The Sunday morning news., 1891-11-29
AN AID TO BLACKMAIL.
Laws That We're 0stensib1Y
Made to Protect
Creditors.
BUT WHICH ARE UNJUST.
Bear Heavily Upon ltinerant The
atrical Companies-Must Pay
Whether They Owe or Not.

The action of INSCRIPTIONS Justices OF
the Peace of this city in permitting peo-
pie from New York, Brooklyn and other
cities in or out of this State to attach the
| property of members of the theatrical
| profession, and at times the property of
| whole companies, thereby jeopardizing
| their engagements and the positions of
actors in their respective companies, has
become the subject of great discussion
among members of the theatrical fra
| ternity. Unfortunately there is a law on
the statute books empowering Justices to
| do this without much regard for the
| rights OF the defendant. Equity, ap-
parently, is not considered, as the few
pennies which are derived from the IS
suing and serving of writs Of attachment
would appear to make eve rything just in
the eyes of the local Justices. The alb
surd laws of this State regarding attach
| ments of theatrical companies have al
ways been abused by New Yorkers, but
| the abuse is now becoming an outrage.
because Of the advantages extended In
the way of tying up companies for the
satisfaction of claim no matter how in
significant. These laws will yet strand
some company unjustly and then per-
haps the legislators will awaken to the
| fact that a law that is good enough in
New York to govern theatrical COM
panies is good enough to govern them
| here.
| AS result of the laws governing these
cases, Justice Weed now has in his Gus
tody trunk filed with dresses. the prop
erty of Miss Muriel Telachow, who as
sumes the role of Lady Lundy in THE
Athlete" The story of the seizure of
Miss relachow's goods appeared in THE
JERSEY CITY NEWS several days ago.
THEATRICAL OPINION.
"The existing law in this State" said
| an actor last night. permits blackmail,
as stated in TIE JERSEY CITY NEWS edi-
| torial. It's an outrage. We are projected
| in every State except New Jersey. and II
| the law is to be abused to the outrageous
extent it now is it will not be long before
good companies will refuse to play in the
State.'
This was an astonishing piece OF news,
but Mr.. Frank Henderson of the Academy
of Music and Manager Hyams both en-
dorse the statement
"Have you ever been inconvenienced
by the attachment of the property or any
company2' / asked Manager Hyams.
l II have,'' was his rel ly, and continu-
ing, he said:-"That the attachment of
theatrical company's property should be
permitted as it is done here is an outrage
of every zen and you will find that these
attachments are all issued late Saturday
nights. What Is an actor to do? What
is the manager of a company to do? He
is billed to appear in Cincinnati Monday
evening. His trunks and his company
must start either Immediately after the
performance here or early Sunday morn
ing, To break contract means loss,
perhaps damages. The person whose
property is attached must be released,
HkA nJ1 A1n ntv,a io Had
whether it is just or unjust. Do the JUS
tices who issue the writs know whether
the claim Is an honest one or notf Do
they care so long as they get their fees?
The whole thing is an injustice OF an ag-
gravated form. and the evil should be
remedied." /"
"Do you know why New York people
always wait until a company gets into
New Jersey before they cause the prop
erty to be attached?"
II do, most assuredly. In New York it
is very rare thing for any actor to have
his property attached, for the simple
reason that the person wishing such at
tachment issued must file with the JUS
tice issuing the writ three times the
amount of the claim ne wishes satisfied.
Another reason is that in New York you
cannot attach the effects of a company or
any member of a company later than
| Friday, and that gives the person whose
properly is attached an opportunity to
appear in court and explain matters. and
settle the account if it is a just one or
have their goods released if IL is unjust.
| THE JERSEY WAY.
| 'Out here, however, man eau walk into
| Justices office, swear out an attach
ment at ten or half past ten o'clock Sat-
urday night and have every trunk seized,
and the claim, honest or dishonest, Das to
be satisfied or the company does not get
| away.
when Alexander Salvini was here,
though no one knew it, his dresser got
| an attachment against mis- goods the day
| he came here. Salvini discharged the
man in New York, and paid him all he
owed him. Out of spite the man got his
| goods attached. He went before a GER
tain Justice of the Peace, who asked no
| questions hut merely gobbled in the costs
| aud served the writ. Salvini deposited
cash bond covering the supposed claim
aud went on his business. How that
case came out don't know, but it is sup.
posed that the Justice kept the cash de
posted.
81 know of case where the injustice of
| the laws OF this State were made appar-
ent. A certain manager engaged two
sisters. His company went TO pieces and
he was unable to pay them i'll full. -Four
years later he started out with new COM
pany and after touring through the
West and New York State. he came to
Jersey City, and the two sisters lied up
his company for their back salary OF SO.
| Mr. Henderson furnished bond for the
company and the case was placed in the
hands of Bedle, Muirhead & Magee, Mr..
| Henderson knew the manager, knew him
TO be u reliable man. II it had not been
done the manager would have had to pay
SIS hat he did not really owe"
Chancellor McGill. it will be remem-
bered, required Manager Henderson to
furnish a bond when he granted an in-
junction restraining Hallen and Hart
from appearing at the Hoboken Theatre
| three years ago.
/ A little good sense and Judgment exer-
cised by the Justice of the Peace would
be very beneficial to the community. The
records in Justice Weeds Court, who, by
the way, has monopoly of this class of
| business, show that in nine attachment
cases out of ten, the writS were issued
Saturday night, and at a late hour, and
to people who came from other cities.
The sums they claimed ranged from S. to
$25.
MANAGER MULLoNE's OPINION.
"WhaJ do YOU think of this business of
Justices of the Peace issuing writs of
attachment against the proper ty of theat-
rical people for any person who pays 65
cents?" | asked Manager Mullone of the
New Opera House yesterday
II think it is an outrage" replied Mr..
Mullone. "I remember an in
stance of that kind, and l fully
| with tho odifOviol 7 mn h1is ad