Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-12-28
THE METROPOLITAN
MUSIC COMPANY
Methc DDS arc Under lnvestiaa ia tion
Many of Our People
Are Interested.

ADOub tuo miuulo VI idst CuuucI u
school of music was opened in this
city by coterie of musicians who
claimed to be representatives Of the
Metropolitan Music Co., Of st. Paul.
They rented the Brewer brick at
Sixth and O streets and began solicit
ing for pupils. As their terms were
apparently quite liberal and success
to the pupils was guaranteed their
efforts were fruitful and several score
Of pupils joined the school. Lessons
were given on the violin, mandolin
or guitar. According to the terms Of
the agreement, printed copy Of
which was given to each pupil. go
paid for an instrument and Q course
Of 30 or more lessons, the "more"
being indefinite. The course was to
be continued until the pupil should
be able to play from sheet music If
the ~ lessons were insufficient to
produce this result.
I The amount Of go was to be paid
In installments; the first payment
was %, in advance. This was for
the last three lessons. Thereafter, 81
was to be paid each week. tho pupil
receiving lesson week. However,
the weekly payment must be made
whether the lesson WA taken or
not. Lessons missed could be made
up any time within year by taking
two lessons week. The contract
WAS left without signature.
When the last dollar Of the tuition
was collected the pupils had lessons in
number ranging from three to 10 paid
for and not yet taken. About this
time the school was closed. The
pupils were notified by letter. of
which the following il a sample:
Dear Pupil: Our school In Grants
Pass, Ore, will be closed for few
weeks. We will notify you when we
resume teaching.
Hoping this will not inconvenience
you, we remain,
Respectfully
METROPOLITAN MUSIC co.
Dio. Friedman,
Suspicious of the good faith of the
company, some of the pupils put
the matter into the hands of Sheriff
Russell for Investigation. Mr.. Rus
sell sent letter of inquiry to ST.
Paul which brought the following
reply;
st. Paul, MINI, Dec. 10, 1906.
W. j. Russell, ESQ.,,
Sheriff, Grants Pass, Ore,
Dear Sir:
Your letter addressed to the Metro
politan Music Co., ST. Paul. has been
delivered to us, as there is no such
concern in st. Paul. We are glad to
reply to your inquiry for the reason
that this concern, who seem to have
defrauded your people under the name
Of the Metropolitan Music School,
have also been carrying on the same
kind of business in various towns
throughout the State of Minnesota.
They are entirely irresponsible, and
have performed the same dishonest
trick with pupils in a number of
cases. They have also stolen the name
Of the Metropolitan Music Co. of
Minneapolis, and on being called to
account by an attorney, they dropped
the word Company and used the
word "School" instead, so that they
have in a number of cases, been oper.
ating under the name of the Metro.
politan Music School.
These people had branch at one
time in st, Paul, aud when we were
going after them We learned that they
TO have head office in
Chicago, in the charge of man
named H. II. Friedman.
We hope this information may assist
you in finding these people. and com
polling them to disgorge any money
they have carried of dishonesty.
Clans Shears AT Cramer Bros