Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-05
sAvANNAH, O., Feb. 3, 1ssO.

Ludden d Bates Southern Music House,
Savannah: A"
GENTLRAfEN-In reply to your commu-
nication of Feb. ., we would say that we
recognize your right to call upon your
felloW-citizens to investigate the correct
ness or incOrrectness of charges involving
the business integrity OF your house. 1t
is due to you that such a request as you
have made of us should meet with a favor
able response, and, accordingly, we have
not hesitated to make the desired eXami-
nation.
After carefully considering the articles
against you, published in the Musical
Courier, of New York, it is our deliberate
opinion that but two Of the charges therein
involve in any way the reputation of the
house for fair and honorable dealing.
These are, frSt, that you have your
selves been selling what is known to the
trade as "SJencil Pianos" at the same
time that your advertisements and circu-
lars have explicitly denied that such
pianos were offered for sale by the house;
and, second, that you have advertised the
"Ludden a. Bates" piano as of your own
manufacture when, in point of fact, such
was not the case. To these charges alone
we have confined our investigation, be-
lieviug that nothing else in the articles Of
the Courier touches your business char
acter.
We are, perhaps, not sufficiently ac-
quainted with the details of the piano
trade to give a specific definition of just
what "StencI Piano" is, but in general
we understand that the term applies to In
struments made by parties who do not
put their names upon them-instrument
that In themselves give the purchaser no
clue to their origin, and for which no
maker is responsible-in A word. that
Il III Of Hnuar.frnv,. 10
Now. the evidence placed before us by
your Mr.. Bates satisfies our minds that
",rne AriOn" piano, the special object OF
the attack of the Courier, cannot and does
not come in this category. "The ArlOnv
is the registered trademark OF a piano
manufactured by J. =. Hale &, Co., Of New
York, and bearing the name Of the maker
in plain letters. The Ludden & Bates
Southern Music House has the sole right 10
sell this piano in the Southern states, and
we certainly are unable TO see the wrong
doing or want Of integrity or fairness in
you selling your goods for what they are
upon their own merits. We went through
your warerOoms and saw for ourselves
that every carton" bore the name j. Z.
Hale h 90. as It's maker Just over the key
board and below the word "Arion," where
no purchaser could possibly tail 70 see Il.
As for the charge OF your wronRfully
clalmlnB 10 mahulactuIe thc |buuuen ~
Bates" plano, we have only TO say that
sufficient documentary evidence was put
in our hands TO convince US that you did
manufacture those pianos, and have moth
ing TO retract In the claim.
In word then, gentlemen, we are as
eured. as the result OF this investigation,
that the charges against you are without
weight. and need be considered no more
by yourselves or by the community. We
H.. -,unfasa4an g..
has been given us 10 look into your affairs.
Your books. invoices, papers, instructions
10 agents, ETC., have all been open 10 us,
and we have seen nothing that you might
not publish to the world. Yours truly,
CHAs. II. OLMsTEAD,
J. n. EsT1LL,
-Adu. NJ. HAMILTON.