New-York tribune., 1910-01-05
MERGER-NO MERGER
PENDING-ALL is OFF.
RiUal Opera Camps Issue NezC
MamfestOes.

ment made by the Metropolitan directors
The Metropolitan directors. who met yes
terday. issued the following statement:
No negotiations have been pending or
are now pending between the Hammersten
Opera Company and the Metropolitan
Opera Company.
Those who were present at the meeting
were w. X. Vanderbilt George J. Gould,
Clarence H. Mackay, Henry r. Winthrop.
Edmund L. Baylies Rawlins l.. Cottenet,
T. De Witt Tyler. Frank G. Griswuld, jr..
and Eliot Gregory.
Some hours later Arthur Hammersten
expanded the shorter and uglier' word
into a two-page typewriter statement. a
part of which follows:
On November % l rang up Mr.. Kahn in
ms office for an appointment at his con-
that evening at his city residence. Ny
purpose was merely to prevent the artists
that we have under contract with us from
leaving us and obtaining engagement at
the Metropolitan, and to learn whether 1t
was true, as several of our artists had rep
resented to us, that the Metropolitan OPP
ments to leave my father and go with
the Metropolitan company. and to dis
cover whether Mr.. Kahn, as head OF the
board of directors, approved OF such meth
ods of transactlng business. Mr.. Kahn as
sured me that he knew nothing of such
attempts to induce my fathers artists to
leave him.
Mr.. kahn. then, asked me il | had any
suggestion TO make. ] replied that | had,
but did not see how IT was possible to come
to any understanding now, because one of
the Metropolitan directors had tod very
good friend OF my fathers that he would
spend his last dollar to put my father out
of business. Mr.. Kahn admitted that this
person is very unfriendly TO my father. but
thought that feeling would wear off. /
then asked Mr.. Kahn if he had anything
TO suggest. He replied My plan would be
this: that we form a holding company to
company and the Metropolitan company,
which would then be directed as one OPP
said 1t would On a splendid idea add
ing: But how would You go about it?"
He asked if could suggest some man
who was friendly with the Metropolitan
board of directors and with Ry father l
said: Ask me something easier" He then
said: II have the man-Judge +. H. Gary:
he is a boxholder at the Metropolitan and
the Manhattan. will see him tomorrow
and let you know"
asked him if he had seen Judge Gary. and
he replied: NO, but l will see him in a \
lay or, two On Wednesday night, which
was the next night after my interview,
Judge Gary was in his box at the Manhat-
tan. went to him and laid the plan be-
Iore him. telling him it was the intention
OF MI Kahn 10 sec him, and requested him
to work in cooperation with Mr.. Kahn ind
myself in this matter Judge Gary said he
NOuIO De only 100 glad TO do so. On De-
cember Mir. Kahn telephoned that he had
talk with Judge Gary, but he found that
there was no use in going further in the
matter at present: that the opposition for
the time being was too great but that ne
advised me not to abandon the idea
oaiG on Dec December 31I 10 ! L received telephone
to meet him that night at 1870 o'clock at
the Knickerbocker Hotel, TO which l
day Mr.. Shubert asked me to put the
meeting Off until the next day at his office,
which did. In his office Mr.. Shubert sug-
gested TO me that he could bring about a
combination between the Manhattan Opera
House and the Metropolitan. and asked me
If thought my father would entertain
| will see" 'AH right" he said. wait
for a day or two until see my, people"
Shubert rang me up and said: Come right
up; L have proposition" When / reached
his office he said This is it, We are ready
to buy your father out at his own figure"
rs that all you have to offer?''-I asked.
Yes: at present that is the proposition.
power TO make such a proposition. He re-
piled that he was authorized by the Metro
presence of his brother. Mr.. j. ]. Shubert.
told him that this was the hardest prop
osition yet to place before my father,
but so long as it had been made to me l
would present it to him.
/ came directly to the Manhattan Opera
House, but felt so much hesitation in put
called up my brother. William. to find out
whether he thought | should suggest this
matter TO him. He said wait and I will
come right down" After consultation with
my brother decided to tell my father.
At 8 o'clock that afternoon l rang up Mr..
Shubert and told him that 1 wished he had
made the proposition tG my father. instead
of me, and he replied: Not your life
He said. however: II will be down to see
you at $50 tonight"
When he came Mr. Shubert said: Il
think we can come to some better under
standing than that. think myself that
il is ridiculous. Let it rest for a day or
suggest, let me know | told him | would,
and that l would consult my father.
afternoon l rang up Mr. Shubert
and told him that ! had a suggestion to
make and he said: "All right; put IL in
writing" l said Il will think that over"
He added: Amy way, we can't DO anything
let you know later"
When Lee Shubert was seen he said that
he had never had any authority TO speak
for the directors of the Metropolitan COM
pany and had only pursued the course he
did in an effort to promote peace He
affirmed the statement that he had talked
with Arthur Hammerstein, and added that
he had also talked informally with one of
the Metropolitan directors-whose name he
refused to give. When asked whether he
said Not on your life" when asked to talk /
to Oscar Hammerstein. he said he thought
Arthur Hammerstein must have misunder-
stood him.
nothing definite was ever agreed upon. L
had no authority to do anything"
Otto II. Kahn said last night that he had
no comment to make Arthur Hammer !
STEMS statement.