New-York tribune., 1905-06-04
* 7{@ Theatrical Graft: * *
Expended to Get Free Seats and
Then Sell Them.

the woman typewriter Finally Mason Peters
discovered that this typewriter was the person
who had asked for and got all the seats. There
was no other correspondent" at all. She is
now on the blacklist.
At one of the early meetings of the press
agents somebody mentioned a certain man III
New-York who for years had been getting
passes to the theatres. Nobody knew why he
got them His business was inquired into. and
II was learned he was a shirt maker. He was
cut off the list but some curious agent asked
him how he ever managed to get passes IN the
first place He replied that he didn't know
himself. He had hung around the theatres Tor
years and always got passes when he asked Tor
them That was enough for him Such slip
shod methods have been done away with now
by the association.
For the last two years there has been a man
in New-Jersey who has secured tickets by send
Ing to the managers clippings from newspapers
putting their shows. OF course, he represented 10
them that he responsible for these puHs.
Investigation disclosed the fact that he had no
connection with any newspaper, merely cutting
the notices out where he found them. HIS
graft" stopped. Another man, in New
Rochelle. got numerous tickets by Sendlhg III
clippings. One day Mr.. Pollock noticed tnaI
| the newspaper the clipping was printed on was
damp. A detective sent TO NeW-Rochelie
and 1t found that the man had galley
press on which he struck off proofs or pulls
with something else printed on the PACK 10
make the clipping look genuine. and had been
/ making a nice little of money for months
by the process. -..-.
| Another man who. because of some legal
/ troubles, dares go to New-Jersey only on sun
! that State, the starting of the newspapers con
i sisting Of having letter heads printed In order
/ to get passes which he sold.
/ The nerve of the ''grafterS Is some etiInes
| astonishing In several cases their requests for
/ seats have been answered by a letter, stating
I that if they would call at the box office at
: lltie he
such letters have actually been offered for sale
in the cigar stores in Broadway. However, the
cigar store trade is much less than it was be-
/ fore the Press Agents Association got into
/ action. One dealer, the Knickerbocker
Theatre, complained the other day that his trade
in tickets had almost entirely ceased, thanks
/ to this association" and seemed TO think he had
( a just grievance.
/ Mason Peters Mr.. Savage's press agent who
has saved all the written requests for free seats
| which have come to him this season and has
enough to fill good sized barrel told tbs
| other day of some sad experiences when the
| wrong man had been turned down.. Not al
those who come begging with doubtful Creden-
tals are really "grafters," and sometimes they
get back" Once IL Chicago a man was
/ was turned down. and he got out through
j the news syndicate that he conducted an ar
ticle roasting the Prince of Pilsen." and sen
it to three hundred Western newspapers il
| towns where The Prince of Pilsen' was goint
| to play. 1t would lIa paid. Mr. Peters thinks
/ to have given him box when he asked fo
Another form of attempted graft is th'
professional card game man or woman
! will have cards printed bearing the words "Sns
Smith The County Chairman Company O
something of that sort. and attempt to hold III
the press agents for seats. AS rule, however
the press agent is toierably familiar with tn
faces of actors and actresses, and this dodg
] often fails to work. Hundreds of persons VIII
represent themselves connected with SOM
| newspaper or magazine will continue TO &c
seats for nothing from the theatres and max
! money by selling their passes. Their success
however IS already far less than il used to b
In the lax days, and by thesend OF another sea
son of the Press Agents Association which vii
continue to investigate each suspicious cas-
and keep a black list. the theatrical ticke
graft will probably be an unprohtaole pusi
Dess II means a lot of work for the pres
agents but it also means lot OF money save
by the theatres. Those who suppose that IN
press agent has nothing TO do but invent sto
ries about pearl necklaces thrown on the stag
in bouquets to the fascinating stars are muc
mistaken Their graft mail alone each day
enough keep them busy.