New-York tribune., 1878-01-21
THE GREAT PIANO WAR.
THE CENTENNIAL AWARDS.

PLAIN TALK FROM THE sTEINwAYs BACKED BY EN-
PHATIC DOCUMENTs-REsOLUTION OF THE Ex-
ECUTIvE COMMITTEE OF THE CENTENNIAL COM
MISSION ABOUT THE WEBER AwARD-PR0TEsr
OF THE JUDGFs-wHAT THE sTEINwAYS CLAIM
AS AN OFFICIAL REBUKE TO wyBERS FRAUD.
TO the EditOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: In THE TRIBUNE of this morning appeared
a statement from Mr.. Albert Weber regarding the
recent action of the Executive Committee Of the Cen
tennial Commission concerning the award TO INN, In
which it is stated that I" the piano war between A.
Weber and Steinway * Sons bas assumed new
phase" There is no So war" between Mr.. Weber ana
Stenway & Sons, however fondly Mr.. Weber cings
to the hope that there may be. But there Is war"
between the judges musical instruments at the
Centennial aud Mr.. Weber, growing ont of the fact
that Mr.. Weber has been for more than
year publishing genuine, and with the
judicial signatures attached. spurious report
and fraudulent figures or ratings, which he knew
the judges never made signed recommended
There is also Z" war " between the Executive Com
mittee of the Centennial Commission and Mr. Weber,
growing of the fact that through false rcpresen-
tations made at the insigatiOn OF Alr. Weber, and
by his connivancc the Centennial Commission de-
creed another and better award to Mr.. Weber
than the judges had recommended. The Executive
Committee as will appear from the Official copy OF
their resolution published below, also propose that
the "war" shall not be confined exclusively to the
committee and the judges on the side of hon
esty and fair dealing but that the full Centennial
Commission shall join in the contest to the end
that Mr. Webcrs cunnngly devised system
of frauds upon the judges. the commission
and the public shall be officially exposed Mr..
Weber, in the article referred to, expresses soci-
tude lest the StenwaYs should so manipulate" the
judges and the commission that they will take from
I,,ri,; LaI LII, lu nI,f
style of attack is characteristic Of the who has
sounded the praises of the judges and the commits
sion while they silent, and he was permitted TO
quote them as authority for his fraudulent claims
but who now abuses them in the vIlest manner
when they call him to account for his
conduct and tell him he must stop.
We respectfully suggest to him that the judges and
the commission quite competent To care for his
interests well for the interests of all the exhibit
ors, ours included, without any advice from us or
from him. The ud yes and tho commission are men
Of a character not to require manipulation IN order
to do Justice. Mr.. Weber calls upon the 1000 ex-
hibit0rs at the Centennial to beware lest the COM
mission should tampcr with their awards.
Such charge i'll becomes the only ex.
hibitor of the whole 1000, whose conduct
during the Exhibition and since its close has OBJ
tanned for him the unenvablc notoriety OF an Of
resolution i'll the nature OF vote of censure from
the Executive COMMITTEES of the Centennial Com
mission. The public can judge how great must
have been Mr. Wcbers offending to have called
forth such action.
The following among other official documents in
our possession herewith submitted to the can
did attention and Judgment of the public Respect
fully yours, STEINwAY ~ SoSs.
Mr. York. Jan. 70. 1873.
EtsoltT1oN or THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WIN A
RECOMMENDATION To IHE CENTENNIAL COhMIsstOS.
WnercIS, The jGdges OF Group XIV. under date OF
Juue >. made report recommending 10 the United
states Centennial Commission an award 20 Albert Weber
OF New York. fOr his exhibit oi pianUr-ior Tie following
reasons, viz: For sympathec, pure and rich tone.
combined win gicaic,l iO"sr; a. shown IN eial
piano OF larsc dimensions. These three stycs, grand,
rquare aud upright pianos, show intelligence and sol
dliy ~ their consirncL"n pliahl and easy toich'
which at the time answers r.cmp y 10 its rcgdr
Bhorcdt, Upon the representation Of OF the said
Judges. which the Executive Committee think was mis-
OF !hc Judges Centennial COMMIT .sion amended SAID
recommendation so that ii read and was published as
fcr sympathetic pure and rich tone, combined with
greatc,t rover shown IN thcir grand, Iunrc and
right p,IUs These three styles show intelligence and
soilty thcir construction. plant and easy touch.
witch Tho time answers promptly to It's require
rauis Together with e1c-oucr OF Workmanship" and
whereas made To appear 10y letters from Professor
n1gs ZOE, letters are DE that they
izrd and do project against, any other form than that
EssoIc.d. TAat the Executive Committee strongly
mat IT, action approving
said amended report De r,consderc AMI that the ofsi
mi uualncnded report be accepted and issued rs the
the true basis OF the award IN sad Mcbcrs case
MrEE Ascm. secy. TX Com.
Ihaadeiphtq. Jan. Is 1875.
Present and voting: The Hon. J. X. liawley. Con-
nectcut; the Hon. \. I. GosIorn, Ohio the Hon.
u. J. Morrell. Pennsylvania; the Hon. c. =. KIr-
ball, and y. NJ Bcckwith, esq, Nsw-Ycrk the
Hon. Geo. B. Lorinr Massachusetts, the Hon. J. +.
Barnard. Florida the Hon. Geo II. Corss, Rhode
Island; the Hon. Alex. r. Boteler. West Virginia
and the Hon. ). L. Phillips North Carolina
PROTEST OF TIE JUDGES AGAINST MIR. wEBKRs
PUBLICATION OF An ALTERED REPORT AS GENU-
We the undersigned members OF the Jury OF Group
XIV. AZ the Centennial Exhibition Philadelphia 1876:
our for the award 10 Sr Albert Weber,
FOR sTnpaiI,tc p,re ami rich tome, eonJia,d win
rcates occr. SocH ia grant piao NJ tdrge dnlen
& ss e Mfs SgIs and P sef '5"GS ~ Gt S" %5
plant and easy touch Thici al the sdac time ans1cers
promptly o. rs requirements, fogc"er "M o|eeHe"ee Of
We moreover declare that the following report advcr
tscd by Mr. Albert weber as ooiciai." and with our
namrs attached there o, W.: FOr sympGhcc pTe and
rich t0ne combined w grcaica roire hora ia hre
fcycScc aid soiidi'y in mcir construction, pant and
cqs5 t,uch, hich al ne same G"e aacers promptly 70 as
rcJ1iremcns together rim e1eeiic"ce or orkmdnsip'
mas never made sInctirue or sSucd by the group
Of jnrors; certain stated q9'lgi, ion1 IL !" u @d %
Weber. were wanting Ia MS paiIor grand square, ana
To- ihe report advertised by Mr. Weber as oceiq"
the names the group Of jurors have never been signed
and II il been changed as advertised by HIM, II
as been done subsequently, and after the jury had dis
pcsed, ana without the authority Oi the g Oup OF jurors
Win Thomson. T. Favrc Pcrct
j. H. IIlgard, q. r. BrstOw.
j.. Levas,eur j. scieluayer.
H.K. Diver Jas; G; Watson,
Joseph Henry, T. a. T. barnard
Crp1fFiCATE TO SiEINWAY SONS, GIVEN BY THE
JUDGES IN CoNrRADICIIoS OF MIR. wEBEgs