As the men were arraigned at the City Hall, William A. Gray, counsel for the offenders at Monday night’s riot, appeared for them. He said he had been sent by Joseph McLaughlin, a saloon-keeper and vice-president of the A. O. H., and he obtained a copy of the charges, with a view to getting the men out on bail.... Mr. Gray said he intended taking the matter before the courts and asking for an injunction to prohibit further productions of the play. He said his backer was Joseph McGarrity, a wholesale liquor dealer, in business at 144 South Third Street, who was one of those ejected from the theatre on Monday night.
Headed by Joseph McLaughlin, a delegation of seven prominent members of the Irish societies of the city waited on Mayor Blankenburg yesterday with a petition asking him to stop the production of John M. Synge’s comedy The Playboy of the Western World on the ground that it is immoral.
The Mayor heard the comments of the Irishmen, but with great good humour pointed out that inasmuch as he could find nothing objectionable in the play, he could not promise to stop the production.
He informed the delegation that he had previously made inquiries of the mayors of New York, Boston, and Providence, where the play had been shown, and had received answers which plainly indicated it was not necessary to stop the play.
(Note to [page 226])
From Philadelphia “North American”
IRISH PLAYERS APPEAR IN A “COURT COMEDY”; NO DECISION
ANSWER CHARGE OF “IMMORALITY” BROUGHT BY A LIQUOR DEALER—“PLAYBOY” DEFENDED AND ATTACKED BY WITNESSES
January 20, 1912:—Second only in point of order, not in worth, was the unadvertised comedy participated in by the Irish Players yesterday afternoon, at a matinée performance held in Judge Carr’s room in the quarter sessions court.