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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
C. Bechstein, of the celebrated Bechstein
house, Germany, and Daniel Mayer, who
is managing director of the Piano Resona-
tor Co., are at "sixes and sevens" regard-
ing the Resonator attachment. Mr. Bech-
stein states in a letter to a London paper
that the use of the "piano resonator" in the
Bechstein piano would not only be far from
beneficial, but would be very detrimental.
In reply to the foregoing, Mr. Mayer
challenges Mr. Bechstein to supply two pi-
anos of identical make and tone color to
one of which he will attach the Resonator.
After four days he desires the two pianos
to be tested in the presence of experts rep-
resenting both gentlemen, when he is fully
confident he will satisfy every one that the
attachment will improve the "Bechstein"
to which it is attached. If not, he claims
he will purchase the instrument at a fair
price, or pay any reasonable sum if dam-
age to the piano is proven.
Gorham & Co.'s Affairs.
THE WELL KNOWN WORCESTER, MASS., FIRM INVOLVED IN DISPUTED COMMERCIAL
INDICATIONS now are that Charles L.
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Gorham & Co. will have about $25,000
worth of disputed notes and drafts to meet
through the action of Charles A. Williams,
who has been acting as manager of the com-
pany's store. According to the statement
of Mr. Gorham, Mr. Williams, though not
a member of the firm, had power of attor-
ney for the firm to sign drafts in the firm
name for collection and also to indorse
drafts for collection in cases where goods
had been shipped to the firm. It seems
that Mr. Williams accepted drafts from
Haines & Co., of New York, as accom-
modation paper in anticipation of the ship-
ment of pianos to the local store, but not a
piano has been received from the firm for
the past three months, and it is on this ac-
count that Mr. Gorham refuses to honor the
paper which is now coming due, bearing
the firm's signature.
PAPER.
had from Haines & Co. Every piano, as
far as we know, has been paid for by
checks direct, and shows on our ledger and
bank books in regular business form, while
the whole amount of this $25,000 has
passed between these two parties, Charles
A. Williams and Haines & Co., of which
firm John Haines, Jr., is the principal
member.
"Every piano that we have had since
Haines & Co. started business in July,
1895, has been entered on our ledger and
paid for by checks through one bank.
Since they started in business we have had
pianos to the amount of $8,795 on ^y> a n d
this is all the merchandise we have ever
had from them in any form. All these pi-
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anos we have received I have known
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about, and have known how the account
It is commonly assumed that a few
stood,
as it was all properly entered on the
months at a business college will develop
ledger,
both sides, by our bookkeeper, J.
any sort of numan raw material into a suc-
Mr. Gorham says that he believes that K. Rice, and one check given in due form
cessful merchant.
How very few there
are who recognize the patent fact that the Mr. Williams used the firm's money to help for the same. But these $25,000 drafts do
keen insight, the good judgment, the rare out John Haines, Jr., who has been in bus- not appear anywhere, and have had no con-
invention, the adaptability, without which iness alone but 18 months, having started nection with any goods which we have
bought of them."
business life must be a failure, are as much in after the failure of the old firm of
Mr. Gorham says that Mr, Williams told
special endowments of nature as are poetry Haines Bros.
The Haines piano was a good seller at him the matter had been going on for a
or music or art. Jay Gould was no less a
genius than Alexander of Macedon. Le- the Gorham store, and in order to help out year, he renewing the drafts from time to
and Stanford was as great a man as Pope, the manufacturer Mr. Williams gave him time.
Mr. John Haines when interviewed about
id Stephen Girard as brilliant as Addison. the accommodation paper, with the under-
-i.nd all of these were born great. Because standing, of course, that the New York firm the Gorham matter, had little to say be-
.nen overlook this truth as applied to busi- would make it good either by meeting the yond the fact that he proposed to live up
ness, every line of legitimate commercial drafts or forwarding goods to Worcester to all the business arrangements which he
pursuit is crowded by people who are sure for sale. The New York firm has neglect- had made with the Gorham firm, in the ful-
to fail.
People who can raise a little ed to do either of these things, and now fillment of which he had been retarded, ow-
money, people who are too indolent or too the creditors are looking to the Gorham ing to the depressed condition of business.
Mr. Haines further submitted to us docu-
proud to learn a trade, people who have company to pay the drafts.
The trouble started last week, when drafts mentary evidence which is indisputable, in
failed at something else, people who have
no concept of what they are fitted for, and amounting to $1,100 were presented for that it shows close money dealings with the
Gorham firm. It seems to us, with the evi-
I don't know how many other people, payment by the Mount Morris Bank, of
all fancying that anybody can sell goods, New York City. Mf. Gorham refused to dence which Mr. Haines has in his posses-
start into business. It would be fully as honor them, and then the matter was sion, that for Mr. Gorham to assume the
reasonable in the most of them to start placed in the hands of Charles M. Thayer, position that he does shows an extreme ig-
into writing poetry or composing music, who attached the store. The German- norance on his part regarding the business
American Bank of Rochester then put in a affairs of the firm which bears his name.
and they would be just as successful
claim,
and when it was repudiated it at-
C. L. Gorham & Co. according to the
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tached
the store through Hopkins, Bacon signature of numerous acceptances received
*
WE are pleased to say that Mr. Joseph & Smith in the sum of $3,000. Bernard large amounts of money from Haines &
Mann of Mann& Eccles, Providence, R. I., L. Smith, of New York, then appeared on Co. Haines & Co. were not the sole ben-
who has been confined to his room at the the scene with a draft of $600, which he eficiaries in the deals between them. A
Hotel Bartholdi with an attack of pneumo- presented personally for payment. Mr. large amount of colloquially termed "ac-
nia, is sufficiently recovered to permit of Gorham refused to honor this, and Mr. commodation paper" passed
between
his removal to his sister's home on Lexing- Smith put the matter in the hands of
them.
Thayer & Cobb, with the result that an at-
ton avenue.
If Mr. Williams exceeded his authority
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tachment for $1,000 was put on the store.
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in signing the name of C. L. Gorham & Co.
BLOOMINGDALE BROS., proprietors of the
Mr. Gorham gave bonds to cover the to these notes and drafts, how is it that
big East side department store, are "boom- amount of the attachments, and there the these transactions were carried on through
ing" their so-called "Harmony" pianos in matter rests at present. Mr/Gorham, in the banks in Worcester without the matter
the daily papers this week. A "special re- speaking of the matter to a representative being once brought up as to the authoriza-
duction," and "stool and scarf thrown in," of the Worcester "Spy," said:
tion or genuineness of the firm's signat-
are offered in a showy advertisement osten-
"As far as the firm knows, the drafts in ure?
sibly to catch the eyes of parties returning question amount to about $25,000. Mr.
It occurs to us that the publicity of the
from the country.
Williams had been positively forbidden to details in this Gorham matter should have
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accept a draft on this firm on any condition been avoided. Mr. Gorham would have
whatever, and up to last Wednesday night I done well instead of spending his time in
FERD. MAYER, late manager of Chickering
& Sons' New York branch, accompanied by had not the remotest idea that he had done Europe and Florida to have gained a
his family returned this week from his so. As far as we know, he never has ac- closer insight into the business affairs of
cepted a draft for goods that we have his firm.
European trip.