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THE
PAYNE SEEKING BAD PIANO MAN.
Sold Several Pianos for Cash and Decamped
With $1,015 Cash—Evidently a Pretty
Clever Man Who Might Have Made Money
Legitimately if He Had Tried Very Hard.
Sedalia, Mo., Feb. 14. 1906.
The Music Trade Review, New York:
Gentlemen—Perhaps a smaii space in your val-
uable paper will help to unearth a fraud who may
have operated, perhaps, among other piano deal-
ers. On November 18, 1905, a man giving his
name as F. B. Shaw applied to me for a position.
He showed what appeared to be good references,
and he commenced work for me Nov. 20, selling
pianos and soliciting. He appeared to be honest,
did good work, had no bad habits, and appeared
to be a gentleman. He was an all 'round piano
hustler, familiar with the business and appeared
to be a good and experienced salesman.
He claimed he had worked for Wilkin-Red-
man Co., of Columbus, O., C. Hoffman, of Kan-
sas City, and other large music houses; also
claimed he had an uncle by name "Tom" Shaw
in the wholesale and retail piano business in
Kansas.
For the first pianos I shipped out of town for
him to sell, he turned in some cash and bogus
paper. While he made some cash sales out of
town and turned in the cash, other sales were
pending (as he claimed), and the pianos were
left a t three different depots. When he was
ready to round up the cash he had his customers
appoint a time to meet him at a depot where
he had the pianos. He sold the instruments, got
the cash, and quickly left without my knowledge,
taking with him $1,015 cash that he had col-
lected on these pianos. Enclosed is a sample
card that he used in selling these pianos. This
was not my card, but his scheme to close these
deals. All the crooked work that could have
been proven crooked was done the last few days
of his stay. He so cleverly covered up his first
crooked work that there was no way by which
it would have been discovered for thirty days
or more, which gave•him all the time he had
intended to stay to get hold of all the cash he
could and get away.
Attached herewith is a full description of the
man: "Five ft. IOV2 or 11 in. high, broad shoul-
ders, small limbs and peculiar walk, very notice-
able; weight 180 to 190 pounds, smooth shaven,
light brown hair, slightly bald, blue gray eyes,
lew eyebrows, good front teeth, 35 or 40 years
old. When here wore dark brown check sack
suit, large checked new overcoat, Masonic seal
ring; 7% shoe, 15 Ms collar, diamond in shirt
front, also carried unmounted diamond in pocket-
book. Was well posted about piano dealers all
over the country. Very agreeable and freely
spoken man. Was in Sedalia from Nov. 20, 1905
to Jan. 22, 1906. Was acting as salesman for
S. R. Payne's music house, Sedalia, Mo.; $50
reward will be paid for his arrest and detention.
For further information communicate with
Chief of Police E. J. Love, Sedalia, Mo. We do
not expect to find him by name."
Thanking you in advance for this courtesy, I
beg to remain,
Yours truly,
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PEASE FORCES DI
INSURANCE FOR EMPLOYES.
Information Desired by the Department
Commerce and Labor on This Subject.
of
The Department of Commerce and Labor,
Washington, D. C, is sending out the following
call for information regarding insurance of
workmen and employers' liability:
"Dear Sir:—The Bureau of Labor is prepar-
ing a report covering the various systems of
workingmen's insurance and employers' liability
both in this country and abroad. The report
will cover insurance against sickness, accident,
disability, old age, death and unemployment.
"In this connection it is endeavoring to secure
information concerning the existence in the
United States of what are usually known as es-
tablishment funds—that is, mutual relief or in-
surance funds organized and maintained by the
employees of an industrial establishment, or re-
lief funds supported either wholly or in part by
the employers themselves. It is desired to ob-
tain, wherever possible, copies of constitutions,
rules and by-laws, blank certificate forms, and
any other matter relating to funds of this char-
acter. In the absence of other data the name
and location of establishments in which such
funds exist are desired.
"In view of the wide circulation which your
journal has among employers of labor and others
who may be in a position to turnish information
regarding this subject, I would esteem it a great
favor if you would insert in an early issue of
the same a brief mention 01 the above facts,
with the request that persons possessing data of
any kind relative to the existence of establish-
ment funds in this country communicate with
me at their earliest convenience. Thanking you
for such attention as you may be disposed to
give the matter, I am, very truly yours,
"CHAS. P. NEILL, Commissioner."
NEW MACHINES FOR CABLE COMPANY
Which Will Prove Great Time Savers—A Nar-
row Gauge Railroad Around Lumber Yard
Which Will be Soon in Operation.
(Special to The Review.)
St. Charles, 111., Feb. 19, 1900.
Foreman Oscar Anderson of the key making
department at the Cable Piano factory in this
city has been busily engaged with a gang of
men in setting up the new finishing machine
which arrived from the factory of the Superior
Machine Co., of Chicago, last week.
These new machines are a recent invention
and are used in putting on the ivory finish to
the keyboads of the piano. One of these ma-
chines will do the work of from three to five
skilled laborers in one day, and give a better
and more even finish. The keyboard is first
made in one large piece, and after being placed
in its position the keys are sawed apart and then
the polishing is done. Foreman Anderson ex-
pects to have the machine all set up and ready
for work by the middle of this week.
A new narrow gauge railroad has been laid
about the lumber yards during the past three
days. The new railroad is equipped with three
S. R. PAYNE.
turntables and all the necessary cars and dum-
The card referred to by Mr. Payne is as fol- my engines required in the work of handling
lows :
Chiekering, Beaumeister,
Wholesale Ware Rooms : the large amount of lumber that is daily trans-
Kimball, Ludwig, Steck
ferred from the yards to the dry kilns and
.). & C. Fischer. Schiller,
CHICAGO, ILL.
from the driers to the milling rooms. Foreman
Richmond, Hoffman and
Many other makes of Pianos
KANSAS CITY, MO.
Clyde Zavitz is expecting to place the new rail-
F. B. SHAW,
road system of the lumber yards in operation
Wholesale Distributor.
within a few days.
Sole Agent for the
PEP)ELESS ELECTRIC PIANOS,
. 239-253 Wabash Ave.
CHICAGO, ILL.
HAINES BROS. IN TACOMA,. WASH.
W. S. Bassindale, the enterprising dealer of
Tacoma, Wash.; is having excellent success with
the Haines Bros, pianos in his section of the
country. He has found them equal to all claims
made, and up to the reputation which they have
enjoyed for many long years. Mr. Bassindale,
in addition to pianos, handles talking machines
and sheet music.
TO PREVENT MUSIC ON SUNDAY.
(Special to The Review.)
Louisville, Ky., Feb. 19, 1906.
Senator De Haven introduced a bill this morn-
ing to make it unlawful to play any musical in-
strument on Sunday in any resort where liquor
is sold. This will affect not only the red-light
saloons in Louisville, but also the park resorts.
Roberts & Groenier, of Lancaster, Wis., are
handling the Farrand line in that city.
Entertained at the Hotel Cadil
Pease
Presided—Messrs.
B >3n
Marks as Special Guests—Moft/jc)E;
Reunion.
Social events in the piano trac
numerous but that one always is considered a
bright spot varying the monotony of the every-
day course of events. One of the most notable
of the season took place at the Hotel Cadillac,
on Broadway and 43d street, on the evening of
Thursday, February 15, when at their third an-
nual dinner the Pease Piano Co. dined and wined
the members of their office and sales staff of
their New York, Brooklyn and Newark stores.
Covers for forty were laid, and every place was
filled. Among those who sat down to the feast
were two who were specially invited for the oc-
casion: Chas. B. Brownell and M. D. Marks, of
D. S. Andrus & Co., of Williamsport, Pa., which
firm is the oldest Pease agency on record, having
handled their well-known instruments for about
thirty-five years.
John D. Pease, the president of the Pease Piano
Co., was the toastmaster, and gave an interest-
ing talk to the salesmen on pertinent matters,
and thanked them warmly for their efforts dur-
ing the past year.
The various toasts were responded to by Chas.
E. Brownell and M. D. Marks, of Williamsport;
G. E. Smith, manager at Newark, N. J.; J. B.
Cohen, the manager of the Brooklyn branch, and
G. A. Schofield, manager of the New York ware-
rooms.
In order that the old saying that laughter aids
digestion might be thoroughly tested, two pro-
fessional entertainers were present and effectu-
ally eradicated every trace of dullness that might
have been caused by shop talk. A magnificent
Pease piano also graced the dining room, and
the musicians among the staff vied with each
other in demonstrating the wonderful harmony
it was capable of producing. The guests dis-
persed at a very early hour Friday morning with
the feeling that it had been one of the most
pleasant events of their business career.
TRADES MUSIC STORE FOR LAND.
(Special to The Review.)
Denison, la., Feb. 17, 1906.
A deal involving the sum of $25,000 was closed
this week by J. L. Warbasse, of this city, and
the A. F. Plain Land Co., of Westphalia, Kas.
In the transaction Mr. Warbasse trades his fine
store building, two houses and his music busi-
ness for 400 acres of rich farming land two and
one-half miles west of Westphalia. Mr. War-
basse will ship his horses and stock to the farm
as soon as possible and expects to leave for that
place with his family by the 1st of March.
The store is now closed and is being invoiced
and it is rumored that the purchasers will dis-
pose of it in bulk as soon as possible, as they
do not intend to continue the business here.
A. D. Randall, of this city, is now in charge
of the store.
THE INCOMES OF ORGAN GRINDERS.
By turning the handle of an organ the Italian
in England obtains nearly eight times as much
per week as he can earn in Italy, more than four
times as much as the English farm laborer, and
nearly three times the pay of the policeman who
moves him on when requested. Thousands of
skilled artisans who have served apprenticeship
as carpenters, painters and joiners get only half
the organ grinder's pay, for the Italian reckons
it a very poor week indeed if he makes less
than $15, and he often gets $17.50 to $20 or more.
S. H. PERRY'S GOOD TRIP.
Stuart H. Perry, the road ambassador for the
Everett Piano Co., returned from a lengthy
trip on Friday morning, with a good fat book
of orders, and reports from dealers that they are
experiencing a phenomenal business as far as
the Everett is concerned.