Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1881 Vol. 4 N. 6

Page 8 Text:

98
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
April 20th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND'TRADE REVIEW.
Iwto.
DOMESTIC
YOL. IV.
.AJSTD
EXPORT
N E W Y O R K , A P R I L 20TH, 1881.
THE FREE LANCE.
F
OR a month or two the " Free Lance " lias been omitted from this paper.
Our space lias been so crowded that we have preferred to devote it
almost entirely to matters of news. We have also been rather desirous of
ascertaining whether our readers possessed any decided liking for the " Free
ance." Since we have discontinued it we have heard on all sides urgent
requests that it be revived. So in our next issue we will again bring it to
the front and give it full swing.
TRADE
CHAT.
No. 6.
About a fortnight since a case came up before the courts in this city in
which Messrs. Chickermg & Sons, the piano manufacturers, were the defen-
dants. The case was briefly that M. Bailey, a bookkeeper formally employed
by the Messrs. Chiekering, had while in their employment bought a $700
piano of them and resold it to one Vose, who paid $300 of the purchase
money and gave a chattel mortgage on the piano. The balance of the pur-
chase money not being paid, the mortgage was foreclosed by Mr. Bailey and
the piano removed. Mr. Vose not being able to recover the money he had
paid to Mr. Bailey, brought suit against Messrs. Chiekering & Sons, but
upon its being shown that Mr. Bailey held the chattel mortgage from Mr.
Yose the case against Chiekering & Sons was dismissed by the court.
It seems to be a bad affair for Mr. Vose all around. Mr. Bailey
has the piano; somebody, not Mr. Vose, has the $300, and Mr. Vose
is undoubtedly wishing he knew how he could get it back again.
The 500th of Mr. Charles Halle's famous concerts in Manchester took
place a few weeks ago. Mr. Halle's work has covered about twenty-three
years, during which time he has had one of the best orchestras in England
—if not the very best—and has kept Manchester in the front rank of English
musical toAvns.
Mr. F. Scherzer has removed his old established piano warerooins to
No. 1005 Arch street, Philadelphia.
We have inquiries from subscribers in Lapeer, Mich., and in Keokuk,
Iowa, regarding the Mendelssohn Piano Co., of New York. The Mendelssohn
Piano Co., as far as we can ascertain, are not manufacturers of pianos, but
buy the instruments of various makers to sell again. Among the instru-
ments they purchase are those of Messrs. Hardman, Dowling & Peck, of
Fifty-seventh street and Tenth avenue, this city. The standing of this
Considerable excitement was caused by the reported abduction on
latter firm vouches for the quality of the instruments sold by them to the Saturday,
April 9th, of the eight-year-old son of Harrison Millard, the com-
Mendelssohn Piano Co.; concerning the other instruments advertised under poser. The
boy, Harry, left his home, 88 Madison avenue, at 9 o'clock in
this name we know nothing.
the morning to play in Madison Square Park. He did not return by night-
The manufactory of Schiedmayer, in Stuttgart, Germany, has lately fall, and his parents became alarmed, and informed the police. Monday
made a Concert Harmonium after the designs of Mr. V. J. Hlavac, which is morning Harry walked into his father's house, safe and sound, and quite
spoken of by the foreign press as a wonderful instrument for power and contented with himself and all the world.
"Why, Harry," said Mr. Millard, "where on earth have you been?"
compass.
" I went out "to play with my dog," said the child.
Mr. C. J. Heppe, of Philadelphia, agent in that city for the Henry F.
" W e then learned," said Mr. Millard, " t h a t the boy had gone out to
Miller pianos, has been entertaining the traveling representative of that firm, the residence of a relative in the country, where a pet dog of his had been
Mr. E. S. Payson, of Boston, by getting him to assist at a concert, which he taken."
kindly consented to do, and his performance was one of the best features of
A special from Dallas, Texas, dated April 11, says:—George Clark, a
the affair.
professional musician, committed suicide to-day by shooting himself in the
Mr. Harry Sanders, of the firm of Sanders & Stayman, Baltimore, Md., mouth. He died instantly. Clark was afflicted with nasal catarrh, with no
will visit this city in May to attend the Music Festival, and will at the same hope of recovery from it.
time avail himself of the opportunity to give some large orders to piano manu-
facturers.
OUR LIBEL CASE.
While in Buffalo the week before last, we called on Mr. Denton, of
THE INDICTMENT.
Denton & Cottier, music dealers, of that place. Mr. Denton appeared to be In the Court of Oyer and Terminer. In and
eminently satisfied with the condition of trade. We were unfortunate in not
for the County of Erie.
seeing Mr. Ultey and Mr. Wahle, also music dealers in Buffalo. We paid
Of February term, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
Mr. J . M. Schiller, the piano manufacturer on Main street, a visit, and found and eighty-one.
him busily engaged in bringing out new styles.
Stale of New York, County of Erie, \ no
City of Buffalo.
\ &B -
While in Albany recently we only had time to look in upon Mr. C. E.
Wendell, the music dealer, Messrs. Marshall & Wendell, the pianomakers
The jurors of the people of the State of New York, in and for the body
and Mr. Edward McCammon, the piano manufacturer. We made a second of the County of Erie, aforesaid, being then and there sworn and
tour of Mr. McCammon's fine and complete factory on this occasion. Mr. charged, upon their oath present, that on the tenth day of January,
McCammon appears to be extending his business in every direction. Messrs. in t!;e year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one, at the
Marshall & Wendell, also seem to be progressing in good style.
City of Buffalo, in the county aforesaid;
We are not able in this number of T H E MUSICAL CBITIC AND TBADE
One Christian Kurtzman was, and for many years prior to said day, has
engaged in the trade business and occupation of manufacturing and
REVIEW to devote as much attention as we would like to many topics, as been
selling pianos and other musical instruments; and that on the fifth day of
legal business has lately made extensive demands upon our time.
January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one,
L. N. Rice, music dealer of Des Moines, Iowa, has mortgaged house Chas. A. Welles unlawfully, maliciously contriving and intending to injure,
scandalize, vilify and defame the said Christian Kurtzman, and to bring him
and lot to A. O. Perkins, and will probably retire from the music trade.
into public scandal and disgrace, and to injure, prejudice, damage and ruin
W. H. Lehman, of Des Moines, Iowa, has added sheet music and small him in his said trade, business and occupation of nianufacturing-and selling
musical merchandise to his stock.
pianos and other musical instruments as aforesaid, and to vilify and destroy
Lumber is decidely firm, as the demand is large and the stock very much the good name, fame and credit of the said Christian Kurtzman with force
reduced. Dealers are anxiously awaiting the opening of navigation, when a and arms at the City of New York, in the County of New York, and State
of New York, of his great hatred, malice and ill-will towards the said Chris-
stock larger than ever before risked will be rushed in.
tian Kurtzman, wickedly, maliciously and unlawfully did compose, write,
Nym Crinkle's Feuilleton suspended publication for one issue last week, print, publish and circulate in T H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
in order that the editorial room might be moved a couple of blocks.
The said T H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW then and there being a
Mr. J. M. Stoddart, of No. 16 East 14th street, this city, has taken the newspaper and periodical printed in the English language, and published
agency for this city and State of the pianos of Messrs. Albrecht & Co., of and circulated at the said City of !New York aforesaid, and at the City of
Philadelphia, and he would be pleased to show these fine instruments to Buffalo aforesaid, a certain false,'scandalous, malicious and defamatory libel,
of and concerning the said Christian Kurtzman, containing the false, scan-
dealers visiting the city.
dalous, malicious, defamatory and libelous words and matters following, of
Since our last issue there has been a very noticeable improvement in and
concerning the said Christian Kurtzman, to wit.
the trade in pianos and organs and a larger influx of dealers from all parts
" C. Kurtzman" (meaning the aforesaid Christian Kurtzman) although
of the country.
The opening of inland navigation and the resumption of regularity in knowing that the above named r piano manufacturer (meaning the aforesaid
railroad transportation, together with the advent of milder weather, will, no Christian Kurtzman) had allow ed themselves (meaning the said Christian
Kurtzman) " to drop from a fair position among the makers of cheap instru-
doubt, soon produce a condition of general activity.
ments " (meaning the aforesaid pianos manufactured and sold by the said
In answer to an inquiry which has been made of us, we would say that Christian Kurtzman as aforesaid) " t o one where h e " (meaning the said
the president of the Piano Makers' Union in this city is Mr. R. H. Bar- Christian Kurtzman) " i s scarcely noticed by the trade or the public, I
tholomee, of One Hundred and Fifty-sixth street and Elton avenue, thought it my duty to call upon him " (meaning the said Christian Kurtz-
Morrisania.
man) " while at Buffalo, at his " (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman's)
A. Sowards, music, etc., Xenia, Ohio, gave chattel mortgages aggregating "factory." Kurtzman (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman) has a queer,
over $8,000 on the 31st ult, He claims to have lost between $4,000 and $5,000 dirty, dusty looking place (meaning the manufactury and place of business
by the failure of Dunham & Sons, pianos, of New York city. He was of the said Christian Kurtzman) giving one the impression that everything
sued three weeks ago by the Chatham National Bank of New York city, was run on a slip shod principle. As 1 entered the place (meaning the afore-
said manufactory and place of business of the said Christian Kurtzman) I
jpjr $2,500.

Page 9 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
April 20th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
encountered a rather dilapidated looking old individual, whom I imme-
diately recognized as Kurtzman himself, (meaning the said Christian Kurtz-
man) having once spent an hour in conversation with him (meaning the
said Christian Kurtzman) about a year before. As I handed him (meaning
the said Christian Kurtzman) my card, he (meaning the said Christian
Kurtzman) glanced at it and said, as a look of anxiety came over his face,
(meaning the said Christian Kurtzman's face) "Mr. Kurtzman is'nt in, he
has just gone out." "What," said I, " do you mean to say that you are not
Mr. Kurtzman ?" (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman.) " N o , no, no,"
he, (meaning the said Chriftian Kurtzman) almost gasped, " I am not Mr.
Kurtzman. He has just gone out, I tell you, and I have got some business
upstairs, and I must go right up there," and off he (meaning the said Chris-
tian Kurtzman) " liurried as fast as his legs would carry him, leaving me
with the impression, that either I was grievously mistaken, or that Mr. C.
Kurtzman" (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman) " w a s guilty of a very
unnecessary lie. Just as I was about leaving the place another and a younger
man entered the room. Who would you like to see," he (meaning the
said other and yonnger man) asked. "Well, I called to see Mr. C. Kurtz-
man," I replied, thinking I would like to see how the matter would turn
out, " b u t I understand that he is not in." " Oh, yes, he is," said the man;
he just this moment went up stairs. I am his son-in-law, and will go and
call him for you." And off he went. This, said I to myself, as I sat down
on a piano stool and watched a workman (meaning a workman at the manu-
factory and place of business of the aforesaid Christian Kurtzman) who
(meaning the said workman) was sleepily tinkering an old worm-eaten piano
(meaning a piano of the said Christian Kurtzman), this is going to be
funny. I waited at least twenty minutes, and it got so funny that it began
to grow tiresome, for neither the untruthful Mr. C Kurtzman (meaning the
said Christain Kurtzman) nor his son-in-law put in an appearance. Very
soon after that I discovered the secret of the whole matter. My card bore
99
KIND WORDS.
NYM CRINKLE ON THE LIBEL CASE-
The following appeared in the issue of Nym Crinkle's Feuilleton, that
sparkling dramatic paper, for April 2.
THE " MUSIC Ali CRITIC" EDITOR ARRESTED.—IiETTKES DE CACHET IN ORDER.
As Mr. Charles Avery Welles, editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC, last Mon-
day morning, was indicting one of the powerful criticisms that have made
his fortnightly musical paper such a desideratum in certain circles, he was
suddenly approached by an individual whose general make up marked the
detective.
"Are you Mr. Welles ?"
" I am, sir. That's my name."
" Well, then, sir, you are mv prisoner."
" F o r what?"
"Libel. The warrant's been sent on from Buffalo."
"Very well, I'll come with you."
Honestly believing he was innocent of libelling any Buffalonian, he
reassured Mrs. Welles, who was in the office, that there was nothing to fear,
and then accompanied Detective McGrann to Police Headquarters. He was
ushered into the presence of Superintendent Walling, who looked him all
over in the manner peculiar to the superior police official.
Mr. Welles inquired what he had been guilty of in the libelling busi-
ness, but could obtain no information either from the Superintendent or the
warrant except that he had been indicted in Erie County, and that the Dis-
trict Attorney had countersigned the letire-rfe-cachet. After an interval, in
which he was allowed to meditate fancy free, he was hurried to the Tombs
the words " T H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE KEVIEW," and about a year before a Police Justice and remanded to await the court papers from Buffalo.
He spent all night in the Mulberry street Bastile and had the unquiet
before the venerable Mr. Kurtzman (meaning the afoi*esaid Christian Kurtz-
man) had contracted with the old Music Trade Keview for a certain amount satisfaction of a nocturnal reverie on prison diet and the other solaces
of advertising. He (meaning the aforesaid Christian Kurtzman) gave his incident to Erie County jail life.
note (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman's promissory notes for the pay-
The friends of Mr. Welles had not been idle on his behalf during his
ment of money), so I understand, in payment for the same, but up to the incarceration. A habeas corpus was applied for him from the Supreme
present time has never yet met those notes with cash. He (meaning the Court by his counsel, Mr. Orlando Stuart, United States District Attorney
said Christian Kurtzman) was one of those individuals who managed to owe Woodford's partner. It was made returnable on Tuesday, and after a good
John C. Freund, instead of letting John C. Freund owe him (meaning the deal of legal incidentals Judge Donohue admitted Mr. Welles to bail, Mr.
said Christian Kurtzman), and he (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman) William Steinway becoming his bondsman for the picayune sum of rive
evidently thought that I was a representative of the old Music Trade hundred dollars.
Review come to get money out of him (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman),
Half an hour after Mr. Welles was liberated a Buffalo officer and the
which he (meaning the said Christian Kurtzman) had flattered himself he Deputy County Clerk of Erie County arrived in New York, but their bird
(meaning the said Christian Kurtzman) would not be obliged to pay.
was uncaged.
Neither of them knew who Mr. Welles had libelled or what the libel was.
C. A. W.
Nor did Superintendent Walling.
Which said scandalous, malicious and defamatory libel, he, the said
Nor did Mr. Welles.
Charles A. Welles, unlawfully and maliciously, and wickedly contriving and
Nor apparently does anybody.
intending to defame, damage, injure and ruin the aforesaid Christian Kurtz-
Yet Mr. Welles was torn from his home and family—he was incarcerated
man in his aforesaid business as aforesaid, did afterwards to wit in the tenth all night in a prison—and was taken through the streets of the city, a
day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and prisoner, in charge of a minion of the law.
eighty-one, publish and circulate at the City of Buffalo and County of Erie
And this is the nineteenth century.
aforesaid, where the said Christian Kurtzman there resided and was engaged
And New York is most decidedly not St. Petersburg.
in said trade, business and occupation, manufacturing and selling pianos
and other musical instruments, and where the said Christian Kurtzman now
resides, to the great damage and scandal of the said Christian Kurtzman and
OUR "FEARLESS AND INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION."
against the peace of the people of the State of New York and their dignity.
The
extract
given below is from the capital "Musical Feuilleton" by
EDWARD W. HATCH, District Attorney.
" Quiz " and published in that excellent paper, the Philadelphia Sunday
Mirror.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
POET OF NEW YOKE.
Week ending, April 5th, 1881.
Exports.
Hamburg, 5 pianos, . . . $1,100 Liverpool, 7 pianos, . .
U. S. Colombia, 1 piano,
300 Liverpool, 3 orguinettes, .
U. S. Colombia, 1 orguinette,
40 London, 3 organs,
. .
Brit. W. "Indies, 4 organs, .
285 Bristol, 1 organ,
. . .
Bremen, 56 organs, . . . 3,600 Brit. Australia, 14 organs,
Liverpool, 16 organs, . . .
920
Total,
Imports.
Musical, etc., 246,
Week ending April 12, 1881.
Exports.
Central America, 1 orguinette, $ 30 Bristol, 14 organs,
Brit. West Indies, 1 piano, .
300 Rotterdam, 9 organs,
Brit. Australia, 14 organs, .
920 Glasgow, 5 organs,
U. S. of Colombia, 10 musical
London, 32 organs,
instruments,
. . . .
130 Liverpool, 18 organs,
Hamburg, 7 organs,
. . .
590 Mexico, 1 organ,
Hamburg, 5 pianos, '. . . 1,250 Mexico, 1 piano,
Imports.
Total,
Musical instruments, 101,
PORT OF BOSTON.
England, organs,
do.
piano,
England, organ,
Week ending April 1.
Exports.
. . . .
$ 4 , 2 8 2 England, orguinettes, . .
A SMART ADVERTISING TRICK.
THE MUSICAL CRTTIC was established some years ago, by Mr. Chas. A.
Welles, and has now reached Vol. IV, No. 4. The Critic is a new journal,
started a couple of months ago, by J. L. & J. B. Gilder, the object of which,
$1,800 so far as I can judge by the first number, is to republish book notices of
211 principal book publishing houses. Mr. Welles, by fearless and intelligent
270 discussion of matters relating to music, both as an art and as a trade, neces-
75 sarily treads on somebody's corns occasionally, and I was not surprised to
789 read in the New York Sun, of Monday last, of " the arrest of C. A. Welles,
publisher of THE MUSICAL CRITIC, on a charge of libel." But I was sur-
to read, in the next issue of the Sun, a card from the publishers of
$9,390 prised
the new journal that " no one of that name is in any way connected with
this paper, nor known personally or by fame, to the publishers, etc." This,
$28,312 indeed, shows becoming enterprise on the part of the Gilders, but it also
shows a degree of verdancy on the part of the Sun management to allow this
free advertisement to be rung iii its reading columns, quite unusual in our
esteemed contemporary, which shines for all at two cents a piece. After
& 900 this I can see that "Fresh, the American," is not an imaginary character in
550 New York.
202
4,450
908
INTELLECTUAL (?) DELIRIUM TREMENS.
70
We are indebted for the three following extracts to the Art Jabberer of
490 this city. As is usual with that paper, the articles are, grammatically, very
badly mixed, indeed, the late Henry Watson's office boy, who now edits
$10,790 that remarkable paper, foams so terribly at the mouth this time, that he is
positively incoherent and scurrilous words hang upon his pen like the sputa
. $9,230 on the jaws of a rabid cur. However, enough can be gathered from the
articles to show their despicable animus.
THE SAD PLIGHT OP A BRAT JOURNALIST.
$583
800
Total, . .
Week ending April 8, 1881.
Exports.'
$115 | England, orguinettes,
Total,
$5,665
. $17
$132
Imports.
England, musical instruments,
$1,813
" Place a beggar on horseback and he will ride to the devil" is an old
saying, which has been improved upon by the modern one to this effect,
" place a small-brained egotist at the head of a newspaper, backed by crafty
counsellors who impose upon his intellectual weakness, and he will bring
up in State prison, for reckless and clumsy assaults upon honest commercial
reputations and good name." The latter will surely follow journalistic man-
ikins of evil propensities whose largest idea is the self-importance given them
by having their names hoisted over a semi-occasional periodical—for whose
existence no rational plea can be made, except for the gratification of some
unseen power—inasmuch as all their chickens come home to roost, being
placed upon the record of public opinion.
Such an individual is worthy of pity, inasmuch as he is placed in a posi-
tion where he cannot do good even were he so inclined semi-occasionally,.

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