The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1908-11-21
TEXAS PATHS"
SUIT NO WORRY TO
HAMMERS7E|N
All Because Miss Lee Doesn't
Understand "Camaraderie"
e in Art, Oscar Says,
CALLED HER HIS ANGEL.
But 1t Was Years Ago, and
He Has Written Thousand
Letters Like 1t.
CALLED HER HIS ANGEL.

Because budding opera stars do not
comprehend the meaning OF one little
word which, he declares, explains the
relationship OF opera manager and
singer, Oscar Hamirerstein has forty
suits for breach of contract now filed
against him, he says. not the least of
which is that of his one-time heralded
Texas Patti" Miss Frances Lee, with
letters and signatu'e, oscar
That little word is 'camaradcrie." Il
Co ei. everything, he says. Camaraderle
between producer and singer is neces-
sary. he insists. Great operas would he
dangerously threatened We're it not pos
sible for the producer To understand the
temperament of his stars to be in &C
cord with the spirit of ne operas in
which he fits them. Hence much ell
enlargement Is required to develop the
singer. Hence lett RS of personal at
ten,iUn.
This is the way Tho uoted inpressario
takes notice Of the report tina; Mss
Lee. now Mrs. Salt,r, has sued him for
100000 for breach Of faith in failing to
make her the great opera star she
claims her remarkable voice early in
dictated. In support. Miss Lse offers
one burning m!ssive from the great pro-
Queer and claims she, as 4S9 more of
like tenor.
A Ready Letter Writer
Perfectly true" said Mr.. Hammer
steIn between guips Of his black coffee
In the Kn!ckerhocker to-day. Il wrote
the letter a | have written u THOUSAND
similar ones. Its so long ago, you
know, eight years
My business is to force great singers
Between us must exist that camarader!e
which enables me to understand them
They are like spoiled children often. you
see You have to coddle and encourage
them and to force their latent talent.
and often expend money to develop their
voices. II l hail them tenderly. bid
them 60 out in the woods and sing
loudly. why it does no point to any
thing but my interest in their success.
that's all Il all comes from my rrin-
ciple of success-camaradsrie bet Ien
manager and singer, you see.
Il encourage them all as | did Miss
Lee. She was rot singled out for pref
erence. once l thought she would be
great. Why, she's married now
haven't seen her in three y"ars. I'm
surprised a lawyer would take a ca Sc
like that and shocked ,ha; any one
would pay the slightest attention to It,
Because i can't make them al stars
then I'm sued"
Donnerwetter! A tenor who sent
me his photograph wrote to me the
other day, mad as a hornet. and said
You have not kept Your promise to en-
gage me, please do not keep my photo
graph"
Miss Lee says she came to New York
ten years ago with an ambition and a
slender pocketbook and her claim is
that Hammerstein tried her voice and
told her she was OF the stuff OF which
prima donnas are made
Il was under his management for
several years. she says, and he gave
me every encours cement He called
me the Texas Pattr and | sang the
principal role in 1885 In War Bubbles,
which he produced.
Two years ago his interest in me had
waned and reminded him of his prom
Use to put me in grand opera. What
do you think he said? oh. go away and
stop bothering me- Then | determined
TO sue for breach of contract "
Miss Lee sang at Sunday concerts at
Manhattan Beach and with Sousa S
Band. and she says that, encouraged
by Hammerstein, she learned the prn-
cipal roles i'm many of the great operas
To back up her claims she says she will
produce 500 letters to her from Hammer
stein during the years she was under
his direction One OF these letters, which
she showed. is certainly not confined to
the discussion of purely musical mat
tiers.
This letter is addressed My dea,
Bruce" a name which Miss Lee says
Ler intimate friends use.
Your great letter of Saturday came,
begins one paragraph. fun OF love and
ture For such fhat Woman nar t as YOU iaI
strong man like has a fascination
to feel that | am called upon TO guide
and in return have her deep, sincere
my Angel Bruce"
In the letter Bruce is addressed al
my angel" and there are minute direc-
lions regarding her vocal exercises
How ] long to hear you sing, 1t wa,
very cold last night on the roof ant
Ing the days when | have you in my
arms again, the only woman In I'M
ss faes. Y aaDrs Good night my nsG Ps9yet
Despite the burning terms in this mis-
sive Miss Lee says she looked upon Os
car as "kindly, fatherly man." anC
because OF the explicit trust she put in
life. during which time she could hay.
attained her ambition had i not beer
she says, she lived only for her art, al
though her art yielded precious iittl,
substantial return.
Ali the time ] was with Mr.. Ham
merstein,' she says. he never wished
me to have any men friends or to pa,
any attention to men, and devoted IN,
entire time to my chosen profession an,
to him; ] gave up every pleasure /,
reach the goal he had promised me-"
The young woman says that although
Oscar would not give her place in In
painted twice in the dome OF the opera
house, and that her likeness Is the cen
the great figures Of opera.
When I used to ask him about m,