The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-27
Scheel Is Suspended by the
Local Union and De-
ClareS War.
HIS FRIENDS TO WITHDRAW.
An Action for 100000 Damages
Threatened Against the Ma
tional League.


Mechanics Fair. Putting the two things
together, the consequence of friction be-
tween the Mechanics Fair and the labor
organizations of the City can be easily in
ferred.
The union had pretty warm meeting,
which lasted from l 80 p NJ. until after
o'clock. Professor Scheel himself was
present part of the time and endeavored in
German to present his side of the quarrel
with the National League from his point
of view. Nathan Lardsberger acted as his
interpreter, besides strongly advocating
him, but Louis N. Ritzau made the hard
est fight for him. Altogether, forty-tive
men stood by him, and when the vote was
taken on the question of obeying the Ma
tional League and suspending Scheel it
stood 1874 to As.
His chief opponent was Alfred Romeo
vieri. A mere victory over Professor
Scheel was not enough for Mr.. Roncovieri.
He was DESTROYS of having impressed upon
the minds of Herr Scheel's forty-fve sup
porters that if they withdrew from the
union and followed an antagonistic course
by playing with him the special law of the
National League would be enforced, max
ing it cost any one of them 500 to get
back. The usual fee is only $21. The
union pledged itself to enforce this rule by
formal motion.
Notwithstanding this, Al Marks, Pro-
lessor Scheels manager, says the forty five
supporters of Scheel will withdraw from
the union. There is no other course for
them to pursue, he contends, for they
cannot play with Scheel and at the same
time remain members of the union with
out making themselves liable to suspen-
sion or expulsion.
According to Secretary E. E. Schmitz of
the union the local organization could not
do otherwise than it did Secretary Jacob
Beck of the National League has threat
ened it with disciplining measures if it
adhered to its original position of refusing
to suspend Scheel.
Had the union then attempted TO act
consistently, the National League would
have suspended or expelled it, and the
very first organization of musicians that
got together in San Francisco could have
affiliated with the National League by
complying with its initiatory require
ments. That would have made the
present union "scab" organization.
There is no unfriendly feeling toward
Mr.. Scheel," remarked Mr. Schmitz. at
is simply that we are compelled for very
self-preservation to take this STEP" He
explained further:
Had Mr.. Scheel given bond that he would
pay within a certain specified time the
amount said to be due the members of the
New York Union, whom he sent back home on
second-class fare, provided the claims were
legally adjudged against him, we might have
deferred action.
AS it is, here is the action of the executive
board stating that it finds the claims, amount
ing TO S1132, just ones, and demanding Mr..
ScheeFs suspension until they are paid
Now Mr.. Scheel contends that his contract
with Manager Stephany OF the Vienna Prater
did not call for frst-class fare both ways His
separate contracts with the men themselves
do however, although the wording is
Wa ha vnrd
"either' makes it mean both ways.
The men complain that they were sent back
or money to buy food with. There is only one
member OF our own union who has any griev-
ance against Scheel. This is Will Bates, the
solo cornetist. He naturally insists upon hay-
ing his first-class fare to New York being given
to him, whether he returns there or not.
Mr.. Scheel will find that his arrangements
with the Mechanics Institute will not be alto
gether harmonious. Director Doolan is op-
posed to him, and F. X. Tobin, the trombone
soloist, who has always been paid $45, has not
accepted ScheePs terms. Besides Mr.. Tobin
there are others that l know of.
The minimum union price for an ordin-
cry musician is $25 per week, and double
for the leader. Al Marks, Scheel's man.
ager, said after the decision of the union
had been taken, that Professor Schee's
contract price with the Mechanics Insti-
tute is $1,000 higher than was the highest
bid submitted.
excited over the action of the union, and
Mr. Scheel somewhat impetuously threat
ened to bring suit against the National
League for damages, and mentioned $780,
600 as the probable amount. He also
threatened to sue the local union because
it had suspended him after reporting to
the National League that his explanations
as to unpaid back salaries and unprovided
first-class return fares had been satisfac-
tory.
But that is not ALL Scheel and his man
ager have declared war all along the line,
and while exulting over their contract
with the Mechanics Institute, VOW they
will take all of Scheels forty-five or more
adherents and play in the parade of the
Fourth of July. Said Mr.. Marks:
Professor Schecl has now determined to re-
main in San Francisco. We have contracts to
Keep US for two years. and he will at once tele-
graph his family at Hamburg to come here
am going before the Fourth of July commit
tee to arrange to furnish forty five or fifty
musicians TO play in the parade in our new
uniforms, the Roccocos, with solid silver trim
mings.
What is more, we will pay higher than union
prices to all our musicians. Mr.. Scheel is an
attraction, and can command higher figures;
therefore, he can afford to pay better prices 10
his men.
So far as the Mechanics Institute is con-
cerned it does not care whether Mr. scheel's
musicians are union men or not. This whole
nght has been brought on by Roncovieri. He
failed to get the contract and because of that
he has tried this method to down US.
In the midst of all this trouble we have
secured the contract for the music of the doc
tors closing exercises at the Baldwin, on July
10, through DR.. DAncona.
Herr Scheel vented himself on the union
by saying that it was only the inferior mu-
sicians that had voted against him. "All
the good ones voted for me- he said, 'and
first-class musicians are the only ones |
will employ. will pay higher prices than
the union prices. l intend to bring an
action for 100000 damages against the
National League, and 1 will sue the local
union for its inconsistent action.
The committee on music OF the Me-
chanics' lnstitute-Messrs. A. S. Hallidie.
Ferdinand Formals and Rodney Kendrick
is now arranging for a special acoustic
shell at the pavilion for Scheel. Mr. For
mails was inclined to believe yesterday
afternoon that Roncovieri was particularly
responsible for the fight in the union on
Scheel. He related the history Of the
contract saying:
Roncovieri came in first with bid of about
$4,000. There seemed to be a desire at that
time to rush 1t through, but the committee
thinking that.ail the musicians had not been
given fair chance, the secretary was in
strueted TO communicate with them per-
SOnally. MI. DOOlan tn ba