New York Clipper (May 1923)

May 16, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 9 MAXWELL'S INDICTMENT IN 'TOISON PEN CASE" A STOUNDS M USIC WORLD Pk'esident of American Society of Composers, Authors and Pub- lishers and Representative of Ricordi & Co. to Return from Europe to Answer to Terrible Charges The music world received the shock oi the decade late last -wedc when the news broke along Broadway, that George Max- well, American representative of the trig Italian music house of G. Ricordi & Co. and president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Pid>li^ers, had been indicted on a charge of forgery in the third degree, and a misdemeanor after the receipt of scurrilous letters by Allan A. Ryan, the financier, reflecting upon the tat- ter's wife. A sensation such as New York has not experienced in years was created when the details of the charges were told. For years past a flood of "poison pen" letters, some of which have wrecked the homes of well known families have been pouring through the mails, all of them carrying threats to reveal mysterious secrets involving prominent people and mentioning matters that are unprintable. Maxwell is now abroad and since his leaving this country a few weeks ago a score or more witnesses^ in the big inves- tigation which is being condticted to qlear up the letter writing mystery has been on. Maxwell's name appeared early in the hear- ings as in the Ryan letters as well _ as others, he was mentioned in connection with die charges against the women. Ryan brought the matter to its climax and having every confidence in his wife turned the letters over to the District At- torney's office and the investigation started. Handwriting experts, and others^ are- said to have furnished the. information upon which Maxwell was indicted. Letters^ re- ceived by Mr. Ryan, written in typewriter, are said to have been signed in a hand very similar to Maxwell's writing. His friends, and they include many prom- inent people in society and the world of music arc positive in their statements that Maxwell could not have done such a thing, that he is too high a type of man to ever conceive such an idea to say nothing of doing it. The general belief among Max- well's friends and acquaintances is that in some maimer he has become involved in the workings of the mind of an insane and degenerate person. Friends of his declare that he had himself for a number of years received letters of the nature of those re- vealed in the Ryan matter, that he had been accused of unprintable crimes and had vain- ly tried to find their author and failing had finally made up his mind to forget Ae matter. Maxwell lives in an apartment on West 90th street, and was generally supposed to be a bachelor but the investigation reveals that he was married many years ago and has a daughter of eighteen who lives with the mother in West 84th street. The wife GILMORE AT CONVENTION Frank Gilmore, Executive Secretary of the Actors' Equity Association, left early this week fftr the convention of the Amer- ican Federation of Musicians, in St Louis, where he will report to that body on the negotiations that were pending between tlie Producing Managers' Association and the Actors' Equity Association regarding an extension of the current P. M. A.-Equity agreement, which has since been called off by both sides. It is imderstood that Gilmore will make plain to the musicians the stand of his cr- ganization and will sound them as to how 8iey will stand with the actors' organiza- tion in the event of a strike in 1924. "LONDON" SHOW ON ONE NIGHTERS The Number two company of George M. Cohan's "So This Is London," playing through Ohio and Pennsylvania, is upset* ting the dubious report that business has fallen to pieces on the road. The comedy is playing to capacity. also is said to have been singled out as a recipient of some of the anonymous letters. Among the witnesses called before the Grand Jury in the investigation were Julian Rosenthal, manager of the Society of Com- iposers, Authors' and Publishers, E. C Mills, of the Music Publishers' Protective AssociatiiOD, and odiers-in the music Aeld, all of whom declared that they believed some terrible mistake had been made in placing the blame for the terrible missives at Maxwell's door. Maxwell, his friends declare will not wait for extradition pro- ceedings to bring him back to this country but will return at once to face the charges. He is a tall, upstanding' Scotch-English- man, cold and reserved in manner, careful and fashionable in dress and low in speech, outspoken nevertheless, regarding the aver- age American upon he looked with consid- erable contempt. Maxwell's attitude in the handling of the affairs of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Pub- lishers, is held by many to be responsible for the intense feeling against it on the part of the motion Jiicture theatre owners, who despite their efforts to combat it are legally forced to pay royalties to the organization. Maxwell has been many times told that a campaign of publicity informing everyone of the society's aims and benefits, would clear the situation up completely but with a hand of iron he has handled matters as he wished and the members of the society, many of whom criticized him severely bowed to his will in handling the organ- ization. A few nights before his departure for Europe the organization gave him a fare- well dinner and presented him with a val- uable wrist watdi as a token of their re- gard. He is well known around the Metro- politan Opera houBC where owing to his representation of Ricordi & Co., he is a figure of some importance. The Italian music publi^ing house owns the rights to all the Puccini operas and others as well and are in a position to dictate in many things to the world's big opera house. As their representative, Maxiwell is a big man in operatic circles and so strraig is the Ri- cordi house that its influence on American grand opera is great. In the social world, Maxwell is well known and is said to ntmi- ber among his friends a niuiber of the big financial -fibres of New York. Late editions of the New York daily papers thus printed cables to the affect that Maxwell will return to the United Sutcs immediately to answer the charges and will not await extradition proceedin(^. His friends point to this with much satisfaction and declare it to be proof positive of his innocence. BELASCO TO STAR L. BARRYMORE Lionel Barrymore, who of recent years has been under the management of Arthur Hopkins, will be added to the group of David Belasco stars next season. Barry- more recently made an agreement with Belasco wherdy he would appear under the latter's management next season in a play to be mutually agreed upon between the two. In case Mr. Belasco does not produce the play by October, according to the agreement, Barrymore will be at lib- erty to appear under the auspices of any other management he chooses until a BcUsco production is readied for him. SPIEGEL TO BE RELEASED Reports arc current on Broadway that Max Spiegel, the producer, who is now confined in a sanitarium at Stamford, Conn., as temporarily insane, will be shortly released and return to New York in an endeavor to aid the receiver of his affairs in straightening out his financial difficulties. ARBITRATE CONKLIN-GOLDEN CASE _ The question as to the exact interpreta- tion of a run of play contract as used in the new Equity agreements is expected tc be decided this wedc by arbitrators who have been chosen to arbitrate the action for $3,600 recently withdrawn from the Su- preme Court by Frederick Conklin, actor, who was suing J<^ L, Golden for that sum. The producer and .bis attorney, Nathan Burkan, contend diat after one sea- son the run of play contract does not hold. The actor and his counsel, Chas. L. Kahn, sav that a run of jday contract means just what is implied by the term. The arbitra- tors chosen are Harry Browne, actor, playing in "The Fool" company, for Conk- lin, and Silvio Heio, compo s er, has been selected to act for Golden. Two years ago Conklin started an actioo in the Supreme Court against John. L. Golden, for $3,600, the sum representing one year's salary at the rate of $75 per week. In his complaint, the actor alleged that he had been hired by Golden for the part of the herdsman in "Ligbtnin'," open- ing in the show in June, 1919, with a run of play contract for Uie season. On July 31, 19^, he claims that he was'discharged by Golden, who told him that his contract was only good for one season. Suit was brought by Conklin on the ground that a nm of play contract means just that, and if only for one season. Golden had started another season by keep- ing him in the cast an additional month after the year had expired on the original contract. The question has never been dedded in court as applied to this particular case and arbitration was agreed upon by both sides previous to withdrawing the case from the courts. ROGERS LEAVING BROADWAY Will Rogers will not return to Broadway for personal appearances until five years after he concludes his present engagement in "The Zicgfeld Follies" at the New Am- sterdam Theatre on June 9. Rogers prom- ised Ziegfeld last week that he would re- main with the attraction until the com- pletion of the week of the first year's cele- bration of the run of the attraction. He stated that his intentions were upon his departure to devote his time during the next five years to the making of two-red comedies and that during that peru>d he would find no reason to journey to New York. He stated that offers for bookings to appear in various California theatres and at dinners had been made to him. had been rejected, as he does not want to make any personal appearances after he leaves New York. He will begin his film work about August 1. MUSICAL STOCK FOR MORRISON'S Morris and Bernard have leased Mor- rison's Theatre, Rockaway, for a sitmmiT season of musical stock. They will open the house on June 16 and dunng the sea- son will try out several new musical pro- ductions wiiicb they will recast for the road next season. 'Morrison's Theatre had been the repre- sentative vaudeville house of the _Rock- aways for a number of }rears, when it was operated by Patsy Morrison. "PEPf ER BOX" CUTS PRICE San Franctsco. May 14.—The incoming of Mclntyre and Heath in "The Red Pepper" to the Curran last week,_ evident- ally proved too strong competition for "The Pepper Box Revue," headed by Sophie Tucker, at the Century. The morning following the Mclntyre and Heath premiere, the Cintury reduced its t<^ from $2 to $1.50. ROYCE TO DO A C<»IEDY Edward Royce, who has made two trys to e^Uish himself as a producer of musical shows, will now turn his hand to a non-musical piece entitled "Paradise in the Pantry," a comedy which is the collaborative effort of Bertha Chambers and Michael Kallesser. The piece will shortly be placed in_ rdiearsal and given an out-of-town hearing. MUSICAL SHOWS DRAW IN PHILA. PtiiiADELPHiA, May 14.—The invasion ° of three popular musical attractions seems to have given a new lease of life to the season here: "The Greenwich Village Follies," which started at a slow gait on the opening wedc, has bettered a $20,000 weekly intake ever since at the Shubert, where it will depart from at the end of the week. "Shuffle Along," the Negro musi* cal show, has been doing equally well at the Forest and looks as thotigfa it is here for a run, while Eddie Cantor in "Make It Snappy," in its third week at the Chestnut, has been bettering $15,000 weekly, which is somewhat of a record for the show, which is playing at a $1 JO top. A new musical comedy and the revival of another Clare Kummer comedy as the second offering of the Philaddphia Theatre- Guild are the only changes for the cur- rent wedc. The musical piece is "Adrienne," which came back to the Garrick tom'gfat It is the collaborative effort of A. Seymour Brown and Albert Von Tilzer. The cast is headed by Billy B. Van, Richard Carle and Vivienne Segal and indndes Harry Fender, Laura Arnold, Dan Healey, Charles Cahill Wilson and' Clare and Gavonne. The'Kummer revival is "Good Gradous AnnabeUe," which is being offered at the Lyric, with Lola Fisher in her original role and an adequate : supporting cast. Tbe Theatre Guild idea' seems to have sounded a popular note and bids fair to have a pro- longed and successful season here. "Kempy" has entered upon the third and final week of its run at the Walnut, which will remain dark' until re-opened by the new Joseph M. Gaites revue, "111 Say She Is." which will debut on Monday, June 4. The Broad and Adelphi have already put up the shutters for the summer. EQUrTY SUES PRODUCING CO. San Fbanosco, May 14.—Suit has been filed in the Superior Court by the Actors' Equity Association against the Cosmo- politan Producing Company for $1,743.15, the amount given as salaries due mem be rs of "The Girl and The Tramp!' conqany, which stranded in Red Bluff last Mardi. Accordmg to Theodore Hale^ attorney for the Equity, the producing company and the production was sponsored by F. A. Geisha, W. A. Rusoo, Max Hasse and T. C Reaves. Among those listed in the claims against the producers and the amounts follow: Ivy Merton, $399; Hany Dansey, $174; Gordon and Etgrin, $388; WilKam Diirant, $304: Jack Dougherty, $280, and John Hnsfaea. $19S. At the time of the stranding of the com^ pony the New York headquarters of Equity forwarded $300 to brin^ the com- pany back to San Francisco, its starting out point. "PRIDE" HG LOSER CLOSES "Pride," the comedy by Thompson Buchanan, sponsored by the Morosco Holding Company, closed last Saturday night after a brief run at the Morosco Theatre. It is reported that the manage- ment had dropped $40,000 in the produc- tion. Although the production was not unusually elaborate the management sunk a considerable sum in display advertising in the newspapers, hoping to exdte an interest in the play. After three weeks' experiment they dedded it would not do and sent it to the storehouse. This is the second Buchanan play, spon- sored by the same management, to have fallen by the boards this season, the other being "The Sporting Thing to Do," in which Emily Stevens was featured, whidi had a brief run at the Ritz. GUS HILL TO DO "THE GUMPS" Gus Hill has acquired the prodnction rights of "The Gumis." a cartoon piiul e ii in a syndicate of daily newspapers, froni Sidney Smith, the cartoonist, for next sea- son. He will send one comany on tear early in August, and should it meet with favor, others will be organized. Hill win also send on tour a new "Mutt and Jeff" attraction, whidi will be entitled "Afloat and Ashore."