New-York tribune., 1910-12-26
NO CLEW TO PRIZE SCORES
Two, Not Six, Compositions
Gone. Opera Directors Say.
WILL NOT HALT SELECTION
Judges Expect to Get Copies
from Composers - Literally
Insured Against Theft.

The failure yesterday 20 get any trace -
the lost scores which were submitted n ths
Metropolitan Opera House upesi-ton was
the source OF considerable anxiety OF tre
part of the directors Of the Metropolitan
Opera Company. Il appears. however. that
I Instead OF the six scores which were at
first thought TO have been stolen from an
Adams Express Company wagon IN EaS,
Esd street on Saturday night only two Ters
taken The package containing the other
/ four scores was later found intact IN ths
wagon
I A statement on behalf CT the board Of d.
rectors Of the Metropolitan Opera Conoacy
! in regard to the missing scores was given
out last night 1t read:
/ The loss by the Adams Express Com
{ pany OF the package containing scores SUB
r1irted in the Metropolitan grand opera
contest need occasion no uneasiness- Tho
package contained two manuscripts, not six
as stated in some OF the public accounts
Undoubtedly the composers have the orig
inal manuscripts from which the copies
submitted were made II the lost package
is not soon found COMMITTEES OF the d.
rectors will open two envelopes containing
the names of the composers Of the two
OPERAS, and thus, learning the names. viii
1Sh LI-li 10 L1N- nl6UG- II lie SArctlSc Oh
the company, new copies of the scores.
which Will be submitted 70 the judges IN
der the same nons de plume as bsfore.
Tt should be added that AT the suzzes~
tion of Mr. Darrosch the opera company
several days ago took out a liberal policy
Of insurance, insuring all the manuscripts
for the benefit OF the owners against var
Gus insurabIe risks including the -isk u
theft while in transit
The missing scores were each marked
with a number and motto One was No
Z with the motto @RanaeIo." and the other
was No. % bearing the motto "Chiaros-
euro"
The six manuscripts had been forwarded
by Walter Dau1rosch, one Of the four
Judges in the competition. 70 George y.
Chadwick, another Of the judges and = d
; rector OF the New England Conservatory
Of Music, in Boston. Mr.. Damrosch was
keeping a close watch yesterday OF Tia
package containing four of the scores
They will be retained for few days IN the
hope that the other two viii be found BE-
fore a second attempt will be made 10 get
them into 3fr- Chadwick's hands.
Mr. Danrosch explained yesterday that
the six scores in question had not bsen
examined and passed upon by any OF tbs
Ju0EcS. IG COIiSLlLlNc0 Olc ACs
ont OF twenty-five manuscripts submitted
TO the Metropolitan directors. he said IT
was the intention 70 have the Judges. OF
whom there are four, pass upon them In
round robin fashion he said. Big sending
them in patches TO each Judge and later
exchanging them with the other judges
II might be six months CT more. II was
said. before the judges had completed their
work and chosen the score ulerited 20 win
the $4,000 prize. an elaborate production
and a liberal percentage OF the profits.
should there be any, as offered BY tka
Metropolitan directors.
The other two judges N the competition
are Charles Martin Loef1er of Boston and,
Conductor Herr, OF the Metropolitan Opera
House.
Two detectives from the Central Once
we're assigned TO the case. but had not Sue
ceeded in getting clue to the cutprfrs yes
terday- II is beyond the ken of the detec-
tives to see what value any one IN the par
ticular neighborhood where the manuscripts
are supposed TO have been taken, could at
tach to grand opera scores The driver and
helper on the wagon were both in a house
AT No $50 East 63d street collecting ex-
press matter. when some one took the pack
age from the wagon. according 70 their
story.
The ueighbcrhood IS well known 20 the
police as the nome Of several desperate
characters who have figured N Kidnapping.
Black Hand and bomb throwing cases
The police think the package was stolen ov
some person merely bent on getting hold
OF some merchandise which might -
readily converted into cash
James NcConb. manager of tbs Adams
Express Co1apany's branch ctHce ar No
1851 Third avenue, who first reported rEe
loss 20 the police, said yesterday thar the
company was making every effort 20 md
the lost package
It IS NOT customary for the driver ard
the helper 70 get out OF sight OF the wagon
at the same time" he said. "but socnerines
it can't ven be avoided 7 hardly think the
package viii be recovered. as IL IS more
than likely that any one IN thar rei1hbc--
hood who might have taken IL would throw
If away or destroy It when the contents
were discovered
No specific value was placed OF the pacx-
age By the consignor; therefore the express
cannot be held liable FOR uors
than $50 the maximum amount named IN
its contract for lost prousr-y