Music Trade Review
Issue: 1913 Vol. 56 N. 11 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PIANO DEALER SENTENCED FOR FORGING PIANO LEASE.
Philip Pravder, of New Rochelle, N. Y., Sentenced by Judge Foster to Not Less Than Two
Years and Three Months Nor More Than Five Years in State's Prison.
Philip Pravder, who was convicted on March
3 of the crime of forgery in the second degree
as narrated in our last issue, was on March 7
sentenced by Judge Warren W. Foster, senior
judge of the Court of General Sessions, to State's
prison for a term of not less than two years and
three months and not more than five years.
Judge Foster in sentencing the prisoner said:
'"Philip Pravder, you have been convicted after a
fair trial of forgery in the second degree. The
law makes this crime punishable by ten years of
imprisonment in State's prison. The facts briefly
of the case are these: You were a dealer in
pianos, and not having capital to conduct your
business, you entered into an arrangement with
Jacob Bros., manufacturers, to sell their pianos
on the instalment plan. Afterward they advertised
your business and advanced the capital necessary
for you to do business, and they allowed you to have
their pianos and to sell them. You were to be
paid for your services all that you received over
and above the price of the piano. You collected
the money for this piano and then lied to Jacob
Bros., and to induce them to give further time
you put off upon them as genuine a forged cer-
tificate. I haven't any doubt about that, and the
jury has found that there was no doubt about that.
An inspection of the instrument showed satisfac-
torily to me, at least, your guilt. Then when you
were up for trial you tried to place the blame on
the son of the person to whom you sold the piano,
who was dead.- You tried to say that he forged it.
That was a lie, and a perjured lie. Now the com-
plaining witness writes that when they became
suspicious of you before the discovery of the facts
against you, while checking up your accounts, four
of their pianos disappeared from your salesroom.
One was subsequently discovered in a music store,
and three others they have never been able to find.
So that not one piano, but several, did you steal.
Continuing, they say that 'The defendant, know-
BARF1ELD PIANO CO. REORGANIZED.
(Special to The Review.)
Columbia, S. C, March 10, 1913.
The Barfield Piano Co., with headquarters in
this city, has reorganized with W. A. Barfield as
president; D. E. Milligan, vice-president and gen-
eral manager; D. R. Hand, secretary; W. H. Bar-
field, treasurer, and J. K. Barfield, assistant
treasurer. The company is operating stores, one
in Columbia, S. C.; Charleston, S. C.; Jackson-
ville, Fla., and East Port, Ga. Special efforts are
being placed on the player electric piano business
in all the stores, as well as on the Victor talking
machine line. The prospects ahead are excellent.
The L. W. Cook Music Co. has purchased the
stock and fixtures of the J. H. Nelson Music Co.,
Watertown. N. Y.
Chaney Bros, and A. W. Hartshorne have or-
ganized the Oklahoma Piano Co., in Shawnee,
Okla.
M. Schulz C o .
Pianos and Player-Pianos
Write for our special
Dealer's proposition.
Highest Grade—Our Own Mechanism
M. S C H U L Z C O .
711 Milwaukee Avenue,
CHICAGO
Wholesale Branches
Minneapolis, Minn., and Atlanta, Ga.
ing that he had committed the crime of larceny
and forgery, and that we must discover the same,
to use the colloquial expression, decided that he
might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and
put something away for a rainy day,' and so you
stole those other four pianos.
"Now, those were facts which were not known
by the jury, and could not be brought to the jury's
attention. They have recommended extreme mercy,
and I am going to listen to that verdict. I am
entirely disposed to listen to these recommenda-
tions by juries. If there is anything in the case
that impresses twelve men who tried it as worthy
of mercy, who am I that I should set myself up
against their judgment? As they recommend
mercy I will show mercy, but I cannot show that
extreme mercy that, perhaps, some of the jurors
would be pleased to have shown, because of these
facts that they did not know and which, no doubt,
would have changed their recommendation. It is
exceedingly difficult to prove the guilt of one who
commits the crime that you have committed. It
is the duty of this court to protect honest mer-
chants and to insist that those who violate the
principles of fair dealings and honesty and trans-
gress a penal law, shall be punished, to the end
that honest merchants might not suffer. The in-
determinate sentence law applies to your case.
You are too old for Elmira. The case is not a
suitable one for the penitentiary, and so I must,
under the law, send you to State's prison under
an indeterminate sentence. I shall fix the mini-
mum as low as it may be, thereby showing you the
mercy which the jury has requested.
"The sentence of the court is that you be sen-
tenced to State prison under an indeterminate sen-
tence for not less than two years and three months,
and not more than five years and three months."
Attorneys Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, of
60 Wall street, represented Jacob Bros. Co. in the
prosecution.
TO GET AFTER FAKE ADVERTISING.
Milwaukee Piano Men Actively Interested in
Campaign to Prosecute Advertisers Who Aim
to Mislead the Public.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., March 11, 1913.
The Milwaukee Advertisers' Club is receiving
the support of Milwaukee piano men in the cam-
paign which the advertising men are waging
against misleading advertising. Plans were com-
pleted by the advertisers at a recent luncheon held
in the Hotel Blatz for prosecuting advertisers who
aim to mislead the public. Secretary L. L. New-
ton was requested to write to members of the
Legislature from Milwaukee, and urge them to
stand by the bill which has been introduced, pro-
viding a penalty of $10 to $200 for running mis-
leading advertisements. Similar measures are now
being advocated in Minnesota and Ohio, and it is
expected that the Wisconsin Legislature will place
this law on its statute books. •
The advertising of Milwaukee piano houses has
improved in tone to a wonderful extent during
the past two years, largely as a result of the law
passed by the last Legislature and introduced by
the Milwaukee Piano Dealers' Association, for-
'bidding certificate schemes and misleading adver-
tising. The law contains an interesting little
"joker," however, inserted during the closing days
of the 1911 Legislature, which makes conviction
under the law impossible, unless it can be proven
that there was "intent to defraud."
Therefore
piano men would feel better satisfied if a more
comprehensive law should be passed.
Milwaukee piano houses have never advertised
more extensively than they have during the past
year, but there have been but few cases of mis-
leading advertising, or even the featuring of puzzle
schemes.
Clemment & Dunn, furniture dealers of Sacre-
mento, Cal., have opened a piano department in
their store.
9
NEW DEPARTMENT IN MILWAUKEE.
Starr and Other Well-known Lines to Be
Handled in New Building of Lefly Depart-
ment Store—Manager Not Yet Chosen.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., March 11, 1913.
News has just leaked out that the Lefly depart-
ment store, which is scheduled to open in a new
eight-story building on Grand avenue and Second
street on March 15, will maintain an extensive
•piano department. It is understood that the Starr
and other well-known lines will be featured. The
manager for the department has not yet been
decided upon.
The piano quarters will be located on the sixth
floor of the handsome fireproof building, and it is
said that they will offer something entirely new
in department store equipment and arrangement.
The store is located in the heart of the downtown-
retail district.
It is understood that a talking machine depart-
ment will be opened also, but the contracts for
this line have not been placed as yet.
PARSONS RESUMES MANAGEMENT
Of the E. E. Forbes Piano Co. in Montgomery,
Ala.—Well and Favorably Known.
(Special to The Review.)
Montgomery, Ala., March 10, 1913.
L. O. Parsons, one of the most experienced
piano men in Alabama, assumed the managership
of the E. E. I^orbes Piano Co. Saturday.
Mr. Parsons was with the Forbes interests for
seventeen years, starting at the beginning with the
Birmingham office and working his way up. He is
well and favorably known in business circles
throughout the State.
Montgomery will not only be Mr. Parsons' head-
quarters in the future, but his home also.
Mr. Forbes has been in Montgomery with the
new manager for a day or two, assisting him in
getting the "hang" of the managerial duties. This
is the third visit the president of the big piano
company has paid Montgomery this winter, and
each .time he comes he gets a warm welcome, for
the city was his home for many years.
CLOVEP
vBRAND.
THE FFJJTOGj
HEW YORK ~~~
CKFCACO
BOSfPN
PHILAPELPHIAl
THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PIANO DEALER SENTENCED FOR FORGING PIANO LEASE.
Philip Pravder, of New Rochelle, N. Y., Sentenced by Judge Foster to Not Less Than Two
Years and Three Months Nor More Than Five Years in State's Prison.
Philip Pravder, who was convicted on March
3 of the crime of forgery in the second degree
as narrated in our last issue, was on March 7
sentenced by Judge Warren W. Foster, senior
judge of the Court of General Sessions, to State's
prison for a term of not less than two years and
three months and not more than five years.
Judge Foster in sentencing the prisoner said:
'"Philip Pravder, you have been convicted after a
fair trial of forgery in the second degree. The
law makes this crime punishable by ten years of
imprisonment in State's prison. The facts briefly
of the case are these: You were a dealer in
pianos, and not having capital to conduct your
business, you entered into an arrangement with
Jacob Bros., manufacturers, to sell their pianos
on the instalment plan. Afterward they advertised
your business and advanced the capital necessary
for you to do business, and they allowed you to have
their pianos and to sell them. You were to be
paid for your services all that you received over
and above the price of the piano. You collected
the money for this piano and then lied to Jacob
Bros., and to induce them to give further time
you put off upon them as genuine a forged cer-
tificate. I haven't any doubt about that, and the
jury has found that there was no doubt about that.
An inspection of the instrument showed satisfac-
torily to me, at least, your guilt. Then when you
were up for trial you tried to place the blame on
the son of the person to whom you sold the piano,
who was dead.- You tried to say that he forged it.
That was a lie, and a perjured lie. Now the com-
plaining witness writes that when they became
suspicious of you before the discovery of the facts
against you, while checking up your accounts, four
of their pianos disappeared from your salesroom.
One was subsequently discovered in a music store,
and three others they have never been able to find.
So that not one piano, but several, did you steal.
Continuing, they say that 'The defendant, know-
BARF1ELD PIANO CO. REORGANIZED.
(Special to The Review.)
Columbia, S. C, March 10, 1913.
The Barfield Piano Co., with headquarters in
this city, has reorganized with W. A. Barfield as
president; D. E. Milligan, vice-president and gen-
eral manager; D. R. Hand, secretary; W. H. Bar-
field, treasurer, and J. K. Barfield, assistant
treasurer. The company is operating stores, one
in Columbia, S. C.; Charleston, S. C.; Jackson-
ville, Fla., and East Port, Ga. Special efforts are
being placed on the player electric piano business
in all the stores, as well as on the Victor talking
machine line. The prospects ahead are excellent.
The L. W. Cook Music Co. has purchased the
stock and fixtures of the J. H. Nelson Music Co.,
Watertown. N. Y.
Chaney Bros, and A. W. Hartshorne have or-
ganized the Oklahoma Piano Co., in Shawnee,
Okla.
M. Schulz C o .
Pianos and Player-Pianos
Write for our special
Dealer's proposition.
Highest Grade—Our Own Mechanism
M. S C H U L Z C O .
711 Milwaukee Avenue,
CHICAGO
Wholesale Branches
Minneapolis, Minn., and Atlanta, Ga.
ing that he had committed the crime of larceny
and forgery, and that we must discover the same,
to use the colloquial expression, decided that he
might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and
put something away for a rainy day,' and so you
stole those other four pianos.
"Now, those were facts which were not known
by the jury, and could not be brought to the jury's
attention. They have recommended extreme mercy,
and I am going to listen to that verdict. I am
entirely disposed to listen to these recommenda-
tions by juries. If there is anything in the case
that impresses twelve men who tried it as worthy
of mercy, who am I that I should set myself up
against their judgment? As they recommend
mercy I will show mercy, but I cannot show that
extreme mercy that, perhaps, some of the jurors
would be pleased to have shown, because of these
facts that they did not know and which, no doubt,
would have changed their recommendation. It is
exceedingly difficult to prove the guilt of one who
commits the crime that you have committed. It
is the duty of this court to protect honest mer-
chants and to insist that those who violate the
principles of fair dealings and honesty and trans-
gress a penal law, shall be punished, to the end
that honest merchants might not suffer. The in-
determinate sentence law applies to your case.
You are too old for Elmira. The case is not a
suitable one for the penitentiary, and so I must,
under the law, send you to State's prison under
an indeterminate sentence. I shall fix the mini-
mum as low as it may be, thereby showing you the
mercy which the jury has requested.
"The sentence of the court is that you be sen-
tenced to State prison under an indeterminate sen-
tence for not less than two years and three months,
and not more than five years and three months."
Attorneys Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, of
60 Wall street, represented Jacob Bros. Co. in the
prosecution.
TO GET AFTER FAKE ADVERTISING.
Milwaukee Piano Men Actively Interested in
Campaign to Prosecute Advertisers Who Aim
to Mislead the Public.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., March 11, 1913.
The Milwaukee Advertisers' Club is receiving
the support of Milwaukee piano men in the cam-
paign which the advertising men are waging
against misleading advertising. Plans were com-
pleted by the advertisers at a recent luncheon held
in the Hotel Blatz for prosecuting advertisers who
aim to mislead the public. Secretary L. L. New-
ton was requested to write to members of the
Legislature from Milwaukee, and urge them to
stand by the bill which has been introduced, pro-
viding a penalty of $10 to $200 for running mis-
leading advertisements. Similar measures are now
being advocated in Minnesota and Ohio, and it is
expected that the Wisconsin Legislature will place
this law on its statute books. •
The advertising of Milwaukee piano houses has
improved in tone to a wonderful extent during
the past two years, largely as a result of the law
passed by the last Legislature and introduced by
the Milwaukee Piano Dealers' Association, for-
'bidding certificate schemes and misleading adver-
tising. The law contains an interesting little
"joker," however, inserted during the closing days
of the 1911 Legislature, which makes conviction
under the law impossible, unless it can be proven
that there was "intent to defraud."
Therefore
piano men would feel better satisfied if a more
comprehensive law should be passed.
Milwaukee piano houses have never advertised
more extensively than they have during the past
year, but there have been but few cases of mis-
leading advertising, or even the featuring of puzzle
schemes.
Clemment & Dunn, furniture dealers of Sacre-
mento, Cal., have opened a piano department in
their store.
9
NEW DEPARTMENT IN MILWAUKEE.
Starr and Other Well-known Lines to Be
Handled in New Building of Lefly Depart-
ment Store—Manager Not Yet Chosen.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., March 11, 1913.
News has just leaked out that the Lefly depart-
ment store, which is scheduled to open in a new
eight-story building on Grand avenue and Second
street on March 15, will maintain an extensive
•piano department. It is understood that the Starr
and other well-known lines will be featured. The
manager for the department has not yet been
decided upon.
The piano quarters will be located on the sixth
floor of the handsome fireproof building, and it is
said that they will offer something entirely new
in department store equipment and arrangement.
The store is located in the heart of the downtown-
retail district.
It is understood that a talking machine depart-
ment will be opened also, but the contracts for
this line have not been placed as yet.
PARSONS RESUMES MANAGEMENT
Of the E. E. Forbes Piano Co. in Montgomery,
Ala.—Well and Favorably Known.
(Special to The Review.)
Montgomery, Ala., March 10, 1913.
L. O. Parsons, one of the most experienced
piano men in Alabama, assumed the managership
of the E. E. I^orbes Piano Co. Saturday.
Mr. Parsons was with the Forbes interests for
seventeen years, starting at the beginning with the
Birmingham office and working his way up. He is
well and favorably known in business circles
throughout the State.
Montgomery will not only be Mr. Parsons' head-
quarters in the future, but his home also.
Mr. Forbes has been in Montgomery with the
new manager for a day or two, assisting him in
getting the "hang" of the managerial duties. This
is the third visit the president of the big piano
company has paid Montgomery this winter, and
each .time he comes he gets a warm welcome, for
the city was his home for many years.
CLOVEP
vBRAND.
THE FFJJTOGj
HEW YORK ~~~
CKFCACO
BOSfPN
PHILAPELPHIAl
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).