The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-11
TO RECOVER FOR DEBT.
Famous Amherst GIee Club Case In the
Court.

Interest at the civil session of the
central district court yesterday morn
| ing was centered in the case of Saun-
ders VS.. Whitcomb, which in reality
was a lawsuit between Charles Terry
brother of the celebrated Ellen Terry,
leading lady for Sir Henry Irving, and
| Williams & Trahan, printers of Lon
don, against Henry E. Whitcomb of
| Worcester and S. P. Cushman of New
York, to recover money due from a
debt contracted by a tour of the Am
herst College Glee Club through Eng
land in 1894, to recover 5000 left unpaid
on debts contracted.
The man who attended the session of
the court and did not take the trouble
to memorize the table of English money
when he attended school in his younger
days, was on the outside, as the
amount of money at stake was brought
to the attention of the court as pounds
sterling, shillings and pense in place
of proverbial dollar and five spot.
1t developed during the testimony of
| fered that in 1894 Mr.. CuShman and
Mr.. Whitcomb formed an alliance for
the purpose of touring old England with
the Amherst College Glee Club.
Both men were students at the col
! lege, and Mr., Whitcomb was elected
manager of the club Both Cushman
and barrels of fun in the project, and
accordingly Mr.. Whitcomb was sent
across the Atlantic to arrange after the
manner of our diplomats for the recep-
| ton and introduction of the Amherst
Glee Club to the English people Mr..
| Whtcomb made the trip and talked
the matter over with Charles Terry,
and it all ended by Mr.. Terry becoming
| greatly enthused with the project, and
he predicted great things
1t was agreed on the spot that Terry
! should be manager of the club while in
| England, and he should also look out
| for printing and advertising. Mr.
! WhitComb got the club into line on this
| side of the water, and the members
started on the trip full of pleasant
| thoughts.
| They were met on the other side nv
a similar club from Cambridge univer-
! sity and everything looked handsome.
| Williams & Strahan, printing firm of
| London, consented to do the printing
| and the glee club started on its to11r
which proved to be short-lived. They
| did not meet with the same reception
| the gallant Sir Henry would get if he
| NalASh NilC boell Us DIT the hnlCkerDOckar
| theatre in New York, neither did they
| have to procure extra strong boxes to
carry away surplus coin of the Bank
| of England.
| Terry fixed up an agreement that
! could not possibly make things come
out on the wrong side of the ledger for
| him. He got all the money, and the
Americans got none. The agreement
was so drawn up that Cushman and
| Whitcomb were in line to paw half the
| liabilities, and when the tour was at an
end, it looked like 4 walk home
A verbal agreement was entered into
and Terry allowed the club to denart
for home with the understanding INF
he should get his money. Mr.. Whit
comb promptly settled his half of the
liabilities, but Mr.. Cushman didn't
hence the lawsuit. and the EngIisbrnen
now seek to recover the other half from
Mr.. WhitcOmb
In court yesterday morning several
letters were introduced as evidence in
the matter. and they We're amusing. Mr.
Saunders is Worcester man. ana mic
name was used to cover up a technical
ity. Henry L. Parker, Jr.. appeared
for the plaintiff and Arthur p Rugg
for the defendant
When the letters had been read NJ.
Parker tried to introduce the negotia he
trument laws Of England of the AZ
40 years Of the reign of Queen Vic
toria. Mr.. Rugg objected, and after con-