Music Trade Review

Issue: 1903 Vol. 37 N. 12

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
"WAS AN HONEST FAILURE"
OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS.
THE BEHR PIANO PLAYER
Says Trustee Rubino in Speaking of A. B. Cameron
Affairs—Will Pay at Least 60 Per Cent.—Light
on the Situation.
Pianos and Other Musical Instruments Shipped
Abroad From the Port of New York for the
Week Just Ended.
Steadily Winning Friends in All Parts of the Coun-
try—Dealers Should Know More of This In-
strument.
Thursday the affairs of the A. B. Cam-
eron Mfg. Co. were expected to be probed
before Referee in Bankruptcy Tipling,
Long Island City, but the hearing was
previously adjourned without date owing
to the continued absence of A. B. Cameron,
whose whereabouts is still unknown, al-
though it is believed he is in a sanitarium
in broken health.
Trustee Rubino stated to The Review on
Wednesday: "Everything in connection
with the Cameron property has been sold
excepting the real estate, trade-mark, scale
and good will. These will be disposed of
privately to the highest bidder. We have
been busy converting the assets into cash,
and at the present time we have over $13,-
000 in hand, and in two or three weeks will
declare a dividend of about 30 per cent. As
a matter of fact we have enough money
now to pay 60 per cent, and it is very like-
ly the creditors will be paid in full when
everything is sold, as the liabilities are be-
tween $17,000 and $20,000. The stock-
holders will be the only losers.
"An examination of the bankrupt con-
cern's effects has convinced us that this
was an honest failure. Cameron believed
he was a rich man—making money in his
business—and therefore lived beyond his
means unwittingly. He was a bachelor
and a man of repute and standing socially
as well as in business, and certainly did not
know the true state of his affairs, until
within two days of the assignment. Fur-
thermore, it is believed the criminal charge
now pending against him was not without
motive, for I hear a settlement was offer-
ed first for $25,000, then for ten thousand,
and finally for a thousand, or any old thing
to mulct him. We have a bunch of letters
from dealers inquiring about the Cameron
piano and it is evidently a good property."
[Special to The Review.]
Washington, D. C, Sept. 15, 1903.
Liverpool, Hamburg and far off Mel-
bourne proved our best customers for exports
of musical instruments during the week just
ended, the exports to Melbourne reaching
$6,255 m value, while OUT exports to all ports
from New York for the week were as fol-
lows :
Antwerp—118 packages talking machines,
$8,170.
Berlin—75 packages talking machines, $4,-
967; 65 packages talking machines, $1,108.
Batoum—4 cases talking machines, $125.
Guayaquil—1 case piano players and ma-
terial, $162.
Hamburg—67 packages talking machines,
$3. 1 7 I ; 8 packages pianos, $1,132; 59 pack-
ages organs, $2,641.
Havre—27 packages talking machines,
$794-
Kingston—6 packages organs, $133.
Liverpool—6 cases piano players, $450; 8
packages talking machines, $500; 4 packages
talking machines, $165; 3 packages organs,
$182; 69 packages organs and material,
$6,408.
Melbourne—5 cases talking machines,
$241; 13 packages organs and material, $265;
10 packages pianos, $1,060; 47 cases organs,
$2,199; 26 packages musical instruments,
$901; 41 packages talking machines, $1,475;
2 packages music rolls, $114.
Naples—4 packages music, $2,500; 2 pack-
ages pianos and material, $850.
Natal—39 packages organs and material,
$1,453-
Port Limon—9 cases talking machines,
$313-
Sydney—13 cases musical instruments,
$261 ; 4 packages pianos, $410.
Tampico—5 packages talking machines,
$145; 12 packages pianos and material, $300.
VVellington—26 packages talking ma-
chines, $666; 16 packages organs, $1,000.
0. F. MEHLIN RECEIVING CONGRATULATIONS.
The engagement is announced of Otto
Frederick Mehlin, son of Paul G. Mehlin
and brother of H. Paul Mehlin, president
DEALER'S PECULIAR DAMAGE SUIT.
of the New York Piano Manufacturer's As-
[Special to The Review.)
sociation, and of Charles Mehlin, of Paul G.
Marysville, O., Sept. 15, 1903.
William A. Phelps filed suit in the com- Mehlin & Sons, to Miss Elsa Stemme, only
daughter of Henry J. Stemme, a wealthy
mon pleas court here to-day against Attor-
retired New York merchant, and for many-
ney John F. Millar, for $1,000 damages.
years past an active and highly esteemed
The defendant accused the plaintiff of con-
member of the Arion Society of this city.
verting a part of his property into money
Mr. Mehlin is in his 24th year, and has al-
for the purpose of placing it beyond his
ready thoroughly mastered every detail
creditors, with intent to defraud them.
connected with the manufacture of high-
The plaintiff, who is a music dealer, says
grade pianos. The wedding will probably
that by reason of these slanderous state-
take place during the winter.
ments his business has been damaged to
the extent of $5,000. Plaintiff says that
the defendant is a practicing attorney at
Richwood and is heavily in debt and by
reason thereof a large judgment against
him would injure his business and will re-
mit all damages in excess of $1,000.
This is something out of the ordinary
in the way of damage suits. It is seldom
a plaintiff in a damage suit voluntarily re-
duces his claims or shows signs of mercy
in preliminary court proceedings.
Rudolph Preszburg, Winter traveler,
started on Monday for a three weeks' trip
in the interest of the Winter & Co. and
Heller & Co. pianos.
AN ILLINOIS
CORPORATION.
The Pipe Organ Co., of Elgin, was in-
corporated with the Secretary of Illinois
this week with a capital of $50,000. T h e
interested parties are Wm. Grote, Clark H.
Eno and Fred H. Ackermann.
The Behr report for the week shows a most
satisfactory condition of affairs.
The new
Behr style A is being called for from all sec-
tions and all other Behr current styles are in
demand. The Behr player is now being regu-
larly shipped in response to orders. In a
folder just issued from the Behr headquar-
ters the leading features of the Behr player
are dwelt of in a series of pithy paragraphs.
Under the title "What's in a Name?" the
following concise introduction is given:
"Behr Bros. & Co. have been manufactur-
ers of strictly high-grade pianos for nearly a
quarter of a century and have now completed
and ready for the market the new Behr piano-
player which is being produced under the
same careful management and searching
exactness in every detail that has always
characterized their piano product and placed
it amongst the highest artistic standards. For
this reason—and as it is believed they are
producing a player that will merit the highest
praise and be a fitting companion to the Behr
Bros. & Co. piano—it was decided to give
this player their own name, rather than a
meaningless, coined or arbitrary name as has
been the custom with other manufacturers of
piano players, believing that the name of
'Behr' carries with it a promise to the piano
trade and public of an artistic production of
the highest standard, there being no other
standards associated with this name. Do not
confuse the Behr piano-player with various
other devices of nameless origin, for it is a
device entirely of their own manufacture, un-
der their own patents."
After this comes references in detail to the
peculiar merits of the Behr player. All deal-
ers who are interested in this Behr specialty
should certainly secure a copy of the Behr
folder and note carefully the various points
set forth concerning it.
ORGAN COMPANY
INCORPORATED.
[Special to The Review.]
Cleveland, O., Sept. 15, 1903.
The Votteler-Hettche Organ Company,
of Cleveland, has been incorporated with
$10,000 capital stock, by H. B. Votteler, 1.
H. Hettche, Henry Holtkamp, S. Q. Ker-
ruish and M. D. Kerruish.
OLNEY, GASTON & CO. IN ST. JOSEPH.
[Special to The Review.]
St. Joseph, Mo., Sept. 14, 1903.
Olney, Gaston & Co., with headquarters
at Concordia, Kan., and with twenty
branch houses scattered throughout Kan-
sas and Nebraska, have opened a branch
store in this city, which is under the man-
agement of C. T. Ravi. A very handsome
line of pianos is being exhibited at their
;c\v store, 121 South 8th St.
BEHR BROS. & CO.
PIANOS,
29th Street and 11th Ave., NEW YORK.
HIGHEST STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
FAILURE OF CHAS, A. WESSELL.
Files a Petition on Monday With Liabilities of $18,-
384 and Assets of $15,674.
On Monday Chas. A. Wessell, manufac-
turer of pianos at 222 E. 37th St., filed a
petition in bankruptcy with liabilities of
$18,384 and nominal assets $15,674, consist-
ing of stock, $9,501; machinery, $3,533; ac-
counts, $1,388; cash in bank, $52; and
equity in lease, $1,200. Among the credit-
ors are : Elizabeth Wessell for $3,608; the
Bothner-Schmidt Action Co., Stephen S
Mapes, of New York; Pratt, Read & Co., of
Deep River, Conn., and the Parker, Young
Co., of Lisbon, N. H.
On the same day Judge Holt appointed
Stanley W. Dexter referee, and Mr. Wessell
was cited to appear before him for examina-
tion yesterday morning. Wednesday Theo.
E. Smith, a lawyer of 52 Broadway, was
named as receiver, on the petition of the
Bothner-Schmidt Action Co., one of the
heaviest creditors, and James, Schell & Elkus
selected as the attorneys for Mr. Smith, who
qualified on a $15,000 bond, taking possession
of the property on Thursday. After his ap-
pointment the receiver said to The Review:
"I shall take hold at once, assume charge of
the assets and proceed to wind up Mr. Wes-
sell's affairs for the benefit of the creditors,
under the direction of the Court, of course.
I shall not continue the business, as it appears
there is insufficient capital to do so."
Mr. Wessell's petition is a voluntary act,
and in it he declares: "That he owes debts
which he is unable to pay in full; and that he
is willing to surrender his property for the
benefit of his creditors, excepting such as are
exempt from law."
The failure of Mr. Wessell, regrettable
as it is, has not occasioned surprise, inas-
much as it was known for some time that he
was. somewhat pressed financially. He
made a good piano, but did not have the
capital to market and develop the trade in
a manner to insure him a profit. The Wes-
sell name is a good one, and it is not im-
probable the business will be continued, if
not by Mr. Wessell, by other parties who
may acquire the name.
WHITE-SMITH vs. APOLLO CO.
Testimony to Be Resumed—Case May Not Be Tried
Before the Spring.
In about a fortnight the taking of tes-
timony will be resumed in the test case of the
White-Smith Music Publishing Co. against
the Apollo Co. The witnesses will be called
in rebuttal, as both the prima facie evidence
and that of the defense have been closed by
stipulation. The defendants also have an
inning coming to them, and after that the
suit may be placed on the calendar of the
Circuit Court of the United States for the
southern district of New York. It was or-
iginally agreed that the case would be made
up for the October term, but it is not likely
to be tried before spring, according to the
statements of counsel.
H. A. Moodie, manager of the Everett
Piano Co.'s New York warerooms, is again
at his desk after a visit to a number of trade
points in the South.
FOR THE FALL TRADE
THis Year We Have the Finest,
Largest and Most Elegant StocK of
Heivry F. Miller
PIANOS
We Have Ever Heretofore Shown.
Of Special Interest are
-
-
-
THE NEW LYRIC GRAND
(Smaller than the Baby Grand)
A NEW SMALL VPRIGHT
(Style 29)
The New 77 Colonial Style
(With One Long Panel)
And
a CKoice StocK of
The Renaissance Style 70
In Mahogany, DarK Mahogany,
Walnut and OaK Cases
Piano Company
BOSTON,
MASS.

Download Page 11: PDF File | Image

Download Page 12 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.