The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-04-14
THEATRE TRUST
The Syndicate Agreement
Made Public in
Law Suit
CAUSED A SENSATION

new 1OTK, April ll,-OOIueIHlh6 VI
sensation was caused in local
theatrical circles this afternoon when
1t became known that at last the So
called Syndicate" agreement had
been made public, 1t having been
offered in evidence in q suit now in
progress between David Belasco and
Joseph BROOKS growing out of a d.
vision of profits in the play THE Auc-
tioneer." This is the agreement which
has time and again been report
ed to have been destroyed after its
provisions had been subscribed to by
the leading theatrical firms of the
country all of whom were bound by
an oath to live up to its provisions
and to keep them secret. The agree
ment is of a distinctly ironclad ma
ture and shows that the syndicate"
successfully divided UP the business
of the country among themselves and
bears out the charges of the "inde-
pendents" that there was little chance
of first class attraction securing
dates in certain sections of the coun-
try.
L.
ney, Samuel Untermeyer, were greatly
elated at their success in bringing
the document to light and the latter
said tonight that 1t would serve
good purpose in showing the public
who paid to see their favorite actors
and actresses just what becomes of
the money that passes through the box
Office windows.
The text of the agreement as intro
duced Is as follows
"This agreement in triplicate made
and entered into this fourteenth day
OF April, nineteen hundred (April IA,
1900, between AL Hayman, Charles
Frohman, Marc Klaw and A. l.. Err
LANCER, parties of the first part and
Zimmerman, trading as Nixon G. Zim-
norman, parties of the second part,
witnesseth:
Whereas, the said parties hereto
of the first and second parts respec-
lively are interested in, or own, or
hold leases of various theatres and
places of amusement in the United
proceeds from divers theatres for SER
vices rendered such theatres; and
"Whereas, the theatrical business as
at present conducted has resulted in
great losses from indiscriminate book
ings, in consequence of which similar
attractions of the first class repeatedly
oppose each other at the same point
and thereby inJure the other by caus-
ing the play-going public to choose
between them; and
Whereas, from the geographical To-
cation of the theatres and places Of
amusement, unless tours are arranged
In as nearly direct line as possible.
needless expense results from railroad
fares and hauling theatrical parapher-
MALTA and properties, large companies
with equipment being now too often
moved forward and backward for the
causes mentioned and
Whereas, to guard against the
repetition of losses of like character
not only to the parties hereto, but to
all persons in the theatrical business
who either control companies or our
theatres, 1t Is necessary that the de-
fects in the particulars mentioned
should be remedied. etc.
"Now, therefore. for the benefit and
protection of the parties hereto and
of the premises and in the considera-
tion of the sum of one dollar by each
party to the other in hand paid, the
receipt whereof is hereby acknowledge
ed, 1t is agreed as follows:
First. This agreement shall COM
mence on the 31st day of August 1901
and continue in full force and effect
for period of five years from said
date"
The theatres controlled are then
named
Second. No attraction shall
be booked in any of the said theatres
or placesgof amusement Tor In any
which may be hereafter acquired as
aforesaid) which will insist in playing
AN opposition theatre or place OF
amusement in any of the cities above
named Tor any which may hereafter
come under this agreemenD unless
the party hereto having the theatre
or place of amusement In said COM
petition shall give his or their consent
in writing to permit said attractions
to play in the opposition theatre OF
place of amusement
Fourth The parties hereto in con-
sideration of aforesaid also hereby re-
spectively covenant and agree to and
with each other to poll all profits and
other income that they may derive
from the theatres mentioned In clause
and such other theatres as may here
after be acquired under the terms OF
this agreement.
Fifth. The net profits or other in
come accruing or derived from these
specified theatres as enumerated In
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