The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-07-19
KEYSTONE BAND MET WITH
UNFAIR TREATMENT.
Were Debarred from Entering Tourna-
ment at Buffalo Last Week at the
Very Last Minute.
ANOTHER PROTEST.

AT Jne 'FRONT.' yesterday morning Jne
Reynoldsville Keystone Band, which
arrived in Buffalo with the lodge from
that town, participated, Subsequently
when they arrived on the ground in the
afternoon they were informed that they
were disqualified, no reason being given.
| Such is the statement made by w. w.
Wiley, delegate from the Reynolds
| vile lodge and manager of the band.
Mr.. Wiley said: I'VE have spent
more than $500 bringing this band to
Buffalo for the express purpose of
participating in the contest. When
we were disqualified this afternoon |
went to Mr.. Gethoefer, the chairman of
the committee on ceremonies, accom-
panied by Richard Ramsey, the direct
or of the band. Mr.. Gethoefer refused
to listen to us, said he was too busy, and
directed us to go TO the judges. We
are given to understand that we are
disqualified because the band was not a
union band. Well, in the printed
regulations which we received it was
expressly stated that any bard coming
from a town that was outside the iuris-
diction Of the local federation would be
permitted to compete. Tic nearest
federation to us is ut Pitt burg, 1875
miles away, so any such obie ,tiOn falls
to the ground We believe Ee have e
distinct grievance and we int nd to have
this matter threshed out. -Buffalo,
N. Y, Courier, July u, 1905
AS it is we'll known that the keystone
Band went to Buffalo the we, k Of July
10th with the B. p. O. Elk delegation
from here this band went for the pur-
pose of entering the band con est They
were entered in class B, there being
two classes, class A and b. In order to
discern what bands were eligible TO
enter this contest, preliminary con-
test was held in the fore noon and the
final contest at 400 o'clock of the day
set aside for the band contest. The
bands entering this preliminary in class
A were Mexican Band 81 pieces, 54th
Regiment Band, Rochester, N. Y, 40
pieces, 2nd Brigade Band, Pittsburg,
Pa, 40 pieces. In class B, Doring's
Band, Troy, N. Y, 20 pieces Wheeler
& Wilson Band, Bridgeport, Conn, %
pieces, Robinson Band, Pat ersOn, N.
j., 28 pieces, Keystone Band, Reynolds
Vile, 81 pieces, Each banc entering
this preliminary contest il order to
qualify for the final were to be- judged
as to their ability by their llaying B.
p. o. E. march and an overture of their
own selection, The Keys one Band
rendered the overture Champion"
high grade piece of music that they
some years ago at Dubois won first
prize in tournament of bands of the
Northwestern Pennsylvania Band Tour
nament Association. Director Ramsey
states that the band on this particular
day rendered this overture better than
they ever did before, and musical people
know what that means when it is said
about the playing of the Keystone Band
by such an efficient director as Director
Ramsey.
After the preliminaries came the
final contest at 400 o'clock, but before
the final contest, each director, iuclud-
ing Director Ramsey, were called to
draw their number for getting ON the
stand to play in the final, this band get
ting No. /, which would entitle it to
play first, but upon the arrival of this
band at the appointed hour and just
few minutes before the judges entered
their enclc sed tents the chairman of
the musical committee informed Direct
or Ramsey that the keystone Band was
disqualified in the contest. He would
give no reasons to the manager, as
stated in the clipping, but we learned
in a very short time that it as because
our band was not IA union band. The
query is why did they let us on the
stand in the first place II looks very
much as if they didn't take Vi seriously
and that after hearing tie difficult
overture and the masterly manner it
was handled it put them t. thinking
that they nay loose some laucels to the
miner" band, as it was called, as the
music for the contest was much easier
music than the preliminary The APP
plause for the Keystone band was equal
If not more than what was given the
Mexican Band, while the other bands
received but little applause. 1t also
can be said that this contest looked
very much as though the bands that
won were scheduled to win. One of the
judges admitted that the Keystone
Band had the highest average of any
band in the preliminaries, but under
conditions that existed they were dis
qualified. The Mexican Band was not
a union band, but the chairman of the
committee came out with statement
in the papers next day after protest
bad been made against the first prize
going to that band on accoun of being
non-union, saying that a spec al dispen-
sation had been granted by The Amer
lean Federation OF Musicians giving
this band permission to enter the