Music Trade Review

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THE: MUSIC
STARR CO.'S BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
Some Details of the Attractive and Splendidly
Equipped Structure Which Is Devoted Ex-
clusively to the Business End of the Immense
Enterprise Conducted by the Starr Piano
Co. in Richmond, Ind.—Messrs. Gennett De-
signed the Structure with a View of Making
It Thoroughly Modern.
While the development of the business of the
Starr Piano Co. of Richmond, Ind., is undoubtedly
due in the largest possible measure to the musical
and structural values embodied in the pianos made
by this institution, yet it must not be overlooked
that a large measure of the success is due to the
splendid business campaign so systematically con-
ducted and developed which is to be observed in
the sales, promotion and publicity departments of
this progressive house.
In this connection it may be interesting to many
of our readers to gaze upon the headquarters of
the business department of the Starr Piano Co.,
which is installed in an entire building, covering,
roughly speaking, a floor area of 90 x 90 feet, with
Starr Co. Administration Building.
two floors. This structure has been equipped with
a single view of making it a modern, scientific
office building. All modern appliances which will
lessen the cost, and increase the quality of the work
to be performed, are installed.
The force of the administration building num-
bers forty-five, and among them is a goodly batch
of stenographers, whose portraits appear herewith,
the men being too modest to present themselves
for inspection at the present time.
A great deal of the success of any organization
is due to the carefully planned campaigns and well
developed advertising arguments which are gotten
up and sent out from the home office, and in this
connection Advertising Manager Chiles is to be
TRADE
REVIEW
ease with which the enormous volume of business
arising from such an organization is handled can
lie very largely attributed to the Messrs. Gennett
in planning a building so modern and complete.
CONDITIONAL SALE DECISION.
Some Novel Points in Instalment Suit Just De-
cided by Judge Dike in an Interesting
Brooklyn Case.
A decision of exceeding interest to dealers sell-
ing pianos on the instalment plan has just been
handed down by Judge Dike, in the County Court
of Kings County. The details, which we take from
the Furniture World involve some law points worth
noting and digesting.
It appears that a Mrs. Ballay purchased various
articles of household furniture on the instalment
plan under a conditional sale agreement from Isaac
Mason, of Brooklyn, wherein she agreed that Mr.
Mason was to retain title to the goods until the
purchase price was all paid in, and if she should
fail to pay any instalment that he could retake
the furniture. Mrs. Ballay failed to pay some in-
stalments, and, finally, after about three months
had elapsed without anything being paid, Mr.
Mason commenced suit against her in the Munici-
pal Court for the purpose of obtaining a judgment
decreeing that he had a lien on the furniture
for the balance due him, and adjudging that the
same be seized by a city marshal and sold accord-
ing to law to satisfy this lien. He obtained such
a judgment, and the furniture was seized and sold,
and on the sale he bought the same in satisfaction
of his lien.
About six months afterwards Mrs. Ballay com-
menced an action against him pursuant to sections
05 and 66 of the personal property law of this
State for the purpose of regaining the instalments
that she had paid. This action was brought in the
County Court of Kings County, and Mr. Mason's
attorney in this suit was Benj. C. Ribman.
Mrs. Ballay's attorney's contended that the judg-
ment of the Municipal Court was no defense U>
the action, because as soon as Mr. Mason regained
the furniture it became his duty to follow out th:*
provisions of the personal property law. This plea
was a very novel one, in fact, one that had never
been raised in our courts, and if it were sustained
it meant that every house that sold goods on con-
ditional sales would be mulcted for damages in
every instance where they had closed out an ac-
count in the method followed by Mr. Mason. This
method is the one that has been followed by all
of these houses since .the Municipal Court came
into being.
Mr. Ribman argued that the taking of the furni-
ture under the Municipal Court act was entirely
distinct from that under the personal property law,
and that therefore the judgment which Mr. Mason
obtained in the Municipal Court absolutely cut off
Mrs. Ballay from any
claim that she had
against him. It was
quite a task to bring
this point out very
clearly f o r there
were nc precedents
in this State on the
question.
Judge Dike, who
presided, after con-
sidering the case for
s o m e t i m e finally
handed down a de-
cision sustaining Mr.
Ridman's contention
and granting a judg
ment for Mr. Mason
with costs. The im-
portance of this deci-
sion cannot be too
Stenographers Employed by Starr Piano Co.
strongly emphasized,
complimented for his effective work along these
for it has prevented the bringing of many
suits against other houses in the city, thereby sav-
lines.
The Starr Co.'s chain of stores now number ing dealers many hundreds of dollars.
It just as deeply concerns piano dealers doing an
more than thirty, in addition to an unbroken chain
of agencies throughout the entire country, and the instalment business.
11
If a man gave
you a horse and
paid its feed
bill would you
take it?
Why, certainly!
That's the way
the purchaser
feels towards
the
SEEBURG
Art Style, Elec-
tric, Coin-Con-
trolled Piano.
It's a gift and,
besides, like a
horse, it "pulls"
—pulls trade.
See a Seeburg.
J. P. Seeburg Piano Co.
OFFICES:
902-904 Republic Building
State and Adams Streets
FACTORY:
415-421 S. Sangamon Street,
CHICAGO