The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-27

rome OF Wc MUSICAL celeCrities ny thossLNA
agents and those would-be critics who crowd
around every great artist on his or her arrival
in thisosuntry.-
II reported Of the Sontag management" that they
have paid out several thousand dollars 10 thu press of
this CITY for complimentary notices. II II SAID that
me : 1 cs ss. ar% hs.1es a as. cG
aud the Other daily papers with the exception OF
the 1Stbs~ssSd Eve~.ag Posf,) we're nr'bed hs'orc
S0ntaes arrival, and that the IribA1e was shortly
are Sad 70 have Seen also cSsd in time T. furnish
material ard comfort to Madame SoDtax. Tho
country pres., It Is disdainfniy said not worth
bribing; hey csrtain follow the lead OF tho
city pa, err How is thsS Will 0ur country friends
lei us hear ft.m them on this occssion3
But It SENS that the papes would not stay
brbIed; the ope alton 1t appears, VAS fOaod n be
such pleasant one that they wished it repeated as
Of en- n p0tsbe 80 the unfOrt innate "management"
we've kept VI bleeding until she enormous sum NJ
fifteen thousand dollars had been expended. Nor
has the brit+ry been confined to New York only.
It ia said that the musical critics ard publishers Of
B0eton and Ph,adelohia were pioptisted to IKE
manner and that they were to the full az exOrbi
tant in thei. demands as were their metropolitan
brethren. How is It, gentlemen Of Boston and
Philadelphi? Let us hear from You on this ques
ton.
One thipgis certain, namely: Sontag (poor lady,
has been m,de to believe that this money has been
thus expended. She complains that abe has made
nothing, nut very little, during the year she has
been in this country. Much money has been taken
at her copcGts and operas, but she has received
according 70 her own statement) but very little OF
it, and when she asks for it she Is presented with
enormous bill o. expenses, among which are nose
Of the press, o. ab've stated. Oh the ne wspapers
cost 80 murho said she elevating her hands and
Eyes towards heaven tits impossible to make any
thing" There is something wrong somewhere.
Either Eontas has been robbed or the press has re-
ceived large ums for putting her. How 10 Il? Who
knn~ n Cato SrO mt
7r bune speak out2 Will the Tines speak ouH
Will the Courier f. Enquirer, the Journal IT Com
merce, the Commercial Aduevt'ser, and the E1Tess.
speak out? VII the Home Journal speak outa win
the Sunday press speak out2 Win our Boston Co
temporaries sneak out2 Will our Philadelphia co
temporaries speak out2 Who has the money! Who
will dissbuse S0ntags mind in relation to the Anne
rcan press?
The EUeniag Post, makes the following re-
marks upon these charges
As We are expressly exempted from accusation, we
have perhaps right to NEEDLE in the matter, but
papers involved would undertake an investigation Of
the whole subject. The result would be, we think,
the exposure 0fan mpudent system of fraud practis
ed upon nearly il the musical and theatrical ceeori-
ties who arrive this country not by the press, how
any peEoDs directly connected with the press
but by setof chcdhers ndust,ie, who impose them
selves upon orrgners in the capacity of agents and
managers. The represent themselves as gentlemen
Of great importance familiar with editors aud others
who are suppoRd to control public opinion, and in
this way they &c themselves employed, a. large ga
laries, coupled With chance for larger swndlings
The poor artists Who employ them, when schedule
ofe oendture is ed find frequent items ofthe
account marked against "the press" not one cent OF
which has the ress received. but every cent Of
which has gone into the pockets Of these dishonest
agents.
The artists Themselves deserve to lose some Of their
money for conserving to make use Of this machinery
Of clap-srao; butss most Of them are strangers In
the G. untry. gncant of the language, and eager
for success that hey will readily believe almost any
story that IL told hem it is no hard matter to make
them dupes Bul one thing they ought 70 UNDER
stand, namely. hat no respectable paper in this
couDtry-no pape capable of influencing the p1b-
lie minds In th habit of taking money for its
opinions. If any ne approaches them with profsr
Of the services Of he press they may be sure that ne
is cheat.
We speak from experience when we say we
can testify to te general correctness Of the
foregoing statement. The frauds which have
been practieed il the name of the press upon
these artists, ae of the most grievous character.
nr their proper light to the public. OF the
many imposit'ons Of this kind which have
taken place. we are cognizant of few.
One intance, however. will be sufficient to
give an idea of The manner in which these
frauds are performed, and may serve to put
artists upon their guard against similar tricks
in future. Some months ago. shortly after the
arrival of an artis OF undoubted talent one
Of these agents called upon us, and requested
US to announce etitorially one of the concerts.
We signified our entire willingness to comply
with his request.as we knew the artist to Dos
sess unusual melt, and in due time the notice
appeared, speaking Of his talents in appropriate
terms of commerlation. What was our sur
prise, however, short time after, when we
were informed b. the artist himself that his
agent-one OF tloee harpies who had at
tached himself to I'm on his arrival here-pre-
scented him a DILL o. expenses, among which was
an itemlof one hundred dollars for the notice
referred g, which, Ike all notices of the kind
was Of course gratuibus.
Now we 80! 1t ls high time that these dis
graceful and monstrous impositions were ex.
posed to the nblic and the guilty parties Ter.
retted out. 'hesa practices have too long been
carried on with impunity, while the swindlers |
have pockets their thousands and chuckl.d |
over the successful game they have played Let |
US have this matter settled at once. that the |
public maykn where all this money has
gone.
If the staement from the masjnal paper he |
correct, grss fraud has been practeed upon |
Madame Sotag; nut why did Der right hand |
man. her business maaager ard financial agent.
who must know ii abou her money transactions
why did Mr. Ullman allow her to be swim
died? Surel his experience as manager
must have tught him the true character Of
these swindtrs. Besides. Mr.. Ulman has fire.
quently visited our 'ffice, as we presume he
has others, in tn discharge of his business. and
must know theeditors,f all the papers. I'M
der these circumstances. we should sup
pose he cold easily detectl any fraud
that might 'e ATTEMPTED on Madame sontag.
Now this hihg the safe of the case. we cali