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THE
VOL. X L V . No. 2 0 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at I Madison Ave., New York, November 16,1907
WILL MEET IN JANUARY.
Officers of the National Association to Meet—
President Crew Hopes for Large Attendance
— W . W. Warner of Madison, Wis., Issues
Expression on the Stencil Question.
. President Crew, of the National Association of
Piano Dealers of America, announces that the
regular annual officers' meeting will be held in
New York City during the latter part of next
January and expresses a desire that every officer
will make it convenient to be in New York at
that time, for at this meeting there will come
before the officers and Executive Committees
several subjects of vital importance to the Asso-
ciation, and with the exception of the next con-
vention this will be one of the most important
official meetings held since the organization of
the association. The membership has reached
such proportions that it surely is sufficiently
strong to enable it to take a stand on many sub-
jects which it has heretofore been obliged to
smooth over, awaiting the time when the offi-
cials felt it was sufficiently strong to take defi-
nite action. It is an old adage, and a very true
one, "Every child must creep before it walks."
The association is yet young and it has been
obliged to pass through the experiences of baby-
hood and financial trials, but now appears to be
on a solid footing and its members are eager to
demonstrate its increasing power and strength.
LETTER ON THE STENCIL QUESTION.
G. R. Putnam, secretary of the association,
has recently received the following communica-
tion from one of the active members of the
association, W. W. Warner, Madison, Wis., under
date of November 11:
"Dear Sir:—Many years since the Emerson
Piano Co., which your subscriber has had the
honor to represent in Madison for over thirty
years, asked me for an opinion as to the ad-
visability of making or continuing to make the
Gramer piano. I recall that my judgment, as
then expressed, was against the Emerson Piano
Co. making a "second." If, now, there ever were
excellent "commercial" pianos made, the Gramer
was in the forefront. I am glad, however, that
its manufacture has been discontinued.
"If there exist necessity for "seconds" and
"thirds" ad infinitum, and perhaps there does
(but I doubt it), it is a pity. Unequivocally, I
am opposed to all stencils, under whatever name,
grade or pretext, whatsoever. Let every tub
stand on its own bottom. No circumlocution.
Sooner or later buyers find that they have a
breach-of-promise piano; that there are legiti-
mate pianos in the same family and from the
same factory. This knowledge is certain to dis-
credit the entire trade.
"While there is a stencil 'Warner' piano, I am
glad to say it is one with which this house has
no connection. I am unquestionably radical on
this subject, but feel that no self-respecting (and
independent) dealer ought to support a factory
which stencils pianos for catalog houses. This
is, perhaps, somewhat more heinous than sten-
ciling for every other Tom, Dick and Harry.
That is, it is a degree more reprehensible than
all other forms of stenciling. It is somewhat
doubtful, however, if any amount of discussion
or agitation will, in considerable measure, be-
cause hitherto profitable, overcome this all-
prevalent evil.
"Even the 'Guides' sometimes lend quasi-en-
dorsements of pianos that are sailing under false
colors. It seems to me that we are in a fair wa>
to bring the piano business to the desperate level
of that reached in Germany, where probably
eight per cent, of the pianos sold, certainly of
those exported, are stencils of the rottenest type.
"If all our gigantic factories are to continue
their out-grind of good, medium good, bad and
bass-wood pianos, then the stenciling must per-
force continue, and this may ultimately spe'l
practical extinction of the first-name pianos in
America. Say, give us the actual relative pro-
portions in 1907, of first-name, seconds, thirds,
stencils and, particularly of catalog house pianos
and organs. Then we may readily see where we
are likely to hear Buffalo! All Out! announced.
Yours truly, W. W. Warner."
M. P. MOLLER AWARDED CONTRACT
For the Pipe Organ to be Erected in the First
M. E. Church at Woonsocket, R. I.—Will be
of Modern Equipment in Every Respect.
The First M. E. Church, of Woonsocket, R. I.,
has awarded M. P. Moller, the eminent pipe organ
builder, of Hagerstown, Md., the contract to build
the new organ for their new church. Before
awarding the contract the organ committee re-
ceived estimates from a number of the leading
builders and saw organs of different makes, but
decided that Mr. Mollei's propositian was the
best received.
The instrument will be one of the finest in that
section, and contains all the improvements known
in modern organ building, some of which have
never been used in organs of other makes.
The action is Moller's patent tubular pneumatic
throughout, including couplers,, stop-action and
combinations. This system of action has been
pronounced by the most eminent organists.and
organ experts as the most satisfactory, and on
account of its simplicity the most durable, while
the touch of the keys is as light, and the response
as prompt, as that of the best grand piano, even
when playing full organ.
One feature found in this organ, which is of
particular value to organists is the system of ad-
justable combinations, by means of which the
organists can change the stops on any combina-
tion at will without leaving the keyboard or in-
terfering with his playing, or the entire regis-
tration of any musical selections can be previous-
ly arranged so that all that is necessary for the
organist to change the stops on either manual
is simple—press a button.
While it is the aim of the builder to produce
an organ that will be perfect musically the ap-
pearance of the instrument will have careful
attention and the design will oe in perfect
harmony with the church architecture.
The o.£an will have twenty-eight stops, 1,073
pipes, six adjustable combinations, and three
pedal movements.
The Moller organ factory at Hagerstown, Md.,
SINGL
C
§.OO 0 PER S VE 0 AR CENTS.
is one of the largest and best equipped plants of
its kind in the country, and has already fur-
nished organs for almost 900 churches through-
out all parts of the country, also pipe organs
for Bermuda, Australia and other foreign coun-
tries.
BANKRUPTCY CONVICTION UPHELD.
U.
S. Circuit Court Sustains Prosecution
Against Parties Who Conceal Their Assets—
The Decision First of Its Kind.
The United States Circuit Court of Appeals
for the Second Circuit has just handed down a
decision relating to fraudulent bankruptcies, af-
firming a conviction of three men for conspiracy
in concealing assets, which is the first of its
kind in the country. The opinion was rendered
by Judge Noyes, the most recent appointee in
this district of President Roosevelt. The de-
fendants were Richard Cohen, S. L. Simpson
and I. G. Mann, who conduct various businesses,
the principal one being the American Wire and
Steel Bed Co., owned by S. L. Simpson; the other
defendants were relatives. Wrong statements
were made regarding assets and liabilities, and
when the firm failed, the receivers went to work
and brought to light facts which showed one
of the most extraordinary frauds ever brought
to the attention of the authorities. It seems the
three defendants, one of whom resided in Boston,
worked hand in glove for the purpose of de-
frauding creditors, and making false statements.
The companies' assets disappeared; sales were
made of which no entry was found on the books;
notes of which no record were paid before the
failure; horses and wagons were sold after a
"mortgage foreclosure" and bought in by friends
of the defendants. And then to cap the climax,
after the failure the defendant was found doing
business at the old stand with the same stock
that had gone through the bankruptcy proceed-
ings.
The defendants were found guilty after trial
before the federal authorities, and the case came
before the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals on writ
of error, with the result that the conviction was
affirmed. The guilty parties are liable to a fine
of $10,000 or imprisonment, or both.
The New York Law journal, in commenting
upon this case, says: "Nothing could aid as
powerfully in fostering and increasing satisfac-
tion with the National system as the actual sup-
pression of fraudulent abuses. To this end, we
would repeat the suggestion heretofore made for
amendment of the law. Great credit is due to
the Federal District Attorney's office for the in-
defatigable prosecution of the present conspiracy
cases, as well as to Mr. Julius Henry Cohen,
who was appointed Special United States Dis-
trict Attorney and successfully conducted the
somewhat novel litigations in court.
"The law should be amended so as specifically
and definitely to class as crimes many acts
which are wont to be committed in anticipation
of bankruptcy proceedings."
H. L. Stoner has recently opened a piano store
in Chambersburg, Pa,