The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-08
1IALE'S MODE OF BUSINESS.
yUE MtvNER and COsT or MAKING
SPURIOUS PIINOE ORTES.
How worthless Instruments nrc put To-
sethcr theapiy and sold In the West and
south rs the Wares of Reputable Makers.

injury OF cOnildng ngriculturists and OF un-
wary dcnizcns of the smaller towns. II has not
been easy to catch them in their home opera
tons. Still. they have occasionally been un-
willingly brought to the front An auctoncor
who il constantly selling out. in house in
West Sixteenth street the household furni-
ture OF a gentleman going TO Europe such
furniture containing two surprises to the buy
ers. first by its newncss and second by the
rapidlty with which 1t went to pieces made
profit for n time. in disposing Of worthless
pianofortcs fraudulently marked "Steinway &
boDs" and Decker Brothers" Tho latter firm
commenced legal proceedings against him. and.
TO save himself from prosecution. he made a
written confession now in the hands OF Decker
Brothers. to the effect thatth bogus pianofortcs
were furnished to him by Joseph 2. Hale. He
made u positive pledge that he would sell no
more Of them. That put stop to the peculiarly
bold phase of the bogus trade demonstrating
that IL was too risky for prosecution in the open
way II would necessarily have to bc followed to
render il profitable here. where noted makers
names are well known.
Hucs principal Eastern agent has been
Charles ID. Blake. n dealer whose place Of bust
ness il In the Boylston Bank building. in wash
ington street, Boston. 1t is significant that
proceedings have been commenced against
Blake. 10y various firms for his selling piano.
approSiuating to those Of genuine and repu-
table firms.
Mr. Hale hns attempted to justify his vending
Of n worry cheap pano bearing the name Of
Stanley sons. 10y his employment in his
factory 81 man and his two sons named stan
ley. and his aVcrment that ne has bought from
them for n royalty the right TO use their name
1t IL worthy Of note. however. that he has the
feet distant i, cannot bo Distinguished from
"Stcinway sons that there are no dstinc-
tive features about this pnno that might offora
reason Tor giving tSltNfUi % { and
that the Stanleys. against whom he leans his
back never have been IN positions To give valu-
able reputation TO a pianoiortc bearing their
names. but are simply common workln,n.
When ID. rkcr Brothers brought a suit against
Decker Bro. for nm infringement of trade
mark 10y "a clos. imitation Of their name, the de-
PENDANTS admitted on the witness stand that
they had no factory. and that they bought their
ready madc pianofort - st"ncillel with their
names. from Joseph i. Hale
celebrated firm OF pinhoforic manufactur-
ers. many. years ago. was Raven < Bacon. They
We're careful. honest max ers. AMI some ~ tho
leading mnnuiaetgIsrs Of to-day graduated
ness the firm 81 Bacon karr bccamo their
rightful successors and owners OF the old name;
but "a nephew OF the deceased Raven started In
the pianoiorte business in this city. Offering for
sale instruments claimed by him 10 be the con-
tnued make of the old firm and OF the estab-
lished excellence. He never had II factory. and
his pianoiortes were made Tor him 10y Hale.
Hale has confessed the making OF the bogus
~~Arion pinnoforte sold by his Detroit agent.
Since the reputable manufacturers OF piano.
fortcs have become active in defending their
names from the frauds DIES rihed in The SUN
which has only been within eighteen months.
mainly to the max ing oi instruments for private
dealers IN various parts OF the country. stencil
ling on their fronts such dealers nain,s accord
ing to order. Probably hi. largest customer Tor
goods Of this sort has been kimhtl of Chicago;
but he mas also IN TINS why lent fictitious dig
nifty as manufacturers to Thomas of Catskill. "
y. Ward of Harrisburg Pa and many others.
There Is hardly town or city in the West or
music store III which he has not through this
legal but certainly questionable device foisted
thus supplied to local dealers we're really
good II would not so much mRtter but
ihe P1sss AZ %nch se 9S ELS asm are
have told s. p. Mills. the pinnst. that they would
be sat'siI with their profits II they could effect
have also confessed Ia other persons that they
obtained Halc's Instruments. steneilled with
course. people conversant with the cost Of
pianoiortes would never dream Of getting good
his agents do not possess that knowledge.
They are captvated 10y the snowy looks OF his
are surprised To- lind that in "a lew months, or.
PERHAPS even we.ks, !! there is a !i9lynt
5egenrrat.d INTO worthless riek-tiy rattle boxes.
Mr.. Bchr OF Behr. X Ee'k, Who have been
making ca-.s for Mr.. Hue's pianofurtrs hv
contract with him. says that they have boon
making for him, on and on. ior several years.
probably IL thousand ass in al, but have not
are Away sold IN laits AMI are worth, when
Of good material AMI Wen mn,ie. from So t.
BOO per pair. aceJrd NJ To- style Hale how
aver gets ils ior much i"ss-how much they
are not wlling To-. say Tnry simply furnish
the cases ready Tor vanishing A piece Of
veneer from Ha,'s Oh factory being shown 10
him. he prom oun'ra i OF good wood. not much
Altogether he WAS OF the opinion that Halcs
pianoforts were as good a. could be expected
Tor the price AMI le was certain that Hale al
ways wanted the best goods he could get for the
price. although hc only wanted to pay low
price. First-class makers use only. sawed
yyeneers, one tweniy-cighth of an inch thick.
one;thirticth. Dishlmann & Funck have
years. at tn rate Of about one hundred per
week for which. Mr.. Diel Imam says Hale has
paid sGU .C5 and go pr pair. asnnoriine 70
frames He renrrsentniiye. Jonathan Conant;
was very r,iiccnt when SuN reporter called
on him. lie admitted that his house furnished
sevcnty,fourtp clEhty-iuur frames per week for
Hale; that Mr.. Conant had contrA.t Tor sup
none OF the IRON frames supplied 10 Mr. Hale
bore any nam'. IT., would noi say what Hale
iiai." but admitted tGat was c"n,ficrnbly h's
than amy other maker They werc Of tho same
manufacturers and h. suplo,cd lhoy werr ~
strong or they wouldn't ho.! the str.Li.,. TINT
be did NJ know how mu'h lisltcr lhoy wore,
Il any, than thqsc mpir for rs TWAS .prilr-
ticablc, hr said. 20 solder linc tu'is on a blank
plate 1nd bronze thgm over suihat il could not
BE- told hS thr ,So. whrth,rihe wore cast ON the
plate or not; tut his h0u-, lad meyer done any
Thing of the sort. and Won i not. EXuanatorily.
II may be- SAID, al first l,iss pianOfortcs bear
conspicuously ON their i.on iramrs lho names
Of their manufacturers; and TINT bogus piuno-
which the lrlck OF suld'rin., ON names had
iH% aEy'IaaF he Gfn Y" hl Mr. sys v"
many honest francs iDr irputn,le makcrs.
Brown Patterson ol William-iurslia also make
they did formerly. Thosr who profess To- Know.
being III Nc hualncS-, aver that Hale only pays