The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-02
PROTECTION TO AUTHORS.
A New and Effective Scheme to Forestall the
Pirates.


Pirates.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-The jailing of Abrahams,
the man who produced pirated version of 'The
Mkado" at the Union Square Theater, in
defiance of United States Court injunction,
seems likely to revolutionize the methods of
using foreign pieces. Hitherto, it has been
thought impossible to protect published play
or opera against American seizure, and foreign
paywrights have lately kept their works in
manuscript, because, while in that form, our
courts ruled them to be personal property
The device of Gilbert and Sulliyan-that of
having an American musician write the piano
score of 1.-THE Mkado," and copyright it-may
not, after all, prove effective, because stage
representation of the opera need not employ
note of that portion of the work, but this in
vention suggests way to protect plays, and
already, Sardou, Sims & Wills, who are en-
gagged on dramas for the American market, have
been advised by their respective customers here
to take advantage of the point. This can
be done by leaving a short passage to
be written, of course under full directions,s by
some American author. The section thus com
posed need not be indicated, and, therefore, an
ting it. The whole work would be substantially
protected for it could be copyrighted here in its
entirety by its Yankee joint author. The same
principle applies to books. A New York lawyer
has made haste to write to most of the foreign
novelists whose stories are popular in this coun-
try explaining the situation, and offering his
services as a cha mpion in the courts A single
page in each novel from the pen of citizen of the
United States, he assures them will serve to prac
ticaly bring the entire book under the protection
Of our copyright law. That would mean the oblit-
Grafton of all the cheap libraries for the authors
could then sell their productions to publishers
who would pay a fair price, or prevent the print
ing of them in America altogether, instead send
ing the English or other foreign volumes here
ready made. The plan is sure to be pretty ex-
tensively tried, and New York publishing firms
are anxious, some hoping and some fearing, that
it may prove as successful as its inventors
anticipate
Sydney Rosenfeld arrivedi in this city from Chi
cago last evening, and was arrested by the United
States marshal at his home this morning. He
was taken before United States Commissioner
Shields, who held him until he could communi-
cate with Judge Wheeler, in Vermont and
ceive instruction as to the disposition of the
prisoner. Rosenfeld took his arrest quietly
and denied that he had left the city for the
purpose of avoiding arrest. He had, he said,
gone to Milwaukee to keep an appointment. He
denied that Abraham was cats paw of his and
declared that he was willing to shoulder the re-
sponsibility of producing the Mikado, in defense
of Judge Wheeler's injunction.
LATER-Rosenfeld was released this after
noon. on his own recognizance, under bail of
$4,000 Edward j. Abrahams, who was arrested
on Wednesday last, for producing the ''Mikado,"
was to-day released on 1000 bail.