The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-12
THE GREAT OPERATIC CASE.
Prosecution OF tho New York Herald by
sixnor Fry, late manager or the Aston
Place Oporn.
SUPERIOR COURT.
Before Judge Oakley,

SUPERIOR COURT.
Before Judge Oakley.
The following the spostions o. Benedict Revolt
and Jean Battisu Benslli, in this case =
ExAMINATIoN OF B. II. REVOLT.
Benedict h Revolt OF Paris, France, being duly and
publicly and smined the part Of the dsfen
dant, doth pose and say follo~s-
Q. What is your name and occupation, and where do
A Ny name Is Benedict H Revolt; my occupation tina.
Of teratsu: and reside in the city Of Paris France,
O Do you know the plaintiff ana defendant in this
ton either and which OF them and If know them,
either OF them, state for hos long Jou have known
them, and each or eth OF them
know beth the plaintiff and the defendant have
Q. Where did you reside during the year ls4s, and
what your occu Psuon during that year,
A. In the year ls3s resided in the city OF New fori
was then AZ tWerGetT.
ORera House at representations OF Italian
opera enacted therein and how OF en- during that
wear did you atterd at such opera house2
Ibid attend the Place Opera Bouss In the year
lSs8 the time when entaons Of Italian Opera
were enacted tnereni ana st,enoeo AZ such opera
mouse on nearly every night that hAan Opera was per
fer med there.
O Did you when attending said opera house see
among the audience any persons whose names, occupa
t0ns and regulations known to you and you did,
state whether any such either gamblers
prostitutesf hyou thould yea state how often
You such persons Of said pasious either of
them, and the Of the persons who you IL
their names or the nam es Of an, Of them were or are
A. did when attending said opera house per-
sons whose names occupations and regulations we're
know to me- some q them gam oers and some
wtre prostitutes; said person at all or nearly
I'll my visits to said opera house; ] knew the names
by which they were called known, but the names
have passed from my memory except that among
Suydam Patrick Hearn, Gordon and Jack Harrison and
that among the prosttatss who called
respectively Kae Ri geley- Mrs. March and Bel West.
Can you state The coul,ses parquetts and private
boxes of said opera house during the CT lS4s
frequented at all principally by any particular class OF
persons, male rs,uals, both either, and if you
state tho fact in regard thereto, what the par
tcuiar class of persons, male and femaleS
That the couisses parquete, and private boxes of
said opera use were. arn. the season of lSis fire.
9usnted principally by sporting men and he females in
their company but cannot at ibis moment rscolsct
their
Q. We're yos present At the said opsrs hose the
evening of FRIDAY, the st day OF December 1siS and il
you state the kid OF sudiencs there assembled
and what took place therein on that evening?
Friday the LIST day December 1s48 audience
different from any before after in said opera
hou til ority of the lowest to- their appear
ance and conduct TOO uarh escape obervxton
by their camor they ned to ee to the
themselves pr. ting hear the
music in the orchestra the singing the stage; Max
Aarezek the leader Of the orchestra and he
tered the orchestra he was loudly spplsadsd the ap
plause unusual and attrac cd my attention; OBJ
served 1t did proceed from acy whom recognised as
requeners of the bat from the class Of persons
have before sluo ed later in the evening" when Bene
detti appeared on u Q stage he was received with q
storm Of bes which preventea hin, from singing his
going throush with hi, part of the performance The
hisses appes red to from the who
appauded Mare EEK; after Bnedet LETT tbs STAGE
the plaintiff ted himself before the audien ne
received with mingled hisses and applauss; he was
evidently much excieo; his limbs shosk. and he pre-
scented uscrcus appearance, and in his address
to the audience he ated that circumstances OF pr
vSe nature between him and Beneeett were to be dis
posed of by The in which these words
uttered Dderstood he thereby intmated his in
tenton to cha lepge B.nsdssn to fgat duel this WAS
the impre sion believe Of al who heard him he seem
ed 10 give offence the Kissing became gensral
and the plaintiff was ultimately obliged to quit the
stage the whole evening OF uproar and CON
fusion and such as never heard or saw In any other
opera house.
@ Were you present at the said opera house on the
evening Of the 10Th of November ls4S aud if were
state what took place al said opera house that
ainsi
A. was present At the said opera house on the
evening of tAe 18th OF November, 1913; the opera
OF 'Lucrezia Borgia" vas performed on that even
the plaintiff came before the curtain in state OF
excitement, and Addressed he audience saying
that he had just h.d conversation with Bsnedetti who
refuaec to sing the next Friday the part Of Poone
in Norma this address created great sensation
among the auderce, and when Benedict appeared in
the second be received with marks Of dsappro
baton from of the audience and with appreciation
from others; this continued during the whole of the
second act tn, audience div ied into parties
took the Of the pai tiff and the other the part
Of Bsnsdetti it seemed ad lifted however that the
plaintiff wrong IN nastlg the statement in tao
nsr no did, a. 1t disturbed the performances.
Q. We're you present At fancy ball which took place
January 1912 and il you were such tall did you
any gamblers prostitutes there, ard if SO, state how
You know at said persons gam blers prostitutes
or rither9
A. was present at fancy ball which took place at
said opera houte about the night of tbs 18th day
Of January 1s4e; the precise date cannot receliec
gamblers and prostitutes there; Ikne them bJ
mon reputation as being such.
q IL such did attend, state thu Names occupa
tons and regulations Of such and what W any
part they took in the proceedings at sail bal9
A. do not recol,ct the names OF the gamblers
and prostitutes whom saw at raid ball knew at the
time the names they wsn by do not know that they
gamblers and prostitutes; they took the part in
the proceedings as the o.her persons present. they
danced, promepadsd talked &c the rest of the
company did, they mixed Familiarity with ali the rest Of
the present. heard during the evening ssd a
forwards numerous complaints against the managers
OF the ball for permitting such characters to have ad
mission
g hav. you had any (snd il any what means Of &C
curing knowledge which enables to judge Of the
mt rs Of chorus and if you have state If the chorus
at the .aid opera house was good one or bad one?
have had musical edu cation in part; and have
for many years freguened the best operas Paris
chorus of The said house at New York was in my
opinion, the worst have heard
O. Were you, during he opera OF 1913, ever,
and IL ever how often you, in the grseproom of
said opera house. and If you were state il you heard any
rumor there as TO panorama Of Venice, and If you
oid what Was the tenor OF such rumor and from whom
did you hear il?
During the opera son ef ls4s was frequently in
the green room and in the private boxes OF the
and actresses of the said opera house, every evening
when there was pc rformance heard rumors as to
the Panorama OF Yer ice the tenor OF the that
the plaintiff had sent So GOO to h brother in Europe to
engaging had shased panoramic paint.
ing Of the Gil OF Venice to be exhibited in city
New York; cannot name the individuals from whom |
heard this but it generally spoken of among the
fists and persons present, and on several occasions
Q. Do ysu know you set forth any other matter
thing touching the matters In question In this action
and you state the fully, in the
as had been specifically questioned subject
do not know, can set FORTH any other
ter thing touching the matter in question in this
ton
ELIMINATION.
Q What was your occupation during the years lsis
and the months of January aud February iSla snd f
Jon say injected with the newspaper known
the NV YoRK Herald what particular department
business, of reporting for trat Newspaper. did you
attend to- and for how long . time had you been
nected with that newspaper, and yo1 in any way
connected with IL now and If yea in what capacity
A. occupied durieg the year lS4s, and the months
OF January and February. 1S4s Of the masisai
critics for The Ngw YORK HERALD aud had been
ployed since the year lS46 / still connected with