Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 27 "TRAFFIC IN SOULS" CASE COLLAPSES Prosecutor's Admission He "Didn't Know Why Sheehan Had Been Arrested," Ends Farce in Waterbury Court — Regarded as Blow to Local Censorship — Two Exhibitors Fined for Violation of Minors' Law; Both Appeal Sfecial to The Motion Picture News. Waterbury, Con., June 11. LOCAL censorship was virtually given a "black eye" here Tuesday, June 2, when the case of the State against James R. Sheehan, charged with exhibiting an allegedly obscene and immoral motion picture, "Traffic in Souls," at the Jacques Theatre a short time ago, was nolled in the district court. Attorney E. F. Cole, a former judge, defended Mr. Sheehan and he made a great argument for his client, which eventually led to a discharge. Attorney Cole said the picture which caused Mr. Sheehan's arrest was one which showed the inside workings of the white slave traffic and was based on actual reports of the Rockefeller commission especially raised to look into this matter. "The newspapers and clergy have been decrying white slave conditions," said the lawyer "and this picture was evidently made to aid them in their desire to stamp out this nefarious trade. It was evidently manufactured to give the public a fair idea of the evil and also to satisfy glamour and romance. The same picture was exhibited in Bridgeport and New Haven without protest. "Mr. Lynch, our prosecuting attorney and Mr. Beach, our superintendent of police, went up to the theatre on the first day the picture was exhibited, saw it shown, and apparently found nothing wrong with it. Two days later Mr. Lynch issued a warrant. I suppose there is a wide range as to what ought and what ought not to be shown." [Note — The picture was shown for three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The warrant was issued on the last day, Saturday.] CONTINUING, Attorney Cole said the picture told a very pretty love story. "The hero was a policeman," the lawyer went on. "He saved two girls who had just arrived in New York. He was a clean-cut officer of the law to whom the girls told their story after certain agents had endeavored to take charge of them. There was not a thing objectionable to it. "One woman said she wished every girl could see the picture. It was educational. H it was not educational and was against the law, the officers who visited the theatre should have said so and the management would have removed it." Judge Francis T. Reeves was on the bench. Judge Reeves was mayor of Waterbury until January 1, this year. The prosecutor was Attorney E. B. Reiley, Jr. After Attorney Cole had argued his case and moved for a nolle. Prosecutor Reiley said he "couldn't understand why Mr. Sheehan had been arrested." This knocked the bottom out of the case completely, and after the prosecutor said he was heartily in favor of a nolle the court so ordered. READERS of The Motion Picture News will remember that Mr. Sheehan when tried before the city court was fined $100 and costs. The warrant charging him with two counts against the morals of the community was issued, as stated hereinbefore, by Attorney James Lynch, prosecutor in the city court, and the case was tried before Judge William E. Thomas, Democratic mayor of this city for two terms. It attracted considerable attention among local exhibitors, and when Sheehan appealed from the verdict of the city court, the final decision was awaited anxiously by those who have the interests of the photoplay at heart. Mr. Sheehan, who had been out of town for several weeks, returned Monday, June 1, and when interviewed by a representative of The Motion Picture News said he was confident that he would be acquitted and that Censor Lynch would find out to his sorrow that he had bitten of? a larger piece than he could masticate, had started something that he couldn't finish. The prediction bore luscious fruit and fellow exhibitors of Mr. Sheehan are on easy street once more. They met the enemy and he was theirs. It was victory number one. IT lias developed that Manager Carroll, of the Carroll motion picture theatre, who was fined $50 and costs a week or more ago, did not pay his fine as he said he would. Instead, he has taken an appeal and his case will be heard in due season. Manager Carroll claims that the youngsters who were in the theatre at the time the warrant was made out secured older people to get their tickets and then entered the theatre v.ith them. When the older ones left the children stayed behind. He does not see how he can be convicted on such facts as these and promises to put up a stiff fight. The other motion picture manager fined with Carroll settled. ROBERT MOLZON, proprietor of the Lyric motion picture theatre, on South Main street, was fined $50 and costs Friday, June 5, in the city court by Judge William E. Thorns, on a charge of permitting children under fourteen years of age to visit his theatre without being accompanied by a parent or guardian. Molzon, through his attorney, Robert A. Lowe, pleaded guilty to the charge, but admitted that children were permitted to enter the theatre under some circumstances. Mr. Molzon said that on June 2 he was operating the motion picture machine and was unable to stand at his accustomed place near the door. He said he did not know that children had been admitted. But to this Judge Thoms said that the proprietor was responsible, just as the owner of a saloon is respon^ sible when minor youths are permitted to enter his place of business. Patrolman MacMulIen, who preferred the charges against Molzon, testified that there were almost a score of children present when he entered the theatre on the night in question, and that when the children were questioned they said they were not present with a parent or guardian. Two children who were in the theatre when Mac^^Iullen entered said that they had bought the tickets themselves. The boys who testified were Julius Grossman, of 42 Kingsbury street and Jacob .\pirian, of 14 Newell Place. After hearing all tlie testimony, a fine of $50 and costs was imposed. Molzon took an appeal, however, and .Attorney Joseph A. Bergin furnished a bond of $150. Waterbury appears to be the only city in the state that is conducting such a campaign against motion picture theatre managers. E. Christy Erk. LEASE ELIZABETH HOUSE Elizabeth, N. J., June 11. The Royal Theatre in Elizabeth avenue near Smith street has been leased by its owner, William R. Brown, to Aaron Cantor, of Newark. Mr. Brown will devote all of his attention to his amusement enterprises in Perth Amboy and the New Jersey coast resorts.