Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05


was to be made should have been protected
in some way. II an admission fee was nee
essary there should have been enough
tlcket-takers TO accommodate the people
II was generally known in the morning
that 10 cents was to be charged at night
for admission to the auditorium and there
was much satisfaction expressed thereat, in
asmuch as it would tend to dsQualify for
admission all persons except those who
were anxious to hear the musical strains OF
the concert numbers in preference to the
wild 'hooray OF the Midway" And yet,
in spite OF this collection was taken up,
and the impression was given that Mr..
Bellstedt was to be the recipient thereof.
1t is not desirable nor expedient to enter
into the private affairs of the band
management and the exposition but there
should certainly be a distinct understand
ing among the citizens OF Omaha that the
impression given to the mayor who made
the appeal for collection, was that Bell
stedt had to have it. The writer had the
pleasure of calling on the mayor to investi-
gate the whole subject and 1t appears on
the surface that there was a great deal OF
petty spite work on the part of some few
members of the executive committee to-
ward Mr.. Bolstedt and his manager, MIR.
Ballenberg and this fact is emphasized
when one ascertains that the committee
paid MIR. Belstedt in silver. large and
small. unavodably perhaps, but one thinks
not when next day certain member of the
said committee commented on the smart
ness" of the trick. This may be business.
Musicians know nothing about business any
! way. but they know contract when they
see one and they fulfill their part. II this
q. pArha
! plain what it is
incidentally 1t was a committee OF bust
ness men and not OF musicians that made
one contract for a band as "Godfrey's
Band" without specifying the number OF
men to be contained therein. The result was
the advent of a band Of thirty pieces when
| forty we're expected.
The proposition that MIR. Belstedt should
wait for his money might be a business ono,
| but If business men would inquire further
they might find that musical business diff
! fers in certain ways from ordinary labor.
| Fer instance, Mr.. Burgess and Mr.. Rosen-
| thai doubtless incur expenses Incidental to
| the handling of their theaters, payable
monthly, and the bills therefor are pre-
sented and collected monthly, but they are
not in the regular habit of paying their the
atrical companies on the first of the month
| following the engagement.
| Manager Ballenberg, on being inter-
viewed, stated that the committee had failed
on SO many occasions to fulfill what it
had promised that he could no longer accept
| anything in a verbal way and that IL any
member had agreed to be personally re-
sponsible fer the amount of Indebtedness he
would have been satisfied. One member had
already done so on previous occasion. when
the men wanted their money, and Mr.. Bal
enberg asserts that he would willingly have
taken his word again, but the gentleman
aforesaid did not wish to assume the re-
sponsibilty personally.
All Of which, being summed UP, is equiva
lent to the statement that is hereby posi-
lively made, namely, that Mr.. Bellstedt wa:
already paid before the odious collection re-
ferred to was taken up and his little bag
of money was in the hands OF Mr.. Ballen.
berg while the collection money was being
counted. The collection money was taker
away by a representative Of the treasurer O.
the exposition.
1t is unfortunate that the people OF Oman,
received the impression they did. but /
|, could not be avoided under the circumstance.
and these words have been said merely IL
defense Of a fellow musician who is not her,
to defend himself. THOMAS J. KELLY.
Musical Notes.
Mr.. Keck introduced some more of hi
pupils at song recital given In his studio
last Wednesday evening The participant
: were: Miss Cady, Miss Foley, Miss Lul1
: Knight, Miss Ekstrom. Miss Gernhardt
Miss Spetman and Messrs. Dean. Graham
Newlean and Ekstrom.
{ The Sutorius Mandolin orchestra re
! hearsals began last Monday night. with
splendid attendance. Their hall in tn
5 Sheely block is a cozy place. we'll lighte
c and warm. Mr.. Sutorius expects to hav
e up to the standard of past seasons.
A second piano recital was given by tn
t pupils of Miss Boulter Saturday, Octobe
S of Clement, Gurlitt, Thome. Cramer. Ra
n vina. Nevin, A. Forester. Mendelssohn an
Chopin. They were assisted by Mrs. l.. 7
c SUNDERLAND, who sang MY Neghbor," b
, Gorlng Thomas. and "'Tis Raining" b
a Gerritt Smith
: Miss Julia Officer, piano studio, Karbac
: blk. Leschetlzky method used by Paderewsk
:, Miss Bella Robinson, plano studio, Hos e.
Il ri ii II III
j X y