KinSource - Tale of the Week - Under McGhee's Fire

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The St. Paul Dispatch, July 13, 1895, p. 2

Under McGhee's Fire.

Officer Twohy Describes How the Can-Can Was Given in Erickson's Wine Room.

Now and then an attorney in court gets to be about as funny as a policeman in the witness box. It doesn't happen very often, because the copper has superior comedy talent; but this morning Counsellor McGhee, the Douglass of St. Paul, went the police about ten better, and was as good as a farce.

Last night Officer Twohy peeked into Erickson's saloon at Seventh and Sibley streets, and he says that he discovered Anna Brown, who was in one of last winter's Tremont raids, and Mrs. Thurley acting in what he deemed an unseemly manner. That is to say, they were in the wine room, drinking all kinds of beer with all kinds of men, and, he adds, they were likewise waltzing and dancing the rococo but still spirited can-can. Incidentally, he explained that the Erickson wine room is a place where hoboes and cheap Swedes gather and hug women to whom they have not been introduced. Therefore, Officer Twohy and Lieut. Sexton gathered them in. Sexton was not in court this morning, and so his evidence will be lost to posterity.

Then Counsellor McGhee questioned the officer, particularly, as to his statement regarding the dancing of the can-can. Moreover, he tried to convince the officer that it was customary, at the cafes in Paris, to dance the can-can au natural or in fleshings. This statement the officer disputed, claiming that nudity was not necessary. The girls were clothed, if not in their right mind, and they were dancing as he had testified. In vain Counsellor McGhee tried to change his ideas about the character of the dance, but the officer was adamant. He was also laughing at McGhee and pitied him in his ignorance.

Of course Nellie and her "ladifren" denied everything, except that they had dropped in to look after the latter's husband, and as there was no further testimony to convict Judge Orr discharged them reluctantly, and McGhee went out to read up on the can-can.