The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-16
MRS. MIX MIXES BUT NO ONE SEES THE REFORMER'
Flo Irwin's Company Re strained By Injunction from Using Part of Title of Sketch.
Sheriff Richards Plays Part at Poli 's-Bridgeport Au- thor Claims Right in Part of Miss Irwin s Title.

Flo Irwin and her company present. ed their sketch Mrs. Mix Mixes or The Reformer,'' at Polls Theatre, this afternoon, minus the last half of the title. Sheriff Doolan served an in- Miss Irwin, this afternoon, before the company appeared on the stage. The performance went on as usual, how ever, with the announcement that the title had been reduced to Mrs Mix Mixes" emitting the words "The Re- former.''
 The action was brought by Attor- neys Bartlett, Keeler & Cohn, as rep resentatives of Walter Woods and right on the play "The Reformer.' .'' They claim damages to the amount of $50OO, and ask for a perpetual injunc- tiOn the defendants from playing any sketch, or theatrical production under the title, "The Reformer." The suit is returnable before Judge Carl Foster, in the city court, in this city on Jan. 25.
 The plaintiffs, in their brief, say that they are the authors and owners of the. play The Reformer'' and that it has been presented with marked sue cess several times in this State. They are now under contract to furnish the play to a high class company, which will bring it out next season. The use of the title for any other play or sketch is claimed as an infringement upon their rights and a damage to them financially.
 Ben Roth in an interview, character ized the act of the plaintiffs as a piece of legal blackmail, pure and simple. 'It is impossible said MT. Roth ''to copyright the title of a play alone. We have copyright of the sketch Mrs. Mix Mixes or The Reformer," issued to Mrs. F. Henderson, of New York the author, and also bili of sale of the sketch with a receipt for the mon ey paid for it. Our copyright covers the manuscript and the title Mrs. Mix Mixes, or Tie Eeformer.'
 ''I don't understand how it was pos sible for these people to get out an in- junction when we have a copyright regularly issued by the government. This week some man came to me and tthreatened to get out an injunction claiming that he had a copyright on The Reforrner.'.- [ showed him my copyright and thought that would end the matter. We will fight the mat ter out in the courts however, and when the time comes will show that we have a perfect right to use the title as originally billed"
 The play, 'The RefOrmer," was writ ten by Benjamin Legere in collabora- tion with Walter Woods. The former is resident of this city, living at 615 Main street. The play has been well received wherever presented,
 The plaintiffs in the case do not claim that the sketch presented by Miss Irwin bears any resemblance to their production but simply complain of the portion of the title ''The Re- former"
 Manager Roth exhibited the copy right for his sketch and the title and the bill of sale for the author Mrs. Henderson. He is indignant at the action taken and says he will make it as hot as possible for what he regards as an unwarranted interference with his company The sketch will be pre- sented again this evening under the abbreviated title.
 Miss Irwin feels much aggrieved at the action of the plaintiffs. When MT. Legere appeared at the theatre and conversed with her she assured him that she was not particular about the last part of the title of her sketch and that if it was of any use to him she would drop it. He did not at that time indicate that he desired any such action and she supposed that the matter had been dropped. She thinks the sketch was allowed to proceed ill the hope that she would make a set clement