Music Trade Review

THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
18
T H E BURDETT-ESTEY ORGAN
CASE.
FOURTH ARTICLE.
OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS.
THE ORGAN TRADE G E N E R A L L Y NOT AFFECTED
BY THIS SUIT.
What Helped to Ruin Waite.
HIS BROTHER'S FRAUD.
Waite's Efforts to Retrieve his Fallen
Fortunes.
THE ESTEY-WAITE-BURDETT PARTNERSHIP.
7 3 EFORE continuing our account of the special developments in the cele-
J 3 brated organ case, let us consider some of the earlier doings of the
Brattleboro' defaulter, Silas M. Wai:e, and show how he came to be engaged
with his partner, Riley-Burdett, in this suit for an infringement of patent.
THE GENERAL ORGAN TRADE AND THE SUIT.
It may as well be stated here that the organ trade of this country at large
have no interest whatever in this suit for infringement of a patent in the sense
that any of them are in any way responsible for the infringement of what Mr.
Burdett claimed as his patent. Silas Waite of course strove to make it ajjpear
that the entire organ trade was implicated ; this he did for the purpose of
bolstering, up his rotten bank, but the court has clearly relieved all manufac-
turers from any apprehension in this matter.
ORIGINAL CAUSES OF WAITE'S RUIN.
Silas M. Waite is not the only member of his immediate family that has
deviated from the strict path of virtue. During the late civil war his brother,
Henry W. Waite, cashier of a Chicago bank, stole from its funds to the extent
of about $200,000, and fled the country. He was, however, foolish enough
to return, and was finally arrested at his brother's house in Brattleboro.'
About $150,000 was recovered from him.
Silas M. Waite appeared as one of the chief parties in some of the law-
suits connected with the fraud perpetrated by his brother, and, recently, in
his interviews with the reporters while he was in jail, he lets in the light
upon some of the causes which contributed to his own ruin.
It seems that he advanced large sums of money, belonging to the Brat-
tleboro' bank, to his brother Henry, and when that brother committed his
frauds, the money was of course irretrievably lost.
WAITE'S EFFORTS TO RETRIEVE HIS FALLEN FORTUNES.
It seems more than probable, from the knowledge we possess, that Silas
M. Waite had already wrecked his bank before he went into the organ busi-
ness, as far back as 1864. In order to retrieve his fortunes, he at that time
induced Jacob Estey to form a partnership with him in the organ business,
and he also induced Mr. Estey to take Eiley-Burdett into the firm.
THE ESTEY-WAITE-BURDETT PARTNERSHIP.
November 20th, 1880.
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
WILLIAM A. POND & CO., New York.
S. B. MILLS.—"Fascination." Mazourka impromptu. 75 cts. An elegant
piece for the drawing room without technical difficulties. To be recommend-
ed to friends of this style of music.
J. HAYDEN WARD.—" Nora." Song. jLO cts. The opening bars remind of
the well-known song, "Jamie ;" and after a very much used cadenza on the
chord of the seventh the song proper begins ; it will be considered pretty by a
certain class of singers and a certain class of audiences—so we suppose it
will do well.
EMILE WALDTEUFEL.—" Mon Bdve." Valse. 60 cts. Nice little melodie 8
and rhythmical precision make this composition one of the prolific writer's
best efforts.
N. STETSON.—"Serenade," for Piano. 60 cts. Mr. Stetson evidently is a
composer who is used to writing for orchestra. This serenade, which is very
quaint and charming, shows orchestral effects, which are partly lost in the
piano edition, and we hope to hear the work in a concert-hall performed by
a band. The serenade is rather long ; but as the composer has dedicated it
to his wife, he probably knows her special tastes.
J. FAURE.—"Crucifix." Chant religieux. 35 cts. The celebrated baritone
always finds the right coloring for his sacred songs, and this coloring lends
them their principal merit.
ALFRED PEASE.—" Two Letters." Song. 40 cts. This song is full of
dramatic power, and should only be attempted by those who are able to do
it justice, in regard to expression ; otherwise it would fall flat on the listener
and remain ineffective.
THOMAS BAKER.—" Gertrande" Waltzes. 75 cts. The music has been
arranged by the leader of Wallack's theatre, on an air from the " Child of the
State," and we are not told where to look for the original. How Mr. Baker
could manage to arrange a set of waltzes on one single air, is more than we
can understand ; but we must say he has fulfilled his task successfully.
EDWARD H. PHELPS.— Two Four-part Songs for Male Voices. 10 cts. each.
The "Reveille'" is effective ; and if the basses are sufficiently low to give the
end with emphasis, the quartette will please everywhere. The "St. Bernard
Hymn" is of different character, but equally well written.
L. GOEBAERTS.—"Galop de Bravoure." 75 cts. A galop, as may have been
written before, and we have not the slightest doubt, will be written again.
It lacks originality, and is a mere show piece.
G. VERDI.—" Ave Maria." 50 cts. This "Ave Maria " gives new proof that
Verdi has endeavored to break with the Italian traditions, which made little
difference between church and operatic style. This composition is earnest,
and conceived in a spirit which is well suited to the service of the Church.
ALLEN DODWORTH.—" The Polo."
New Quadrille. 50 cts.
We have no
doubt the quadrille suits the purposes, and dancers will enjoy it. Unfortu-
nately our own Terpsichorean faculities are so limited, that we are deprived
from sharing this enjoyment; and in regard to its musical value we have
nothing to remark worth mentioning.
E. PAOLO TOSTI.—" For Ever and Ever." Song. 40 cts. The title page
informs us, that Mme. Koze has sung it with great success ; probably she has;
but whether less experienced artists would do so with the same result, remains
an open question. The song relies more on the expression of the performer,
than on its musical value.
ALBERT J. HOLDEN.—" The Nativity." Sacred Song. 50cts. An effective
composition, which will be sung with pleasure by public performers, as it
brings out a good deal of tone.
DUDLEY BUCK.—" Deseret" Selections.
" Serenade," for Baritone. 35 cts.
For fifteen months Mr. Estey had these two men as partners, and this
" 0, Now I'll get a Wife," for Baritone. 35 cts.
partnership laid the foundation for this battle of giants, which has ever since
been raging. It is a long story. Still we are sure that a perusal of some We have spoken about the opera, and have nothing to add new. Friends
of the principal points which led up to, and culminated in, the events which of the composer will be willing to invest the amount necessary, in order to
complete their musical library.
we have so fully outlined, will be interesting reading to the entire trade.
These points we shall present in our next issue.
M. GBAY, San Francisco, Cal.
A CURIOUS COINCIDENCE,
T the session of the Vermont Court, in the town where Silas Waite, the
Brattleboro' defaulter, has been confined in prison, the case of Estey &
Co., the partner of Riley-Burdett, and against Burdett's lawyers and witness
for damages done to Estey & Co., by reason of the alleged mutilation of, and
tampering with the evidence and exhibits of Estey & Co., in the Burdett
against Estey case, was to have come up recently for a hearing ; though, in
consequence of the flight and arrest, and the confession resulting therefrom,
it was possible that it might have to stand over.
This is a case in which Estey & Co., seek to recover heavy damages
against Burdett's lawyers, his witness and his partner for alleged complicity
in the matter above stated.
It is from the results of such a case as this that the public may expect to
learn the true inwardness of the rumors which for years have filled the air
with regard to the parties above referred to.
A
W M . E. WHEELOGK & Co
Piano Manufacturers,
STREET,
Near Third Avenue,
HENRY KETTEN.—" Those Evening Bells." Song. 50 cts. We should have
expected more from a man of Mr. Ketten's ability. The song is, to say the
least, very tame, and appears insignificant. Mr. Ketten evidently has not
taken time, when he wrote it down.
CHICAGO MUSIC CO., Chicago, 111.
EMIL LIEBLING.—"Florence." Valse de Concert. 75 cts. This valse is not
only the work of a good and honest musician, but it is written with so much
technical knowledge of the piano, that it will be considered a splendid
acquisition. The themes are bright and happily invented.
HENRY SMAKT.
HIS LIFE AND WORKS. BY WILLIAM SPARK.
(London : William Reeves.)
T T 7 E are sure that the musical world will welcome this book most cordially—
W
as the author, Dr. William Spark, tells us in the preface, that the
work is the first of its kind ever published of an English musician. I t not
only contains a record of a life, full of interest and instruction, but at the
same time an analysis and catalogue of his numerous compositions. Dr.
Spark was so well acquainted with Henry Smart, that he can be considered
the very man able to do justice to the task; and the impartial critic, after
having perused the book, must say that the author has done all in his power
to make the subject entertaining, interesting and instructive at the same
time. English people know comparatively little of the composers of their
own country ; and Dr. Spark, in writing the life of Henry Smart, not only
deserves the thanks of the musicians, but the acknowledgments of his
countrymen for a patriotic deed. This book will be .followed by the bio-
graphies of such men as Sir Sterndale Bennett, Dr. Samuel Sebastian
Wesley, Sir John Goss, etc.