First Night (Rath)
by Frederick Rath

The scene of most of the action of this diverting play is on the stage of the Mutual Welfare League at Sing Sing Prison.

The audience members are supposed to be inmates, and the ushers are dressed in the gray of the prison uniform.

The story concerns itself with a young actress whose brother is awaiting his doom in the death house.

She unearths evidence which proves his innocence but finds that the only way in which she can prove it to the satisfaction of the authorities is to enact a play based upon the circumstances of the murder.

The Governor of the State, the Warden and other high officials attend the performance at Sing Sing unaware that the show they are about to witness is concerned with the life of a man whom they consider guilty.

However, the thrilling play proves conclusively that the boy is innocent, and all ends well.