New-York tribune., 1902-12-08
MASCAGNI HAS GUARD.
POLICE SURROUND HIM.
Composer Feared T1olence- Detectires
on Herald Square Stage-Mus'-
clans Strike and Gre Fob.


Italian musical composer came to the city yes
terday, and gave concert at the Herald Square
Theatre. Yesterday, the composers birthday,
added new experiences TO his already varied
career in this country, which has included two
arrests and various lawsuits. Among the in
cidents that marked the company's short visit
In New York were a march down Fifth-ave,
surrounded by fifty policemen and detectives IN
plain clothes protect the Italian artists from
bodily harm. a performance under the protec-
ton Of the police. strike of the musicians for
back pay, and a second strike for pay for the
nights concert; and. as slight alienation to
the wounded spirit of the maestro presenta-
ton to Mascagni of a gold watch fob from his
company in honor OF his birthday.
Just why Mascagni and his company needed
such thorough police protection does not appear.
Mascagnfs representatives say that owing to the
| trouble in Boston. in which nc twice ar
rested on civil suits, there was cause for fear
| that the company would suffer violence here.
Anyway. MaScagni demanded protection, and
Mayor Low, Police Commissioner Partridge
and Captain Walsh, of the Tenderlon Precinct.
gave him protection sufficient to satisfy all con-
cerned. In Boston Maseagni had appealed to
the Italian Prime Minister, and had according
to the cable report, received from that official
the promise of personal interference But IN
this city there attention enough given Mas
cagni to meet every ones demands =
Mascagnis manager sent the following teie.
gram to Mayor Low and Police Commissioner
Partridge.
Mascasn and his opera company of one hundred
people arrive Grand Central Station i :25. fear
resorted TO intimidation arrests. and perjury.
provide ample police R6GGfasfRfDP III
The job of giving this ample protection was
turned over to Captain Walsh He procured
five men from each OF the five neshboring pre-
cincts and took twenty-five men from his own,
TO meet the 4:25 train from New-Haven. When
the company arrived from Norwich, where they
had been playing the night before, and Mas
cagni and Manager Heard stepped out from the
car. they were taken in charge by the ponce
The composer and his manager. with detec-
tive to guard them, rode OF In a cap- Inc rest
of the company walked through rorty-Secoho-
st and down Fifth-ave. with the detectives and
patrolmen close alongside. Finally the whole
company brought up at the Herald square
Theatre where twenty-five policemen and de-
tectives in plain clothes remained in the mouse
and behind the scenes
Soon after 6 o'clock ten policemen in UNIFORM
took their place in front of the theatre TO guard
it against assault where they excited the WoL- 9i
der of the passers by and also served TO heip Mi
tba house with curious persons who were inter
ested to see what was TO happen
Meantime, behind the scenes, the company VIZ WaS
presenting their leader, Pietro MascagnI, Win Win
a gold watch fob in recognition of me a1Iectioh
in which they held him. Then, it Is salo, thsS
struck for 5000 back pay. At any rate, the con
cert which was to begin at O'Clock, started III
al $50 with about half the orchestra IN evening
5ress The management deny that there was
onv money difficulty but behind the scenes II
was said that the trouble was setueo pS pay
nent of the money demanded and tnat '.sa .e
tbera was another strike for $500 due Tor the
riebt,s rIst nerformance and that it was finally
agreed that the orchestra should glSso ohs III -
he If of the performance and receive s.po curing
the intermission. o. o,s
The intermission was long. The manager ana
the leader of the orchestra held long consul
tat,on in the box office of the theatre, at the
close of which a big roll of bills was taken De
mind the scenes. and then the snow Went on
II s said that after the orchestra hao mao liieiI
claims settled two of the principals oefiialueu
their share of the money, and had 10 De sdtis
Sad before they would go on the stage: AT
anv rate Signor Belatt did not sing the parry
tone solo in the first half, but ms place WaS
toLen nv an unknown member of the orchestrd-
I. tI,a second half however, he sang his num-
ber. az - .,raored m
1-,e conference in the box ONCE appeared to
he somewhat complicated by the presence 0I
D Thorn from a restaurant at NO I3So
broadway who demanded that his bill Tor feed
inc thirty-nine men, artists and pialn cIolhes
,nen he paid After he had threatened 10 ap-
naoI IN Captain Walsh and had refused an oHer
of SO so TO settle a bill OF slo Iu ne was iiniiS
Maid and went away satlsneo: ~ -. <,..,.
II was not until nearly 1I:4o lhdt Capeaiii
ypa1sh marshalled the members OF the coili
49, and started them for the Chrlstopher-st
farryy which was reached without mlshap. De
60 me start Mr. Heard explained matters IN
French the company, uhti sohie
of harmony was restored -, .I.o
rhe baggage was not taken from the theaife
,,r+iI nearly twenty minutes alteI .iiluISht'
bmt M one appeared to interfere with lts trans
,or+ation II reached the ferry saleiy just oe
fore / a. to-day.