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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
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COX SKIPPED AND IS WANTED.
"LEATHER BOARD" PROCESS SUIT.
FIRE IN THE STERLING FACTORY.
[Special to The Review.]
Waulbetsch & Wittemore of Newark Want to prevent
Former Employee from using their Process.
Only Slight Damage Done and Newspaper Report
Greatly Exaggerated.
[Special to The Review.]
The Associated Press reports from Derby,
Conn., stated that the Sterling factory was
threatened with total destruction by fire on
Saturday night, and that the local firemen
fought courageously for three hours before
it was subsided. The report also was sent
out that James R. Mason, secretary and treas-
urer of the company, was seriously injured
while on his way to the fire by being knocked
down by a wagon.
The actual facts in the case are that the
fire damage to the factory was very slight
indeed, and Mr. Mason says it will not in-
clude $250, and, of course, will not cause the
slightest interruption to the business. The
report of Mr. Mason's injury was as greatly
exaggerated as the fire, for he was at his
post early Monday morning, and says that he
suffered no inconvenience from the accident.
Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 22, 1901.
M. E. Cox, agent in Elmwood for Hard-
ing & Miller, piano dealers of this city, has
closed his place of business and left town. A
few nights ago the place occupied by Cox
was found to be on fire. Both Cox and his
wife were absent. Later Cox reported that
$200 in money and $200 in notes were stolen
from the pockets of a pair of trousers dur-
ing the fire. The music company and the
insurance adjuster started an examination,
but the officers were unable to find any evi-
dence, and the matter was dropped. It is
understood that the missing money and notes
were the property of the company.
After the fire Cox borrowed considerable
money and is alleged to have cashed checks
with business men when he had no funds
in bank. Before the checks could be pre-
sented for payment, Cox had gone, leaving
no information as to his destination. The
officers are making a further investigation
of the matter.
Talking of the affair, Harding & Miller
said: "Cox leaves in our debt. We have
something in our hands as an offset to this
indebtedness. He was about twenty-seven
years old and had been in our employ one
year. We have no information as to his
present whereabouts."
PIANOS THAT SELL.
Prominent Dealers Throughout the Country are De-
lighted with the Products of the American Piano
MTg Co.
Business with the American Piano Manu-
facturing Co. continues to thrive in a most
satisfactory way, and the latest products of
this concern have been warmly received by
dealers. New factory additions nearing com-
pletion, which have been referred to in ear-
lier issues of The Review, are now made im-
perative by the increased demand for the in-
struments manufactured by this concern.
The weekly shipments are very large, but
within the near future, when the additional
factory room available, they will be in-
creased. That the pianos manufactured by
this corporation contain specially attractive
features is evidenced by some of the later
deals which have been made by this house.
We were recently shown a list which included
some of the most distinguished names in the
retail department of the industry; in fact,
representative houses in various sections of
the country have placed large orders with
the American Piano Manufacturing Co. It
is apparent that there is great valfte in i5 the
American Co.'s product.
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FIRE IN MERKEL TEXAS.
[Special to The Review.]
Merkel, Tex., Oct. 21, 1901.
The most disastrous fire in the history of
the town occurred Saturday morning at three
o'clock, and three hours later a solid block
of substantial business houses was a mass
of smoldering debris. The fire is thought to
be of incendiary origin. Among the twelve
business houses burned out was that of S.
H. Baspam, music dealer. He was able,
however, to save a great portion of his stock,
which is covered by insurance.
Newark, N. J., Oct. 23, 1901.
Vice-Chancellor Stevens this morning
signed an order to show cause why Fred-
erick Miller should not be restrained from
manufacturing musical instrument cases from
a material used in a secret process by his
former employers, Waulbetsch & Wittemore,
of this city. Application for the order was
made by Austin Van Gieson, who filed a
bill setting forth that Miller resigned his
position last August and started in business
for himself.
It is further stated that Waulbetsch &
Wittemore have for many years made and
sold a line of cases for various musical in-
struments, which have become known to the
trade through their peculiar shape and the
locks used on them. The material used, the
bill goes on to state, is a composition known
as "leather-board." Miller, the bill alleges,
was intrusted with the formula from which
this material is made, as well as with vari-
ous moulds and forms employed in the shap-
ing of the cases,
Since starting in business on his own ac-
count, Miller, the bill asserts, has made cop-
ies of these moulds and has used the "leather-
board" compound in making cases, which he
has sold to the trade. The order is return-
able to-morrow morning in Chancery Cham-
bers.
BAD CHECK MEN ABROAD.
Attempts have been made during the past
week by a check "sharper" to palm off on
piano dealers in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a lot
of bad paper by purchasing pianos on the
installment plan. On the preliminary pay-
ment a much larger check than the amount
agreed upon was usually submitted. In one
instance a dealer was victimized, but the
"sharper" was not as successful with others.
It seems this slick stranger is plying his
trade pretty actively in the upper part of
the State and frequent stories have reached
The Review in this connection. This plan
of raising money is so common among piano
"dead-beats" that it is surprising any live
dealer could be caught in such a transaction.
DEATH OF ALEX T. HARMS.
It is with extreme regret that we announce
the death of Alexander T. Harms, of the
well-known music publishing house of T. B.
Harms & Co., this city, which occurred on
Wednesday last at his residence, 103 East
Tenth street, at the comparatively early age
of forty-five. Mr. Harms had been ill for
some time with inflammatory rheumatism,
but the reports regarding his health two
weeks ago were somewhat encouraging. His
death will be much regretted by a host of
friends and associates in the music publish-
ing field. Alexander Harms was a man who
had made a success in life—honest and gen-
uine, he was universally liked. Tie is sur-
vived by a widow.
The Moore Music Co., of Cambridge, O.,
have announced the opening of their new
music store on Nov. 1st in the Mathews
block, North Seventh street, that city.
BECOMING A TRIFLE "CHESTY."
Sporadic cases of labor troubles in music
trade ranks have appeared for some months
past, both in Chicago and New York. It is
evident that men, through the influence of
Doldism, have become a trifle "chesty," to
use the Devery term, and have made some un-
usual demands upon manufacturers. The
labor leaders should have a care lest they go
too far, for piano manufacturers are not in
a mood to submit to dictatorial words from
labor leaders just at present, even if business
is excellent. The men should not be led by
false lights in this matter. It may end most
disastrously for them.
BEHNING'S BEST OCTOBER.
Henry Behning, of the Behning Piano Co.,
informed The Review on Wednesday, in re-
sponse to an inquiry as to trade conditions,
that the present month, so far, has been the
best October since the firm began business.
Augustus Behning is traveling in the West;
Charles Spanier in the East.
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