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154
MOTOGRAPHY
Vol. IX, No. 5.
Scene from "The Wages of Transgression," Eclipse-Kleine Drama of March 5.
Aisles Congested, Picture Proprietor Fined
"No standees in moving picture theaters," was the ruling recently by Chief Justice Russell in a decision handed down in Special Sessions, Part V., in the case of Abram Marks of 195 Rivington street, New York City. He was arrested on June 16 last. Thirty-five persons were standing in his aisles. The decision follows closely upon the fire in the Hippodrome picture house on Houston street and affects some thirty cases now pending.
Justice Russell says in his opinion :
In the case at bar the defendant was clearly apprised of the charge made against him, namely, that he had unlawfully caused or permitted conditions to exist in his place of amusement which, in case of fire or panic, would probably have resulted in the death or injury of a considerable number of persons.
Reciting the fact that there are 800 moving picture theaters in the city, and their appeal to young and old, Justice Russell goes on :
The educational value of the moving picture is admitted by all who take the trouble to investigate. To children it is particularly fascinating and a source of much instruction and pleasure. It affords an opportunity for the poor and those ignorant of the language to spend many hours of enjoyment in an innocent manner. In order to protect the people who attend these places many safeguards are needed. Strict laws are made regarding the construction of the booth which shelters the apparatus and the operation of the films.
Testimony was introduced in the trial of this case to the effect that if the films, which are a preparation o" celluloid, should
catch on fire, the fire and smoke would probably be reflected on the curtain, thus causing alarm in the audience and tending to cieate a panic. There is always the danger of a panic, especially among foreign speaking peoples who are of an excitable nature. Under such conditions the presence of standees in the aisles would add to the danger and hence the act of the defendant did actually render a considerable number of persons insecure in life.
At the present moment we are appalled by the tragedy at the Hippodrome moving picture theater on Houston street and cannot but say that the strictest measures are necessary to prevent serious injury and death. In that case the precise facts occurred which were testified to by the expert in this case as being likely to happen in any moving picture house even in the one in which the law as it now stands was respected in all its details.
The court found Marks guilty and imposed sentence of $100 fine or 30 days.
League Forms Branch at Pierre, S. D.
A branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' league for the state of South Dakota was organized at Pierre, a large number of manager of houses in different parts of the state being present. Milton Balsiger was elected secretary and treasurer of the state organization. The motion picture men have a bill that is to be presented to the legislature, which outlines more rigid rules of safety equipment, which censors more severely all films shown, and which regulates Sunday entertainments. Among the pictures prohibited are professional prize fight films.