Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-12


Abram s. HewitD permission was given
for Josef Hofmann to play not more
than four times each week. On January
"a, 1888, further complaints of the anne
tenor were made to the society, setting
forth that the boy was compelled TO play
not only in New York city, but also IN
New Haven on the same day, and ne
had been taken to Philadelphia and ful-
filed an engagement there and had thsn
been brought back to New York to play
here, all within forty-eight hours. On
January %, 1888, after some investigation
had been made, the following letter was
addressed to Mayor Hewitt, informing
him of the complaints against josef hot
mann's managers and asking that the
license be revoked:
"IIon. Abram S. Hewitt Mayor of the
| City of New York-Dear Sir: On No
vember 20, 1887, your honor issued the
following permit under section 2g2 OF
the penal code:
"'New York. Nov. 20, 1887.
Permission is hereby given to JOSEF
Holman to perform on the piano at the
Metropolitan opera house upon not ex-
ceeding four days a week, pursuant 10
the provisions of section 293 of the penal
code. ABRAM S. HEWITT, Mayor
"Since that time, as you are well
aware, the boy has been exhibiting pur-
suant to the permission of this city, but
in addition to the public performances
given under your license he has also been
exhibited at private entertainments IND
on the days intervening taken to Boston
and there exhibited. The result of this
strain upon his physical condition has
been such that this society is in receipt
of numerous complaints from reputable
citizens insisting that the child is being
overworked, and to such an extent tnat
there is danger of his physical heaith
giving way One gentleman writes me
that he observed on Saturday evening a
marked change in the boys appearance
and that he had the look and manner OF
one whose nerves were strained to the
/ swapping point. On Wednesday OF last
week he performed in New York, on
Friday in Philadelphia and Saturday In
| New York again. On Saturday he went
to Boston to appear on Monday even
| ing and returned to New York on Iues-
day of the present week, where ne played
at his concert on Wednesday, ADDED TO
the strain of playing at five concerts in
one week is the fatigue of four journeys
out of the city. At each of the concerts
the little boy plays eight or nine pieces,
including a concerto A grown musician,
for example Joseffy or Richard HOFFMAN,
usually plays one concerto at a concert
and usually an encore. On Saturday Iast,
a lady writes us, he was seen crying
come on the stage.
"In calling your attention to these facts
let me suggest that, as your license ooes
not limit the time of the exhibitions and
that under the license they may continue
| consecutively week after week Tor
year to come, 1t would be very proper Tor
YOU to notify the parties having Josef in
charge to show cause why your license
should not be either restricted or re-
yoked. and that you should then direct
an examination to be made by competent
medical men into his physical condition.
and a report made to you In writing as
to whether or not the child is being over
strained. There can be no question ABOUT
the extraordinary talent which the child
possesses, but l very much fear that his
| future existence is being discounted to
] nut money into the pockets of those VINO
have succeeded In contracting his serV-
ices, or else to crafty the vanity OF
parent who certainly ought to consider
what will become of any child OF sucn
wears forced to work thus mentally ana
physically to an extent entirely incom-
/ patible with the laws of health.
'Trusting that you will give this mat
ter immediate attention, l have the nom
or to remain, with great respect,
"ELDRIDGE T. GERRY,
president of the Society for the Pre-
yention of Cruelty to Children.
On FEBRUARY 8, 1900 an SAdiAiiiohAoh W~s
made of the boy by Drs. Allen Mclean
Hamilton, Louis A. Saye, Joseph B. Bry-
ant and e. G.. Janeway of the poaro OF
health. The conclusion of these physi-
| clans was that although the boy was IN
| good condition he was of highly nervous
| temperament, and they advised that MS
| performances should at least be limited
to four a week, with day intervening
| between each, as far as possible.
time Mr.. (1prrV commune
Gated with Mr.. Hofmann that well
known citizen of the state was ready 10
nrovide a fund of $4,000 for the musical
education of the child, provided that he
he withdrawn from the stage and not
| allowed to give any exhibitions, public
or private, until after he had completed
a thorough course of study.
On February 8, 1888, In consequence OF
the renort of physicians as stated above,
and the protest of the society which was
made simply because there was reason
TO believe that the boy was being in
| iured physically and that his health
would be permanently impaired should
the performance continue as petore,
Mayor Hewitt revoked the permit here
toFore granted, and, although the society
nrotested against the issue of another,
| the same was granted, as follows:
| THE permission heretofore granted TO
| Josef Hofmann Is revoked, and in lieu
| tbereof Josef Hofmann Is hereby granted
| nernnission to give not exceeding four
performances each week in the day time,
with the understanding that under no
circumstances, either within or without
the state of New York, is he to perform
more than four times week, and, so
far as practicable, that an entire day
| shall intervene between the successive
performances.
ABRAM S. HEWITT, Mayor.
IN February 20, 1888, Casimir Holman
called at the office of the society in COM
many with Clarence Sternberger of 40
| EAST Sixtieth street, office at 40 New
street. and stated to the president that
after the examination of the boy Josef
by the doctors at the mayors office he
had become alarmed at the boys con-
ditlon and had told his wife to examine
the boy carefully.
The report of his wife frightened Mr..
IIofmann, and he on the advice of a
friend consulted DIR. Baruch OF AZ East
Sixtieth street, who, after a careful ex-
animation of the child, said that he
must stop playing at once. The doctor
had him under treatment and Mr.. Hot
mann stated he had informed Mr.. Abbey
accordingly.
Mr.. Hofmann further stated that he
had given fifty-two concerts by josef for
which he received 10000 marks, so that
out of the whole of the concerts he had
netted only $500 with the other incidental
expenses to which he had been subjected
He further stated that his termination OF
his present engagement of his child would