Music Trade Review
Issue: 1880 Vol. 3 N. 5 - Page 13
October 5th, 1880.
DOMESTIC
YOL. III.
13
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
A.2STD E X P O R T
TRADE.
NEW YOKK, OCTOBER 5TH, 1880.
No. 5.
THE BURDETT-ESTEY ORGAN CASE.
T is a real treat to visit the trade
in Philadephia and Baltimore.
I I like
to hear Mr. Gray, of Slioe-
NEW AND STARTLING REVELATIONS.
macker & Company, talk about
CHARGES OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION AND BLACKMAIL.
moving to New York and opening
a branch store there ; I like to
ARREST OF RILEY BURDETT'S PARTNER AND MANAGER IN THE CASE.
hear James Bellak vow that the
piano and organ trade is getting
HIS INDICTMENT BY THE GBAND JURY.
as bad as the sewing machine
IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL.
trade (he couldn't say anything
worse about it); I like to bask in
the smile of Boner, and chat with
VER since the decision in this famous case, we have been trying to get at
the hearty Trumpler of J. Ditson
the inside history of the affair, so that we might place the true animus be-
& Co. ; I am fond of spending fore our readers. The recent astounding revelations at Brattleboro', Vermont,
a half hour with Woelsifer, of Al- concerning the stealing of the First National Bank of that town by its Pres-
brecht's, where, by the way, I ident, his flight and his arrest, have come at a time when we have about
first saw a Taber organ exposed concluded our investigations, and afford us an opportunity of exposing the
for sale.
whole matter. This we propose to do in a series of articles which we
commend to the consideration of the trade.
* *
I have met several times in
In this, the first article, we shall merely outline some of the principle fea-
Worcester, Mass., a benevolent- tures of the case, and give an account of affairs as they now stand with
looking gentleman who, I was Silas M. Waite, the Brattleboro' bank robber.
told, was the manufacturer of the
Before we have finished this series of articles we expect to expose such a
Taber organ ; but I always look- mass of corruption as has not been brought into public light in many a day.
Silas M. Waite absconded last June, having defalcated in the manage-
ed upon this statement in the light of a joke.
ment of the Brattleboro' Bank to the extent of about half a million of dollars.
Until Tuesday, September 21st, when he was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska,
In Baltimore I never find time hang heavily on my hands, when I have at the house of his brother-in-law, Truman Buck, by special detective W.
to visit such parties as Knabe & Co., and Stieff & Co., the manufacturers ; H. Shields, Waite had succeeded in hiding his tracks so well that no suspi-
and Otto Sutro, George Willig & Co., and Sanders & Stayman, the dealers. cion of his whereabouts was entertained, except by a few of the blood hounds
At Knabe & Co's, although Mr. Ernest Knabe may be traveling in the West, of the law, the popular supposition being that he had fled for Europe.
as he was when I was in Baltimore last, still Mr. Keidel will be found to take
Waite was brought back to Brattleboro' on Friday morning, September
24th. He returned as a criminal under the United States laws and will un-
his place with exceeding grace.
doubtedly be tried in the United States Court. He freely admitted to
*
the detectives on his way east that he took the money from the bank, but
* *
professed a determination to make a stout fight against conviction on the
Everyone in Philadelphia and Baltimore was up to his ears in business. ground that he never applied a dollar of the money for his own benefit. This
is an absurd plea. He said that the first money he took was $25,000, which
* *
Albert Weber has secured Stemberg to advertise the Weber piano this he gave his brother to establish a coal-yard in Chicago, from which he ex-
season. It will cost Mr. Weber about $20,000 at least, to send Mr. Sternberg pected a return of 15 per cent, per annum. The great fire wiped this out,
however, and the investment was a total loss. He also claimed to have
about the country, and I trust he may get it back again.
furnished the money for the Burdett organ works, and to have sunk the
•* * *
Albert is a very nice young man, but he talks too much. He has been whole half million in ways similar to these. He professed to have taken only
frequently heard to remark lately that the MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE EEVIEW $800 away with him. The detectives say that large sums of money were
is " going for him,"—whatever that may mean—and that he could break the telegraphed to him, and it is known that he purchased a cattle ranch during
his stay in the west, where it is probable he expected to remain for the rest
blamed paper all up if he had a mind to.
All right, young man, but when you undertake the above piece of busi- of his life, thinking that no decided effort would be made to capture him.
It will be remembered that in the trial of the Burdett patent case, the
ness I would advise you to get a partner, for you will have more work on your
hands than you can attend to alone. A friend remarks that Mr. Weber defendant was able to make a complete answer to every claim of infringe-
ment of the patent; it was so admitted by Burdett, his counsel, and by
probably meant his threat in jest.
experts, and this was only gainsaid or denied by a scheme concocted by
Jest so !
Burdett, or, more likely, by his partner and intimate friend, Silas M.
*
Waite, the bank forger, when the idea was hit upon of charging the de-
* *
with forging the exhibit and the testimony with which they (the
The impending failures in Boston which the MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE fendants
defendants)
expected to meet this case.
REVIEW alluded to about a month ago, did not come off after all; but the par-
It is charged by the evidence that transpired upon the trial that one
ties ]ust escaped by the skin of their teeth.
However, they can probably escape in the same way every time, which Moses O. Nichols, who had already testified once in favor of the defendants,
means from one to three times a year, as it is not for the interests of the par- had afterwar'ds attempted to blackmail one of the defendants to the tune of
$1,000, threatening that, in case the money was not paid, he would go over
ties carrying them to let them go under.
Still we need not give up all hope of interesting news from Boston within to the plaintiff; and as this defendant (Jacob Estey) did not blackmail '' worth
the next four weeks, as another, but smaller house, is getting into deep a cent," he (Nichols) at once went to Burdett's partner, the forger, Waite,
who bought him up, and with his aid concocted and attempted to carry out
•water because the financial supplies are about to be cut off.
a scheme to ruin Estey.
*
These parties, according to the testimony in the case, secured the ex-
* *
hibits on which Estey depended to win this suit. These exhibits were sent
Speaking of water makes me think of the Hallet, Davis & Co. stock.
to Burdett's lawyer in New York, on the plea that they were needed in
*
taking testimony, and while there, were mutilated andjprepared for Burdett's
* *
fiendish scheme, to not only smirch Estey, but prepare the way for a
The Young Journalist—with a capital J—who squeezes other papers for piratical attack on the entire organ trade.
matter for the Art Midget, and calls it editorial work, asks this question :
An examination of the testimony in this case shows that Silas M. Waite
" Can a weak editor strengthen his position by publishing his own bribed Moses O. Nichols by the payment of money in Brattleboro', Vermont;
that C. C. Converse, the vicerpresident of the Burdett Organ Co., met
portrait ? "
I should reply, " decidedly not," and should advise the Young Journal- Nichols at the Union Square Hotel, New York, paid his bill, and also paid him
additional money ; and in the trial of the case, the counsel for Burdett, while
ist—with a capital J—not to try it.
strongly admitting the complete answer of the organs which had been put in
*
evidence by the defendants, had simply this reply to make : That the defend-
I MEMBERS
would say OF
more,
but as ENJOYING
I am about THEMSELVES.—On
to start on an extended
THE TRADE
Tuesday western
night, ants, or their witnesses, had. forged these exhibits, and that but for their
trip,
I will hold
over I. until
the next of issue.
September
28, Mr.
Anderson,
the Celluloid Piano Key Co., Mr. H. forgery, the honest Mr. Waite and his partner, Mr. Burdett, would secure
Behning, the well known piano-maker, and Mr. S. Tower, the piano key their just dues.
We have here simply outlined a single one of the many extraordinary
maker, witnessed a performance of "Alixe," by Clara Morris at the Park
points in this case, and in subsequent articles shall go deeper into details.
theatre in Boston.
DOMESTIC
YOL. III.
13
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
A.2STD E X P O R T
TRADE.
NEW YOKK, OCTOBER 5TH, 1880.
No. 5.
THE BURDETT-ESTEY ORGAN CASE.
T is a real treat to visit the trade
in Philadephia and Baltimore.
I I like
to hear Mr. Gray, of Slioe-
NEW AND STARTLING REVELATIONS.
macker & Company, talk about
CHARGES OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION AND BLACKMAIL.
moving to New York and opening
a branch store there ; I like to
ARREST OF RILEY BURDETT'S PARTNER AND MANAGER IN THE CASE.
hear James Bellak vow that the
piano and organ trade is getting
HIS INDICTMENT BY THE GBAND JURY.
as bad as the sewing machine
IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL.
trade (he couldn't say anything
worse about it); I like to bask in
the smile of Boner, and chat with
VER since the decision in this famous case, we have been trying to get at
the hearty Trumpler of J. Ditson
the inside history of the affair, so that we might place the true animus be-
& Co. ; I am fond of spending fore our readers. The recent astounding revelations at Brattleboro', Vermont,
a half hour with Woelsifer, of Al- concerning the stealing of the First National Bank of that town by its Pres-
brecht's, where, by the way, I ident, his flight and his arrest, have come at a time when we have about
first saw a Taber organ exposed concluded our investigations, and afford us an opportunity of exposing the
for sale.
whole matter. This we propose to do in a series of articles which we
commend to the consideration of the trade.
* *
I have met several times in
In this, the first article, we shall merely outline some of the principle fea-
Worcester, Mass., a benevolent- tures of the case, and give an account of affairs as they now stand with
looking gentleman who, I was Silas M. Waite, the Brattleboro' bank robber.
told, was the manufacturer of the
Before we have finished this series of articles we expect to expose such a
Taber organ ; but I always look- mass of corruption as has not been brought into public light in many a day.
Silas M. Waite absconded last June, having defalcated in the manage-
ed upon this statement in the light of a joke.
ment of the Brattleboro' Bank to the extent of about half a million of dollars.
Until Tuesday, September 21st, when he was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska,
In Baltimore I never find time hang heavily on my hands, when I have at the house of his brother-in-law, Truman Buck, by special detective W.
to visit such parties as Knabe & Co., and Stieff & Co., the manufacturers ; H. Shields, Waite had succeeded in hiding his tracks so well that no suspi-
and Otto Sutro, George Willig & Co., and Sanders & Stayman, the dealers. cion of his whereabouts was entertained, except by a few of the blood hounds
At Knabe & Co's, although Mr. Ernest Knabe may be traveling in the West, of the law, the popular supposition being that he had fled for Europe.
as he was when I was in Baltimore last, still Mr. Keidel will be found to take
Waite was brought back to Brattleboro' on Friday morning, September
24th. He returned as a criminal under the United States laws and will un-
his place with exceeding grace.
doubtedly be tried in the United States Court. He freely admitted to
*
the detectives on his way east that he took the money from the bank, but
* *
professed a determination to make a stout fight against conviction on the
Everyone in Philadelphia and Baltimore was up to his ears in business. ground that he never applied a dollar of the money for his own benefit. This
is an absurd plea. He said that the first money he took was $25,000, which
* *
Albert Weber has secured Stemberg to advertise the Weber piano this he gave his brother to establish a coal-yard in Chicago, from which he ex-
season. It will cost Mr. Weber about $20,000 at least, to send Mr. Sternberg pected a return of 15 per cent, per annum. The great fire wiped this out,
however, and the investment was a total loss. He also claimed to have
about the country, and I trust he may get it back again.
furnished the money for the Burdett organ works, and to have sunk the
•* * *
Albert is a very nice young man, but he talks too much. He has been whole half million in ways similar to these. He professed to have taken only
frequently heard to remark lately that the MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE EEVIEW $800 away with him. The detectives say that large sums of money were
is " going for him,"—whatever that may mean—and that he could break the telegraphed to him, and it is known that he purchased a cattle ranch during
his stay in the west, where it is probable he expected to remain for the rest
blamed paper all up if he had a mind to.
All right, young man, but when you undertake the above piece of busi- of his life, thinking that no decided effort would be made to capture him.
It will be remembered that in the trial of the Burdett patent case, the
ness I would advise you to get a partner, for you will have more work on your
hands than you can attend to alone. A friend remarks that Mr. Weber defendant was able to make a complete answer to every claim of infringe-
ment of the patent; it was so admitted by Burdett, his counsel, and by
probably meant his threat in jest.
experts, and this was only gainsaid or denied by a scheme concocted by
Jest so !
Burdett, or, more likely, by his partner and intimate friend, Silas M.
*
Waite, the bank forger, when the idea was hit upon of charging the de-
* *
with forging the exhibit and the testimony with which they (the
The impending failures in Boston which the MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE fendants
defendants)
expected to meet this case.
REVIEW alluded to about a month ago, did not come off after all; but the par-
It is charged by the evidence that transpired upon the trial that one
ties ]ust escaped by the skin of their teeth.
However, they can probably escape in the same way every time, which Moses O. Nichols, who had already testified once in favor of the defendants,
means from one to three times a year, as it is not for the interests of the par- had afterwar'ds attempted to blackmail one of the defendants to the tune of
$1,000, threatening that, in case the money was not paid, he would go over
ties carrying them to let them go under.
Still we need not give up all hope of interesting news from Boston within to the plaintiff; and as this defendant (Jacob Estey) did not blackmail '' worth
the next four weeks, as another, but smaller house, is getting into deep a cent," he (Nichols) at once went to Burdett's partner, the forger, Waite,
who bought him up, and with his aid concocted and attempted to carry out
•water because the financial supplies are about to be cut off.
a scheme to ruin Estey.
*
These parties, according to the testimony in the case, secured the ex-
* *
hibits on which Estey depended to win this suit. These exhibits were sent
Speaking of water makes me think of the Hallet, Davis & Co. stock.
to Burdett's lawyer in New York, on the plea that they were needed in
*
taking testimony, and while there, were mutilated andjprepared for Burdett's
* *
fiendish scheme, to not only smirch Estey, but prepare the way for a
The Young Journalist—with a capital J—who squeezes other papers for piratical attack on the entire organ trade.
matter for the Art Midget, and calls it editorial work, asks this question :
An examination of the testimony in this case shows that Silas M. Waite
" Can a weak editor strengthen his position by publishing his own bribed Moses O. Nichols by the payment of money in Brattleboro', Vermont;
that C. C. Converse, the vicerpresident of the Burdett Organ Co., met
portrait ? "
I should reply, " decidedly not," and should advise the Young Journal- Nichols at the Union Square Hotel, New York, paid his bill, and also paid him
additional money ; and in the trial of the case, the counsel for Burdett, while
ist—with a capital J—not to try it.
strongly admitting the complete answer of the organs which had been put in
*
evidence by the defendants, had simply this reply to make : That the defend-
I MEMBERS
would say OF
more,
but as ENJOYING
I am about THEMSELVES.—On
to start on an extended
THE TRADE
Tuesday western
night, ants, or their witnesses, had. forged these exhibits, and that but for their
trip,
I will hold
over I. until
the next of issue.
September
28, Mr.
Anderson,
the Celluloid Piano Key Co., Mr. H. forgery, the honest Mr. Waite and his partner, Mr. Burdett, would secure
Behning, the well known piano-maker, and Mr. S. Tower, the piano key their just dues.
We have here simply outlined a single one of the many extraordinary
maker, witnessed a performance of "Alixe," by Clara Morris at the Park
points in this case, and in subsequent articles shall go deeper into details.
theatre in Boston.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).