New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-29
IS HOFMANN OVERWORKED I
ELBRlDGE r. GERRY ASKS THE MAYOR TO
REVOKE HIS LICENSE
he SAYS THAT THE MANAGERS OF THE YOUNG
PIANIST ARE TRYING TO MAKE HIN DO TOO
MCCH-TALKs WITH THE PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN THE CASE.

PIANIST ARE TRYING TO MAKE HIw DO TOO
MUcH-TALKs WITH THE PEOPLE
INTERESTED ~ THE CASE.
Elbridge T. Gerry. on behalf OF the New York
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Ia Children,
Is making an attempt TO have the number OF con-
ccrts given by the musical prodigy Josef Hof.
man, restricted on the ground that the boy is
being o,ertaxed and physically injured Mr..
Gerry yesterday called Mayor fIewitt's attention
to the matter in the following letter:
DEAR SIR On November 49, 1897 your Honor i..,sd IL
Following permit under ssctlon 202 OF the Penal Code;
NgwyoRK Nov 49, 1887
Permission il hereby Holman o. perform es
tns A. tne nsrSp'n Opera House upon no. srcesi
section 2s2 OF the Penal Code ABRAN HEWITT Mayor
Since that time as we'll the bees
exhibited pursuant to the PERI this city bot Ia A.
dton to tho public performances gwen Ter yoar license
he has also been exhibited private sltsrsmmea an 90
the days intervening taken Bssa thers sxhibtsi
The result Of this stain his ply ,cal ossa
such that this society is In receipt OF Jaas
frcm reputable ctizelA instsSng that ths chit
worked and TO that there danger Of
physical health giving AWAY One gentleman wr tes TO
that he observed Satur ay evening marked change
| the boys appearance that he had The look asd
| manner Of whoss strained 10
the swapping point On Wednesday OF iaa
week he performed IN NewYork, Friday IN Philadelphia
and on saturday In New York On he
to Boston TO appear Monday evening returned
NewYork Tuesday OF the present week. where payel
at his concert Welnes strain OF playas
81 five concerts In week the fatigue orseys out
OF The city At each Of s the little plays eight
or nine pieces including coucsrto musicanor
example Josefy Richard Hofnau-usuaIly plays
certO at concert and ,ion lily saturday
last lady writes me he was seen crying when the door
opened for him 70 the stIge AMI tey hal
till he recovered sufficiently appe Its further stated that
the given by the father for suDscnx chd
oversrain Is the necessity of procuring Tor h
musical edrcaon but am also creby informed that the
father has refused offer from gentlemen Boston to
give him the necessary eiucatOn until he is tweaysns
years OF IL the father will withdraw the cLd from the
stage.
In calling your attention to these let me .uggss,
that censs does limit time OF the exhibitions
ami tnat under The license they may conecuvey
week after woeK for year TO come II wsuld
be- very proper for you to notify the parties having
Josef charge cause why your license
should not either DO restricted revoked that
should then direct made competent
me cal into his physoa condition made to
writing To whether cli IL being
strained There bs about the raordnay
talent which the CHILD but muca fear that
his future existence is beng discounted order 10
INTO the pockets OF those have succeeded in contracting
for his services else grsy vanity who
certainly ought consider what will become Of child Of
such thus mentally and s.caiy
extent entirely Incompatible with the laws OF health
Mr.. GERRY EXPLAINS HIS MOTIVE.
Mr.. Gerry supplemented his letter by personal
call on the Mayor lie was afterwards seen by
Tribune reporter, to whom he said that the
Mayor and he :" always worked in accord that
the Mayor :" u humaLe man, and would nc
doubt do what was right"
! Please understand my motives in taking this
action he continued. | am not actuatcd by
any animosity against young Hoimanns father.
| do not wish TO say anything unklnd about hlm; |;
| but l think he is blinded by the genius OF his
| son, and is errlng from Ignorance. josef liof-
| mann may well be considered q second Mozart; /;
but that is no reason why he should, like Mozart,
| ID tD an L hal Iesl
numbers of letters Of complaint TO which l reiee
in my communication to the Mayor, and sincerely
think that 10 IS my duty to take the matter up.
The child should certainly be limited in the NUM-
Der OF his performances: Four week at the
outside are quite enough .
an order from the Mayor really bring about whae
you want? Would not the boy be still just 10
much at liberty to play in Brooklyn or anywhere
else outside of New-iork as often as his managers
think ftp
i would have the Mayor make his permit strictly
provisional. If the boys parent or manager does
not agree to have him play only so many times
week. and no more, shall ask that his permit
for New-York be mmediately reyOkcd aiosethehr ,h:
permit conditional, or to stop the performances
if the conditions are not complied with
Mayor Hewitt was next seen by reporter, and
on being asked for his view of the matter said :
AS am to be the Judge in the case IT certainly
would not be right for me TO express an opinion
even il had formed one until had heard both
sides I have written TO Mr. Abbey, requesting
him to appear before either Monday or
Tuesday, whichever will be the more convenient
for him.
WHAT MR. ABBEY SAYS ABOUT TT.
The Mayors letter had not been received 40
Mr. Abbey's office up TO o'clock Mr. Abbey
said Il have had official intimation Of any
complaint by Mr. Gerry proposed action by the
Mayor All l know about the matter I have
learned from representatives Of the press who have
! seen Mr.. Gerrys letter. He does not seem TO have
made the complaint on his own impulse, but in
nbaIia To IN al ha NQ
been made to him. Now, there are always great
! many people more interested in mindng other
peoples business than their own. There are also
always lots of siclily sentimenaists who ready
TO gush sympathetically over the imaginary wrongs
of man, woman, child or beast Now, the Mayors
permit allowed four concerts a week, and llofmann
has been playing nine weeks and gwen in all
! thirty concerts. Twenty Of these were matinecs
and one was at private house. So you see that
out Of New York, come up to the Mayors limit.
/ hear that there is statement in Mr.. Gerry's
letter that a lady claims to have seen tho boy
crying between his pieces. No one who was on
| the stage or behind the scenes saw anything OF
the kind As for Josef being tired after the con-
him racing round. My contract with Hofmann
is for eighty concerts, and as there is plenty Of
time to give them in. there is no reason why I
should crowd any great number into one week
/ / haven't done yet. nor shall In the future
Marcus Mayer. Mr.. Abbeys general manager
confirmed what Mr. Abbey said and added After
| last Saturday nights concert when the boy led
| the orchestra for the first time, he racing
about the stage OF the Opera House and dcfying
any one to catch him. You should see him Jump
into his overcoat after concert. lie can make
better time getting dressed tain any one ever
saw He is many pounds heavier than when he
! came here and for the story of his crying
have never seen him otherwise than full OF fun
| and lifc.'
TALK WITH THE BOY AND HIS FATHER.
Master Hofmann gave a conccrt yesterday after.
noon at the Brooklyn Academy little before
six o'clock he entered the Windsor Hotel. accom-
panied by his father and Manager Charles Wolf.
lie was well wrapped up in fur-trmmeJ over
coat and walked along the corridor ut pace that
did not indicate weariness Or fatigue. Indeed,
he far outstripped his older companions. lie
shook hands with the reporter, giving him CLASP
remarkable for its iirmness and force. When
asked il lac was tired, hc replied Not at alL'