The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-10

4
tory.
Mira Laura E. Hanson OF 80 Grant
street, was the next witness. She said
that she played the oornet. Had played
it for IS years. Had travelled in the state
with another orchestra. In her opinion
the orchestra played very well indeed.
There were no break-downs. ON CROSS
examination she admitted that Mr..
Staples said that he should expect the
music TO be satisfactory.
Clarsnce IL. Brown was then called.
He is matchmaker Apd deals in mu-
sical Instruments at go Middle street.
He plays the violincello ana has played
IL for six years. Has played the clarinet
for Is or eO years. he regarded himself
as an amateur musician and not pro-
| fessional. He heard the orchestra play
at their last rehearsal before leaving for
Old Orchard. They played tive or six
pieces, most all of them new and inter-
esting pieces which he had never heard
before. He considered the character oil
their playing very nice. He was asked
II in his opinion they were competent to
| tender music at a sum mer hotel the Size
of the Old Orchard Houss, and the ques-
| tion was ruled out by the court on the
ground that he hadn't qualified himself
as an expert.
Edward q. Webb was the next witness.
He said that he played the violin and
viola and had played in Chandler's Band
ever since 1869. lie. was present a. a
dance given recently at South Portland
by this orchestra, composed of Miss
Cram as leader, Mrs. Hanson, Miss Spear,
MIS-. Thompson and Miss Moore. lie
acted as prompter. In his opinion Miss
Cram was a very good violin player, and
he regarded her rs competent to lead
ladies' orchestra OF seven pieces. He
could not testify as to her ability in play
ing concert music, as he had only heard
] her play dance music.
Miss Blanche o. Cram was then called.
she said that she played tine violin and
had played 1t for 16 years. She had
studied with teachers In Portland, and
also at the Boston Conservatory of Music
and the New England Conservatory. She
assumed leadership OF this orchestra on
February LIST She regarded the playing
of the orchestra during the three days
as very good 1t was satisfactory to her.
Miss Lulu Spear testified that she
played the cello Had played it about
n year and a half. Had studied both In
| Portland and Boston. When she went to
uld Orchard she regarded herself as able
to play her part In each one of the
pieces correctly. She thought the play
ing OF the orchestra was very good.
She pronounced the word cello as
"cnello." Being inquired of by MIR.
Cleaves In regard TO this, she said that
was the way 1t was pronounced by Bos-
tonians.
Miss Grace A. Graves of North street
testified that she played the piano, and
had played 1t for II years. she had stud
led under Mir. Blanchard and Harvey
Murray. Had also taught the piano for
ten years. She said that thsy spent two
hours and half at each rehearsal. She
regarded the playing of the orchestra as
very good indeed.
The last witness for PLAINTIFF was
Paul Ii. Cram, . student at Harvard
College, and a brother OF Blanche o.
Cram. He heard the orchestra play at
the Old Orchard house. and in his opinion
they played we'll.
IN DEFENSE.
Mr.. Cleaves made tine opening argu
ment for the defense in the afternoon.
He claimed that Mr.. Staples had engaged
first class orchestra as he supposed, and
that it turned out to be an amateur orga
nization instead OF a professional one, as
he supposed. The orchestra, Mr.. Staples
claimed, had not been able to give the
first class music that MIR. Staples had
a right TO expect and for that reason he
had discharged them. Mrs. Thomson
at her first interview had given Mr.
Staples q card which contained the names
of the members of her orchestra, but 1t
turned out that only two OF the young
women named on this card had gone to
Old Orchard with Mrs. Thompson to full
I'LL the engagement there. MIR. Cleaves
dwslt to some extent on the high charac-
ter of Mr.. Staples house which, he said,
was the best In Old Orchard and which
had the largest patronage ana command
cd the highest prices. Tue people who
patronized this house were nearly all
wealthy and demanded the best OF every
thing, including the best Of music. He
said that MIR. Staples had contracted
for this kind OF music, bup had not OBJ
tanned 1t and that his guests. who were
paying high prices for their rooms and
board at this house, complained to MIR.
staples that they were not getting the
music they were paying for. Mr.. Cieayes
said that musicians OF the first class
were such masters Of their Instruments
that when they came together even for
the first time they were able TO play well,
but musicians without experience could
not do this. Mrs. Thompson S orchestra
was not proficient and though they had
practioed much together could not play
well enough to satisfy Mr.. Staples and
did not come under the category OF first
class musicians. Though they received
some applause from the guests OF the
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