Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
enlist in the competition, and hinted that the
gift of a " piano, melodeon or parlor organ "
would pave the way to future peace and glory.
outlook for winter trade in
©
England and abroad the London and Pro-
vincial Music Trades Review has this to say of
trade on this side of the " big pond " : " There
is a considerable increase of business in the
United States, where, strangely enough, the
tendency has been to reduce prices all around.
This is a matter which should be watched. For
if American prices can be materially reduced, it
is not unlikely that the American piano may
prove a formidable competitor to the German
instrument in British and colonial markets. The
rout of the free traders at the elections held early
this month would, however, seem to indicate that
the average American still believes In close pro-
tection. "
We cannot quite see how the rout of the free
traders will interfere with the importation of
American pianos into England. We can see,
however, how it interferes materially with the
English instruments finding a market in this
country. We agree with our contemporary that
it is not unlikely that the American piano may
prove a formidable competitor to the German in-
strument in British and colonial markets. The
American piano to-day Is a better piano for the
money than those made either in Germany or
England, and there Is no reason why American
manufacturers shouldn 't be able to enlarge their
trade not only in Europe but in the South Ameri-
can markets, which are now largely occupied by
instruments imported from Europe.
6 6
A REVIEW—A STATEMENT OF FACTS.
JJOW that some months have elapsed since
the dying echoes of the case of Sohmer
vs. Sommer, it is in one sense a most fitting
time to impartially review the case.
Sohmer & Co. asked that the defendants, the
Sebastian Sommer Piano Company be restrained
from the use of the single word, '' Sommer,''
upon the fall-board of the instruments made by
them. After listening to the testimony before
the Court, it was evident to all present what the
decision would be. Judge Bischoff said the de-
fendants had a perfect right to use a portion of
their corporate name upon their instruments,
particularly emphasizing the fact that in the case
before him that the corporate name was also the
patronymic of one of the officers and incorporators
of the company. It is hardly necessary to state
that we were most emphatically on the side
of Sohmer & Co. in this matter, believing
that the defendants were desirous of profit-
ting by the similarity of names and the widely
advertised product of Sohmer & Co. The de-
cision of the Court settled the legality of the
case, and gave to the defendants the right to
place whatever portion of their corporate name
they desired upon their instruments.
In a conversation with us at the time the case
was brought before the courts the general
manager of the Sebastian Sommer Company
stoutly averred to us that his company were at
that time using their full name upon the fall-
board of nine-tenths of their instruments, ex-
tending to us an invitation to visit the factory
at any time to verify the truth of his assertion.
A short time ago we were in the vicinity of
Forty-second street and called at the Sebastian
Sommer factory. In justice to that concern we
feel it is only right to state what we saw—a
busy factory—many pianos in the process of
transition, every one of which bore upon the
fall-board the full corporate name—Sebastian
Sommer Piano Co. In addition to this the name
is also cast in the plate. In no instance did we
discover an instrument bearing other than the
words quoted above.
It is evident that there are other forces to be
considered in estimating the rise of this con-
cern. The business that they are at present
conducting cannot be attributed to the name by
which their instruments are designated.
Death of
firs. Alex. Krell.
W$ N accident, horrible to contemplate, robbed
®^B Mr. Alexander Krell, Vice-President and
Superintendent of the Krell Piano Company,
Cincinnati, of his accomplished and estimable
wife last Sunday morning. The Cincinnati
papers give the following details: For several
weeks Mrs. Krell, with a number of other ladles
of Price Hill, has been working hard to give
some sort of an entertainment for the benefit of
the Episcopal Church of Price Hill. A musicale
was decided on, and Saturday night was the
time set for the affair. Mrs. Krell was assisted
by distinguished artists, and it was during the
first moments following the departure of the last
guests from the home, on Summit avenue, that the
sad accident occurred that deprived the radiant
hostess of her bright young life. The "musi-
cale '' had been a triumph of superior excellence,
home decorations perfect, and after the audience
had taken leave of the hostess, those who took
part in the musicale were invited into the dining-
room for the usual half-hour pleasantries that
seem to form a part of such occasions.
It was fully half-past twelve o'clock when Mrs.
Krell and her husband went to their room up-
stairs. Before retiring, they, with a Mr. M. Eick-
son, had a little lunch. After the lunch Mrs. Krell
reached over to the mantel to get a bottle of liste-
rine, which she was in the habit of using as a
mouth-wash. When she arose from her chair to
get the phial containing it she had her face turned
to her husband, to whom she was speaking. They
were still talking about the fine time that they
had had that evening, and in discussing some of
the matters they had quite a laugh over them.
It was while laughing that she raised the bottle
and threw the contents of it into her mouth.
Immediately there was a heartrending shriek
and she dropped heavily to the floor. Her
husband and Eickson were at her side on the
instant, and asked her what had happened. She
writhed in agony and her husband noticed that
her lips were moving as if essaying to form a
word. He bent his ear close to her mouth and
faintly heard the word "carbolic." Then he
knew what had occurred. Dr. Taylor, the
family physician, made a hasty examination of
Mrs. Krell's throat in order to ascertain what to
do at once. He found that her throat and mouth
were burned raw. None of the acid, it would
appear, had gone down her throat, as it evidently
had been her intention to spit the stuff out as
soon as she felt the first effects. A more
thorough examination showed that after the
first effects of the acid it had readily assimilated
itself, and had been carried to the brain, paralyz-
ing the nerve centers. Several physicians
worked with Mrs. Krell until she breathed her
last on Sunday morning at 8.45.
It seems that Mrs. Krell had an unusually
strong solution of carbolic acid, which she used
in bathing. It was in a bottle similar to that
which contained llsterine. She had placed both
of the bottles together on the mantelpiece, and
made a mistake in picking the bottle. The odor
of the carbolic acid might have made it easy to
distinguish it from the listerine, but it appears
that Mrs. Krell had a habit of tossing the latter
down her throat in order to reach her tonsils,
which were slightly inflamed.
Deceased had scarcely reached the prime of
early womanhood, being only twenty-nine years
and six months of age, and was born in the
village of Frieburg, Baden, Germany. After
graduating with highest honors both as a linguist
and pianist, in her native country, she came to
America, and it was in Boston, surrounded by a
circle of cultured admirers, that Ktny L. Rahm
met and was married to Mr. Alexander Krell,
Oct. 28, 1887.
Deceased leaves a little son, one year and a
half old. The funeral took place last Tuesday.
We extend to Mr. Krell our sincere sympathy
in his great affliction.
First to Hand.
are reminded that 1894 is on its "last
legs, " by receipt of a very pretty New
Year's calendar from the Ann Arbor Organ Com-
pany, Ann Arbor, Mich. It is the first to hand.
It furnishes another proof of Mr. Lew H.
Clement's ability to keep right in advance of the
times in calendars as well as in pushing the pro-
ducts of his house.
Strich & Zeidler's Catalogue.
^
vary pretty style pianos are shown in
^
Strich & Zeidler's new catalogue just
issued. There are six In all. Style " E " and
1
' F " are particularly handsome. Strich & Zeldler
attribute the secret of their success as follows :
1
' We know our business, have worked hard
and faithfully for our knowledge of every branch
of piano making. As a result we are practical
men capable of making an instrument which is
its own best advertisement.''
Music Hath Charms.
53THAT "music hath charms " needs no fur-
»C) ther evidence. But a peculiar case of it
came to the notice of the trade in Cleveland last
week. It was that of a young man who had
embezzled a piano from the Drehers, and, on
his being sentenced for his crime, a pretty girl
came forward and begged that a marriage cere-
mony be permitted to take place. She had been
charmed by the culprit's piano playing, and the
stolen instrument had been the cause of it.—
Presto.
Quite a Purchase, if True.
f
HE daily papers chronicle the purchase of
the block bounded by 5th and 6th avenues
and 18th and 19th streets, by a syndicate, for
the purpose of erecting one of the largest depart-
ment stores in this country. It is said that
Seigel, Cooper & Co. are interested in the pur-
chase. This would take in Chickering Hall
and several other piano warerooms. The pur-
chase of the property has not been confirmed and
may be simply a rumor which found its way into
the newspapers.