New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-18
Mr. Morrisseys Recollections Borne Out by
Facts
iitor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: I was much interested and amused b. read
ing the article in your Sunday Magazine ~ No
vember o. purporting TO be account Of an inter
view Of Mr. James ". Aiorrissey with Charles
Dickens. And all I can say is if his other reports
OF his meeting other celebrities are equally
they will be rnarveIs OF biogra phcaI Hrare-
ture. Let me quote his statement as given in your
paper. After describing Nh Dckens's appearance
he says.
He approached me at a counter in Chickering's
piano and music store i'm Broadway. near Bleeokar-
ST, where l. a boy in my teens. was selling tickets
for the much advertised readings which Charles
Dickens. who was then honoring this country with
his second and last visit, was giving ir New
York"
Now. as was in the employment Of Nj CHECKER
Ing this time and long afJarward, I know where
of I speak when 1 declare the whole OF the above
statement to be grossly incorrect in every par
tcular. Mr.. ChickeriUg q. e.. Chickering ( Sous)
never had piano and music store in Broadway or
anywhere else. They had piano wareroor on the
second floor at the southeast corner OF Broadway
and Fourth-st. but it had counters in il. had no
boy to sell tickets. for the that Chickering's
never sold tickets. and 10 the best Of my belief
Dickens was never in the place; MS mission was
not a musical one and he had call TO he there
Your imaginative correspondent further says:
The clerks at the surrounding counters had
stopped work and were eyiug me with grias"
Impossible. There were no other counters and 10
other clerks to grin Mr.. Chickering'S and the
pianos in the room ana Mr.. j. {. Barnes, sales
man; Mr.. Marble. bookkeeper Mr.. Osborne re-
paircr, myself and the porter the only re-
semblance of clerks in the place. and I am quite
sure never grinned at the mythical boy.
Then he makes dear old Parepa Rosa celebrated
atre, in the Bowery' when il the carl Rosa"
English Opera Company with which she sing
eIe O in short is manfestiy the onspras Of
lively and not too sCrupulous Imagination, and
totally misleading and Incorrect
STAT NO3IINUS CMBRA
New-York. Dec. l. 1904
Mr.. Morrissey is correct and Mr.. Name-in-
the-Shade IS mistaken. Young Morrissey was
employed at the time. not by Chickering's but
by C. L. Lawrence, who had a neatly con-
room on the ground floor at No. 652 Broadway.
The OF this Mr.. Lawrence is the man
ager. to-day Of James X. Hackett. and he cor
roborates Mr.. Morrissey's recollections both as
10 the location and as TO the names of employees
and frequenters of Chickering'S AS TO Dickens
tickets having been sold there. in the flies OF
The New York Herald for December : and
TO- 1867, an advertisement reads: Dickens
Observation-Disclosures for single nights or the
course for sale at reasona BILE prices at Chicken
ing's. CO. Broadway, between Blocker and
Bond SITS" If Mr.. y. L T. Shade is anxious TO
dispute any other Of Mr.. Mcrrissey's recoIlec-
files of New-York newspapers at the Aston
Library, Mr.. Morrissey Will call on him and
convince him by amazing array Of other cor
roborative evidence. even TO giving him the
name OF the clerk in The New-York Herald"
Office who accepted from him and took pay for
the above advertisement