Music Trade Review

Issue: 1896 Vol. 22 N. 17

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW,
I 2
A New Trial Asked for V. S.
Flechter.
his surviving brother, having been really
his representative in that firm for a term
of years.
flusic Dealers Defrauded.
MEYE.vS REPRESENTED HIMSELF AS
D1TSON & CO.'S MANAGER.
F
Henry P. Sondheim.
N last Saturday morning, May 9th,
Henry P. Sondheim died suddenly
in Dresden, Germany. Mr. Sondheim had
,been for a number of years a partner with
Mr. Leopold Peck in the firm of Hardman,
Peck & Co.
He was born in this city in 1848, and
with his brother early became interested in
the cotton brokerage business in this city,
their membership in the cotton exchange
dating from 1871.
He was a man widely known in commer-
cial circles. His health had been excellent
until recently, when he decided to go
abroad for a short time to seek recuperation
in Germany. At the time of his death he
was accompanied by his wife and daughter.
His remains will be brought to this
country for interment, having been placed
on the steamer leaving Hamburg for New
York last Thursday.
It is said that his deatli will cause no
change in his interest in the firm of Hard
man, Peck & Co., Mr. Philip Sondheim
O
ICTOR S. FLECHTER, who was con
victed of receiving the stolen Bott
violin, was arraigned before Recorder Goff,
in Part II. of the Court of General Sessions,
last Saturday, for sentence, after repeated
postponements, but after the Recorder had
heard arguments, sentence was again post-
poned. Fredeiick B. House and Edward
Lauterbach argued fora new trial for Flech-
ter. The argument was begun by Mr.
House, who recited the objections which
had been made by Flechter's counsel at the
trial, and said they presented nine good
reasons why a new trial should be granted,
and three reasons why judgment should not
be pronounced. The Court erred, he con-
tended, in admitting the testimony of some
of the experts who were witnesses for the
prosecution, and also erred in excluding
some other testimony.
Mr. Lauterbach went over the same
ground in his arguments, and then Assist-
ant District Attorney Osborne argued
against the motion for a new trial. The
arguments occupied about three hours.
Recorder Goff then remanded Flechter,
without date, and said he would take his
time in considering the points raised by
the counsel. Flechter was taken back to
the Tombs.
V
OR some time past (). H. Ditson & Co-
of 867 Broadway, have been hearing
that a mysterious erson was selling to
music dealers in this city quantities of
music published by them at prices much
lower than the wholesale prices charged by
them. Every effort was made by the Dit-
son firm to find where the music was com-
ing from, but no clew could be obtained.
As a result the business of the firm began
to suffer, and they estimate that they have
lost trade aggregating hundreds of dollars
within the past three months.
Manager Edward Cregin, of the firm, was
astounded one day last week when a seedy-
looking man walked into their store and
offered to sell them $25 worth of music for
$12.50. Suspecting that the man was one
of the persons who had been operating all
over the city, he had him arrested. The
prisoner said that he was George Meyers.
He refused to tell where he had received
the music.
He was subsequently charged with de-
frauding the New York Music Co., of No.
57 West Twenty-eighth street; J. W. Stern,
The Century Piano Co.
of No. 45 East Twentieth street; Hanley,
Spaulding& Gray, of No. 27 West Twenty-
HE Century Piano Co., of Minneapolis,
seventh street., and the New York Music
has filed an amendment to its articles
Supply Co., of No. 18 East Seventeenth of incorporation with the Secretary of State
street, of large quantities of music u ^ de reducing the Board of Directors from nine to
representations that he was manager of five members. Accordingly, at the annual
the firm of Ditson & Co., of No. 867 Broad- meeting held late last week, the following
way. Meyers, it is alleged, would go to five directors, A. M. Shuey,John Ander-
these different stores and, representing son, C. A. Stickle, A. C. Haugan and C.
himself as manager for Ditson & Co., order Wright Davison, and the following officers
music and have it sent to a certain address were elected: A. H. Shuey, president and
designated by him. When the music was manager; H. O. Peterson, vice-president;
delivered Meyers would be there to receive C. A. Stickle, treasurer; F. C. Wier, secre-
it. He afterward sold this music in Broad- tary; John Anderson, factory superinten-
way at half the original cost, it is said. He dent.
was held last Saturday for defrauding the
LUXTON & BLACK, the enterprising Buf-
music companies and for fraud in represent- falo firm, have received their first shipment
ing himself as manager of the Ditson music of /Eolian instruments.
store, with which he had no connection.
T
THE "SPERA" PIANO
MANUFACTURED 1!Y
PEEK &
50N,
Cor. Broadway & W. 47th Street, New York
WE CALL SPECIAL ATTENTION TO OUR NEW
STYLE A, WITH MUSIC DRAWERS AND MANDOLIN-
ZITHER
ATTACHMENT ;' TWO NOVEL FEATURES
WHICH MAKE THE " OPERA " A QUICK SELLER,
AN ADVANTAGE TO THE DEALER.
PRICES, TERMS AND CATALOGUES UPON AP< LICATION
Correspondence solicited.
Protection in territory guaranteed.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
I
T is always a treat to drop in at Stein way
Hall. One meets there some of the
most forceful, able and courteous personal-
ities engaged in the piano business, and
any one with an eye for the beautiful must
be influenced by the aesthetic environment
—the art atmosphere—which prevails.
One cannot help being somewhat of an
enthusiast in certain realms of the divine
art, particularly after a tour through the
Steinway warerooms. Some of the pianos
displayed there are so artistic in appear-
ance, exquisite in touch and tone, and pre-
eminent in workmanship and design, that
one feels impelled to impart some of the
pleasure, hoping that others equally sus-
ceptible may go and be likewise convinced
that the Steinway house have approached
the acme of perfection in cabinet work as re-
lated to pianofortes.
In the designing and execution of special
styles they are successfully competing
with the best known European houses—in
fact, America's merchant princes have
Steinways such as royalty does not pos-
sess. Some pianos recently turned out
from their special order department have
been exquisitely painted and adorned like
the cherubim of Solomon's Temple—
"carved wood overlaid with pure gold,"
and have been embellished by eminent
artists.
The Steinway house are making a spe-
cialty of treating piano cases precisely as
any other article of decorative furniture,
and the designs of any special period are
reproduced with marked success. Aside
from their special designs, it is only neces-
sary to examine the general stock of instru-
ments displayed in their warerooms to be
convinced that in the matter of artistic case
designs, which are strikingly appropriate
and beautiful, this house are right up-to-
date, and leaders, as they always have been,
in case architecture as well as in the
domain of tone.
There is no better evidence that the New
World is waking up to the claims of art
than in the accentuated demand for pianos
possessing an exterior finish and design
which will be a radical departure from the
ordinary.
In this field Steinway & Sons are espe-
cially fitted to cater to wealthy and artistic
connoisseurs. They employ designers of
ability and experience, and they have at
their command some of the most famous
artists known.
* * *
The following good story comes from
Washington. It seems that Prof. Fanciulli,
leader of the Marine Band, has written a
march in honor of the Tennessee Exposition,
entitled "Old Hickory." According to
those who have heard the march, it is going
to win popular favor and capture the people
of the South by its melodious strains. Prof.
Fanciulli was at the Capitol the other day,
and was trying to give Congressman Mc-
Millan, of Tennessee, an idea of how the
march goes. He cornered the member in
the lobby, and tried to sing it to him. His
voice was a little hoarse, and when he ran
into the high staccato passage it gave out,
and then he tried to whistle it. McMillan's
knowledge of musical rhythm does not soar
above the coutchi-coutchi, but he drank in
the exhilarating strains of Fanciulli's rendi-
tion of "Old Hickory" with an expression
of ecstatic rapture, and when the director of
the Marine Band had completed his solo he
shook him by the hand and said solemnly:
"In the name of the people of Tennessee I
thank you, professor; I recognize a lofty
motive in your composition. The fugue
part is masterly, the staccato passages are
soul stirring, the trio is characteristic. But,
bless me, I don't know a thing about music.
I'd have to have the X rays turned on to
recosnize a tune."
* *
*
Mr. A. C. Smith, who for many years has
been the general Texas agent for Estcy &
Camp at San Antonio, Tex., accompanied
by his estimable wife, came in to see me
last Tuesday. Mr. Smith will tarry some
time in New York, but when he returns to
the Lone Star State it will be to embark in
business on his own account. He will con-
tinue to handle the same line with which
he has been identified previously. His
hard and earnest work for many years in
behalf of the Estey wares has been produc-
tive of excellent results.
* *
Some writer has happily termed this as
"the electrical age," and one would be
agreeably disposed to coincide with this apt
apothegm were he to visit the electrical ex-
hibition which is now being held at the
Grand Central Palace, this city.
The advances made recently in the elec-
trical field are truly remarkable—in fact,
stupendous; and this wonderful power,
which human agency has utilized with such
singular effect, covers almost every phase
of endeavor in the industrial world.
In this display we see illustrated
works of man, which a generation ago
would be ascribed to the Deity, thus afford-
ing a potent illustration of the mental
prowess of the world's thinkers and inven-
tors in the closing years of the present cen-
tury.
Outside of the exhibit of a self-playing
piano by the Automaton Piano Co., and the
utilization of a Mason & Hamlin Liszt or-
gan by a motor manufacturing company,
to display their electric motor, the music
trade man can find little in his special line
on exhibition.
The most formidable and successful illus-
tration of electricity as applied to musical
instruments, is the iEolian principle. This
is truly a marvelous achievement, and it
would have been a great object of interest
had it been exhibited.
I must confess I looked through the build-
ing for a pipe organ or an vEolian with
electric attachment, but found none.
Had either been exhibited it would have
convinced the active men in other fields
that the music trade industry is keeping
right in touch with this era of electrical ad-
vancement.
My visit to the Electrical Exhibition was
truly one of pleasure and profit.
* *
*
Hon. Levi K. Fuller has returned from
the South, and is now staying at Atlantic
City. His sojourn in that section was not
as beneficial to his health as was expected,
and it is sincerely hoped that during his
stay at Atlantic City he will succeed in
gaining the fullest measure of health. A
legion of friends find it hard to realize that
ex-Governor Fuller is an invalid. He has
always been noted for his sturdy physique
and mental activity.
* *
*
Brother Fox always meets with some
peculiar developments on his annual East-
ern trip. Last year there was the historical
meeting in Boston, at the Adams House, with
Marc Blumenberg, his erstwhile enemy.
We all recollect how the warlike editors
smoked the pipe of peace and indulged in
various other etceteras on that auspic-
ious occasion. We also recollect that
the peculiar manner in which Mr. Fox had
hitherto regarded Mr. W. Boothe was re-
placed by conditions of "loving adoration."
This time he has met Billy Boothe, and—
well, some one conquered, and it is probable
that the weekly exchange of commodities
which has existed—principally of long-
winded adjectives exchanged between Bro-
ther Fox and Mr. Boothe—will now cease.
Verily the ways of Brother Fox are winning.
I notice that the bill amending the copy-
right law has been reported with verbal
amendments by the Committee on Patents.
The object of this bill is to prevent the
public performance of copyrighted dramatic
and musical compositions without the con-
sent of the writer or composer. The offense
is to be punished by fine and imprison-
ment.
* *
*
One of the unsatisfactory features of
Victor Flechter's trial for the theft of the
Bott violin was the fact that the jurymen
were compelled to pass upon a purely tech-
nical question which even violin experts
would have hesitated to answer without
special knowledge and p r e p a r a t i o n .
Whether the violin in court was of French
or Italian make .was a vital issue in estab-
lishing Flechter's guilt or innocence, and
it was a question not in any case to be de-
cided finally by the knowledge of laymen.
No juror could tell from a casual examina-
tion whether the instrument was made by
Stradivarius in Cremona, or Nicolas Didier
in Paris, and the testimony of an expert

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