

frequently reported to police headquarters in the burlesque and cheap

vaudeville field have been the employment of young girls and the presentation

of obscene performances.

Last night, in company with a

Constitution reporter, Chief Beavers visited the Columbia burlesque theater, in

Wall street, and the Princess burlesque theater, in Whitehall street.

When the chief, arrived at the Columbia

his presence was instantly noted by the management, who saw the chief standing

in an aisle watching the performance intently.

This is the tamest show we have had

here in weeks, said Frank Hammond, speaking for the Columbia management.

As the chief gazed at the stage he saw

various and sundry maidens, arrayed in long, flowing robes, skipping from side

to side, doing what is termed a scarf dance. The movements of the maids were

neither suggestive nor timid. In fact, the show could have been called

exceedingly tame, without stretching the imagination.

College Boys Kid Actors.

Two comedians, one a German and one a

Jew, made the chief laugh. After a few minutes it was suggested that the chief

take a look at the Princess theater.

As the chief entered the house, the

audience was mostly composed of college boys. The audience insisted on

kidding the show, hilariously remarking upon the Junoesque proportions of the

leading lady. When a black face comedian told some rather broad jokes the

audience howled its delight in terms unmistakable.

When the chief left the theater after

witnessing a tame ending to the performance, he met Frank Hammond, the

secretary to the mayor, just outside of the door. Mr. Hammond, who had acted as

spokesman for the Columbia management, and the chief had a talk by themselves

to one side.

As the chief started for his

automobile, he met Edward Arthur, the police court officer who has been

privately investigating the burlesque houses. The two were joined by the

patrolman on the beat, who remarked to the chief that the manager of the

Princess had cut the show after he heard that you were coming.

Arthur told the chief that the show had

been widely cut from the performance of the evening before by his (Arthurs)

orders.

At the conclusion of the inspection

trip the chief refused to make a statement.

His one comment during the tour was

when he commented on the action of the crowds in the Princess theater in

joshin the show people. I shall have to put an officer here, he remarked.

If the audience insists on rough conduct.

Must Keep the Law.

Chief Beavers said later at the police

barracks.

Just as soon as evidence can be

obtained cases will be made. Rumors have been coming to police headquarters

frequently of theatrical conditions in Atlanta. The investigator is, in a word,

purely an effort to either verify or disprove the reports that have been

brought an official notice.

I hardly think, though, that the

situation needs reform as much as rumors indicate. It is the duty of the police

to see to it that there is no obscenity on the stage, no erotic or suggestive

performances, and that girls under sixteen are not permitted to perform. If we

should find such conditions existing in any theater in Atlanta, both the

management of the troupe and theater would be put under arrest and arraigned

before the recorder.

Recorder Nash R. Broyles is also

playing an active hand in the investigation. He conferred with Chief Beavers at

the time the movement was projected. It was he who selected Arthur for the

work, giving the investigator instructions of the manner in which it was deemed

best to pro-

Continued on Page Two.

PAGE 8, COLUMN 3

BURLESQUE

PROBE

STARTED BY CHIEF

ceed. He

told the reporter Saturday night that, although he did not believe conditions

were as bad as painted, there undoubtedly was room for reformation in theatrical

conditions.

Vulgar and suggestive performances

should not be allowed, he stated. They are ruinous to both the young and

mature mind, and the actors and actresses who participate in them soon become

no better than the performance. Obscene jokes will not be permitted, and

neither will the over-brevity of costume.

Conferred With Broyles.

Chief Beavers is handling the

situation. I know but very little of it, except for the fact that the chief

conferred with me at the time the investigation was started. I advised him

along lines which I thought would be effective, and suggested Arthur for the

work. Frequently since then. Arthur has told me of his progress and findings.

In numerous instances Arthur has told

me that he talked with the management of theaters which he considered were

giving performances too suggestive or obscene. In each case, I was told, the

management readily agreed to cut the objectionable lines and performances. In

instances like these, I do not think cases should be made.

The stage is a medium through which we

can either construct or ruin. We cannot permit it to become contaminated. I

think, however, that the management of every house in Atlanta will co-operate

with the police department in this movement.

At present there are less than ten

vaudeville and moving picture theaters in Atlanta, and only two burlesque

houses. Most of this number are situated on Whitehall street, one on Peachtree,

one on Wall street and another on Marietta street. These do not include the

negro Vaudeville theaters on Decatur and other streets.

PAGE 33, COLUMN 5

JUDGE

NASH BROYLES

EXPLAINS

FINING GIRL

Recorder Nash Broyles yesterday sent to

The Constitution the following communication in explanation of his action in

fining Miss Lee Willard Austin, who struck a taxi driver, claiming that he had

persistently annoyed her:

Editor Constitution: There seems to be some

misapprehension about the case of the young woman who was fined the other day

for beating a white
chauffeur with her umbrella on the public streets of the

city. This case was written up in sensational style as that of a woman being

fired for defending herself from a master, whereas it was a very different

case.

The evidence showed that a white chauffeur,

making a living by driving a taxicab, and located near the corner of Luckie and

Broad streets, had hollered out to Miss Austin, as she walked by his place of

business. Taxicab! Taxicab! We want a taxicab?

Miss Austin testified that for several

months this man had annoyed her and other girls by calling to her in this

manner every time she passed his place of business, but that he had never

attempted any other familiarity.

On this occasion, as soon as he spoke

to her, she lit in on him with her umbrella, striking him several times over

the head, and causing a large crowd to gather to watch the fracas.

I thought it very doubtful if the chauffeur

intended any familiarity with the young woman, but fined him a small amount for

annoying her by so persistently calling out to her. Taxi, want a taxi?

whenever she passed by.

I fined the young woman in a still

smaller amount ($3.75) for taking the law into her own hands and creating an

unnecessary disturbance and excitement on the street. I say unnecessary, for

she could easily have gotten a policeman in a few seconds and had her annoyer

arrested. Instead, she referred to take the law into her own hands and create a

scene.

Raps Law Violators.

We have

policemen and courts to punish people who violate the law. Two wrongs never

make a right. It was wrong for this chauffeur to annoy Miss Austin, and I fined

him for it. It was wrong for Miss Austin to fight him instead of calling a

policeman, and I fined her for it.

I am sworn to

uphold the law, and I intend to keep my oath whether the offender be a man or a

woman. There are too many violations of law now in our city and all over our

country.

Our citizens

should help to uphold the law, and when they see someone violating it they

should call a policeman and let the law punish the offender instead of taking

the law into their own hands, thereby violating the law themselves.

And

it is no excuse because this second breaker of the law happens to be a woman.