New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03

II has coupons each indicating the location
Of seat but one is detached at the time Of
the purchase Of the ticket and the other is
sealed until its buyer presents it for admission
and IS then opened by the doorman, and the
ticket until used indicates neither the location
nor the price Of the seat its author believes
that IL would not be marketable.
MR.. F0NTAINE'S IDEA.
In letter to The Tribune, accompanying a
sample form Of the ticket he has devised, Mr.
Foutaine speaks Of the way il would battle the
speculator. as follows: When a prospective pa
iron OF q theatre goes 10 the box Office a hotel
agency or some other properly authorized agent
Of the playhouse. he first makes his choice Of
seat just as he does now. When he has picked
cut the seat he wants. he then takes the ticket
emitting him 10 that seat and examines il. The
ticket now consists Of three p8rts-a left hand
coupon, which indicates the name OF the play
house the date OF the performance, the price of
the seat and its exact location The centre sec
ton OF the ticket gives only the name Of the
house and the date Of the production, with no
information whatever concerning the seat. And
the right hand coupon, which is practically re-
duplication Of the left hand coupon is so sealed
that its printing is folded together, and is unde
opherable
ION being satisfied with the seat he has picked
out the customer pays his money and receives
torn of by the seller and retained This coupon
acts as a check upon sales. and must be returned
10 the mana cement.
'As the ticket is delivered, il bears no bal
coay' OF orchestra no seat location, no price
81 fact nothing which would make it Of value 70
Z prospective purchaser For the purpose Of
Identification. IN case the buyer Of the ticket
wanted 10 return il or change il for another one
there = an Identification number, which, as may
be seen in the illustration, is on the edges both
Of the coupon that is detached and Of the re-
manning part Of the ticket In this special IN
stance II is .270O5'
Now. sir. would any ordinary individual. who
is not IN the habit OF buying a pig in a poke.
purchase this ticket indicating as ii does
neither the location nor price Of the seat? The
Spectator could not handle such ticket, be-
cause on holding up a theatregoer he could not
prove that il good for such and such a seat
without tearing open the sealed coupon on the
right hand which would invalidate It. For on
the sealed coupon are printed these words;
Notice This ticket viii not be accepted at the
door If this sealed coupon is torn of de-
tached, or If seat location is in any way indi-
Gated on ticket
ION reaching the theatre on the evening OF
the performance the ticket holder presents the
bit Of cardboard just as he received il from the
box Office from any other OF the theatre s
regularly authorized agents The man at the
door looks at the seal 10 that il is unbroken,
and then tears off the sealed coupon, which, on
being opened. reveals the location OF the seat.
This coupon is handed TO the usher, just is
the stub Of the theatre ticket in use. and
when the usher has led the patron 10 his seat
the coupon is returned 10 the latter, for the
purpose OF enabling him TO identify his seat
should his possession Of IL be challenged.
This plan Is d simple one and if adopted by
the theatres Of this city the play loving public
would no longer be annoyed insulted and i'm
posed upon by the sidewalk Spectator"
a FRANK ENDORSEMENT.
OF the theatrical managers who indorse Mr..
Bontaines form OF ticket as a practical remedy
against the obnoxious ticket speculator, the
most enthusiastic is 7. w. Ryley. This plan
should prove effective in protecting the theatre
going public from the annoyance and insults of
that class OF men who prey upon play
hOuse patrons" he said 1T is difficult to in
troduce new form of ticket. such as this is in
the middle Of the season. where there are ad-
vance sales for weeks ahead. Otherwise would
Introduce IL Immediately at Days. where The
Belle OF Mayfair is now playing. have seen
various kinds OF tickets suggested for prohibit
Ing sidewalk spectators. but / regard this one
as the most practical 1 would like TO see IL
adopted by all the theatres"
Wells Hawks, speaking a representative of
Charles Frohman. said that the proposed ticket
was admirable in many ways, and that he
Thought IL would be effective in putting the
ocket spectators out Of business, or at least
N making things difficult that most OF them
would find other cations more lucrative The
eaief objection 70 the suggested plan which he
MADE was that the innovation would be
scented by the majority of theatre patrons.
ne average purchaser OF a theatre ticket"
SAID Mr. Hawks wants 70 see printed on IL
gust what II Ia. OF any other scheme be ia wont