Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
cient to stamp the dealer as a fraudulent liar, as Decker
& Son have not, or had not at the time at which the let-
THE dispute between Mr. Frederick A. Schwab and
ter reached them, manufactured 25,000 pianos.
the editors of The Musical Courier has, so far, been sig-
This is not the first time that this firm have been
nalized by a mutual defiance that forebodes "no quarter"
made to suffer in this way at the hands of dishonest
to the defeated litigants, whoever they may prove to be.
agents. The agent in the case under notice should not
The paragraph complained of by Mr. Schwab, if it be
only be named in large type in every Iowan newspaper,
libelous at all, is unmistakably so. There is no half-
but every firm whose goods he handles should promptly
heartedness about it. So far as the case has proceeded,
blacklist him, for their own sakes as well as for the pro
however, the defendants have not shown the least
tection of the public.
ground for their sweeping accusations. At the hearing
* *
on Friday afternoon last Mr. Loewy, attorney for Mr.
FERDINAND MAYER S MIGRATION.
Floersheim, did his best to rake up almost every action
of Mr. Schwab's professional life for a score or more of
During the past few weeks many important changes
years past, but elicited nothing beyond indignant denials have occurred in the rank and file of the music trade.
—nay, scoutings—of the charges and insinuations made One of the most noteworthy of these changes is that
fOR ihi cause that lacks assistance,
against him. The plaintiff's answers to the questions made by Mr. Ferdinand Mayer, who has severed his
of defendant's counsel were at least characterized by a connection with the house of Weber in order to fill the
*w lije wrong twt use4s resist**""
*
frankness and a readiness that told strongly, in the view position formerly held in the New York establishment
flor t!?e fotare'io tfee distance,
of the impartial spectator, in his favor. His engagements of Wm. Knabe & Co. by the lamented Herman Keidel.
upon various newspapers, his reasons for discontinuing
Mr. Mayer's honored and distinguished association
his connection with some of them, his various managerial with the Weber firm has extended over a period of
appointments by prominent artists and others, were made nearly twenty years. The news of his severance from
the subject of a running fire of queries that did credit them is a surprise to the trade. He is, however a very
to the acumen of Mr. Loewy, but that apparently failed old and a very fast friend of Mr. Ernest Knabe, and to this
to fix any slur upon Mr. Schwab's record. Genuine sur- friendship the transfer of his invaluable business gifts to
FACTS.
prise and indignation were visible upon his countenance the New York branch of the renowned Baltimore house
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW is not given to self-
and in his whole manner as he listened t.o and answered is probably largely due.
glorification. Facts are the breath of our life. We face
such queries as the following:—
Mr. Mayer is one of the ablest and brightest of finan-
facts, utter truths, describe verities, and revel in realities.
ciers,
and one of the most affable and attractive of men.
" Was the charge made that while in the pay of the
Lies, equivocations, and misrepresentations are abomin-
We
heartily
congratulate Messrs. Knabe & Co. upon
ations unto us. So far as they exist in the music trade Festival Association you had attempted to obtain per-
having
secured
his services.
or in music trade journalism we unmask them, expose centages on the salaries of the employes ?"
The
new
location
of Knabe & Co. in New York city
" Not within my hearing, certainly. I never did any-
them, and hold them up to scorn and contempt. Evil-
has
not
yet
been
made
publicly known. The change
minded, envious, and unjust persons, prostituting and thing of the kind in regard to any enterprise with which
from
the
old
rooms
will
take
place within a very few
degrading the lofty and dignified calling of the journal- I was ever connected."
days.
The
trade
may
be
persuaded
that not only the
" Do you mean to say that you were never charged
ist to selfish and inglorious purposes, now and again
new
headquarters,
but
their
situation,
will be of the first
attack us. We expect this. We hail such assaults with by Madame Materna with blackmailing ? "
and
best
order.
" Never, until this filthy accusation was made by
joy. Each onslaught of this kind means one more vic-
tory for us, and for the truth. Our last assailant was mouths and pens more filthy still."
The heat of the encounter was between Mr. Loewy
Mr. WOODFORD HEARD FROM.
put to sleep four weeks ago. Peace now seems to pre-
vail. We are glad of it. We have no desire to occupy and Mr, Schwab. Mr. Floersheim, and the attorney for
JUST as we go to press we are in receipt of a letter
our space, or the attention of our readers, with personal the plaintiff (Mr. Hummel) were the cool actors in the from Mr. Woodford relative to an article which appear-
disputes, and having silenced the unscrupuluous foe we play, particularly the latter.
ed in our last issue. It is impossible for us to commu-
" You are having your innings now," remarked Mr.
revert to the policy that has characterised this publica-
nicate with our London informant referred to in our
tion for well nigh a decade, the policy of manfully pro- Loewy in reply to some objection of Mr. Hummel.
article in time for this issue, but the public may rest
" Yes," said the latter, with the air of a man who has assured that we shall now sift this matter to the bot-
tecting and advancing the best interests of the trade.
That the members of the American music trade have already triumphed " and we propose to hold 'em until tom. It is foreign to the policy of the Music TRADE
appreciated our humble efforts is abundantly clear. It we land your client in the penitentiary."
REVIEW to intentionally injure or misrepresent any
Otto, however, did not wince at this sally. His eyes one, and if we have done Mr. Woodford a wrong we
is proved by the constant and steadily increasing circu-
lation of this organ, which is now largely subscribed for twinkled with a roguish glee. After all, his side has to shall hasten to do everything in our power to right that
in every state and territory of the Union, in the Domin- be heard. If his strictures were just and true, and writ- wrong. Mr. Woodford's letter is a straightforward and
ten in the interest and for the protection of honest pro- manly one, and we publish it in full below:
ion of Canada, and in European countries.
During the last year our representatives traveled over fessional people, all honor to him. Even the Courier
WORCESTER, MASS., March 1, 1880.
more ground than was covered by the emissaries of all must not be muzzled for daring to do what is right. If, T H E MUSIC TRADF. REVIEW,
MESSRS. BILL & BILL,
the other American music trade papers combined. An on the contrary, it has maliciously and spitefully attack-
Prop'rs.
ed
an
honorable
man,
one
who
is
able
to
show
a
record
DEAR SIRS: Referring to an article in your issue of
expensive undertaking, says the reader. Truly; and a
Feb. 20th, allow me to say: I never have, in any in-
proportionately profitable one; for the results of our unsullied by any shameful act, the penitentiary is stance, either in Europe or elsewhere, represented my-
too
good
for
its
editors.
The
battle
will
proceed
an-
self as from Boston or from any city other than Wor-
journeyings were a highly-increased list of subscribers,
cester, nor did I call upon any one in Europe to whom
a greatly-extended list of advertisers, a widely-expanded other stage to-morrow (Wednesday). On this day Mr. I did not distinctly state the name of the company with
trade friendship, and an enormously augmented knowl- Loewy promises to produce Mr. Blumenberg, who is which I am associated.
In England I called upon all connected with the
edge of the conditions, prospects and aspirations of equally responsible with Mr. Floersheim, but who, owing trade, so far as my time would permit, and upon many
to
his
absence
in
the
West
at
the
time
of
the
arrest,
manufacturers, whose courtesies I shall always grate-
those for whose benefit we labor.
fully remember. To the latter I advocated the use of
could not appear at the former examinations.
Within a brief period we shall once more set out upon
the reeds that I am now using and have used for several
years. I also endeavored to create an interest in a cer-
our travels. From past experience our numerous friends
tain American piano, but from neither of the manufac-
will rightly conclude that this statement is pregnant
turers of the above articles did I receive a dollar of
IMPUDENT
FRAUD
UPON
DECKER
compensation either in the way of salary, commission
with meaning. They well know that we have never
or expenses. I did it gratuitously and purely out of
& SON".
made promises that have not been fulfilled. Like Alex-
friendly interest. Relative to the matter of wages in
DECKER & SON, N. Y., recently received a letter from my factory, there has been no general reduction, but,
ander of old, we seek further and greater conquests.
on the contrary, they have been in may cases consider-
Unlike that hero, however, we seek not to destroy, but Mrs. J. A. Merrill, of Cedar Rapids, la., which tells of a ably increased of late, and our workmen were never
to benefit mankind. Our new successes will inevitably dastardly and unscrupulous attempt on the part of a earning nor receiving more for their work than now,
nor was the standard of the work ever higher.
redound to the glory and profit of the music trade, and local dealer to palm off upon that lady a eertain un-
No workmen have left us because of a reduction of
therefore to the elevation and joy of music's countless branded upright piano as having been made by the old wages. A few here recently left to accept, I am told,
responsible positions in a new organ factory recently
devotees. Moreover, they will demonstrate once more, and celebrated New York firm. Mrs. Merrill, with started, but this is not an unusual occurrence. Our fac-
tory has, for many years, been considered one of the *
with incontrovertible force, that THE MUSIC TRADE great good sense and feeling, detailed the circumstances
best training schools in the country from which to ob-
REVIEW has not only maintained, but increased its repu- to Messrs. Decker & Son, stating incidentally that the tain workmen for such positions, and they are in con-
tation as the leading representative organ of the trade. number of the piano was 25,531. This alone was suffi- stant demand at good prices: a circumstance that, while
T H E Y FIGHT W I T H KNIVES.
TflE KREE hfSJitSE.