New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-21
BARE DEAL
in OPERA SEATS
Controller of Metropolitan
Says 1t Stands $4,000
Loss to Please Public.
FEW TICKETS SOLD
AT BOX OFFICE
Patrons, He Asserts, Prefer
Agents-Brokers Work on
5O.Cent Premium.

! The Metropolitan Opera Company loses
s95 900 a year to accommodate the pubic
by selling blocks Of season tickets 10
brokers and agencies. according TO John
Brown. business controller OF the com
pany. Mr.. Brown was the principal WIZ
ness in the preliminary hearing yesterday
before Magistrate Deuel. on the charge OF
grard larceny in the second degree
Dagainst Tyson e. Co for using tickets OF
cpera subscribers as collateral In slo'-
oN loan from the Metropolitan Trust
Company.
The testimony Of Mr.. Brown showed
that only a small percentage Of tickets
on opening night can be obtained at the
Metropolitan opera House, and brokers
and agents not including outside specu-
lators. get all but 100 tickets for the en-
tire season.
II was also shown that Tyson co.
issued fac simile copies of the Metropoh-
tan's letters soliciting subscription seats
Mr.. Brown testified that the agency III
this without the consent Of the opera
company. The public prefers to buy its
tickets from agencies. Mr.. Brown SAID
because they can accommodate patrons
better than the box office of the Metro
politan opera Company.
He said the brokers obtain orchestra
seats ut - cents of. and were supposed
to resell them at the. fiat box Office rate
TO their customers.
Couldn't your box office enlarge it'
DEPARTMENT and do the work of these
agencies at less cost than $4,000 a year,
asked Assistant District Attorney Tran.
ITS possible" the witness replied
Then why isn't it done"
We'll, YOU sec. we have felt under. oD-
LEGATION TO the agencies because CT past
relations"
Mr.. Brown said that under the old ar
rangements. given Up two years ago. 'he
agencies bought s. orchestra seats Tor -
When the price OF these seats was raised
TO SC the company didn't want to raise
the rest of the house. SO II was agreed 10
give the brokers' 30 cents on the orchestra
seats and a reduction Of not more than "
per cent on the rest Of the house.
on opening nights, the witness SAID
only about fifty or sixty orchestra seats
out Of LOGS were sold at the box once.
The rest were indled by the spectators
ANY one. he said. could subscribe directly
20 the opera company and get the seats
without having TO go 10 the agencies or
run the risk Of paying more Tor thelr
tickets To spectators. Asked what caused
the devotion Of the public 10 the agencies
Mr.. Brown said the agents agreed TO
carry open accounts and do many other
could
The agreement by which tickets for an
entire season were sold 10 Tyson 60.
was explained by Mr.. Brown. For four
teen years and up to 1912 Tyson Co
paid one-thrd cash and the balance In
IN and 90 day notes The same agreement
existed for Fred Romer, McBride's and the
Miller agency In l9l? the opera company
decided that the notes were unsecured
and maintained that II was entitled 10
cash.
Last July Mr. Brown said Richard j.
Hartman. president of Tyson & Co. tried
to get resumption OF the old agreement
giving notes. lie offered certified check
for $4,000 and wanted the balance on
notes. Witness said the opera company
declined to accept the proposition unless
he had everything cleared up by Septem-
Der /.
Counsel for Tyson e. Co. moved TO strike
out most OF Mr.. Browns testimony on
the ground that IT had no bearing on
the charge IF grand larceny in the second
degree Magistrate Deuel. denied the mo-
ton II is the belief at the Criminal
Courts building that the Metropolitan
Trust Company will be forced to return
all tickets 10 subscribers.
! The hearing yesterday ceased To be
John Doe inquiry and yet could not
be called a trial. Beverly Chew, second
vice-president of the Metropolitan Trust
Company which hypothetical the 10000
loan for $4,000 worth OF tickets for Tyson
4; Co. was the first witness.
Mr.. Hartman. head OF Tyson e. Co, left
a box of opera tickets at the office of the
trust company on September 10, togetht
with note for 10000 due November 3.
on November /. Mr.. Chew said, A pay
ment Of $4,000 was made and renewal
note given for the 10000 balance due
! November II.
ION what theory did you permit money
| to be withdrawn from the special account,
paid TO Tyson & Co. by opera subscrib-
ers?" asked Mr.. Train.
I'VE thought we were dealing with
solvent firm which could do business as
il liked" replied Mr.. Chew.
Robert w. Anderson. assistant treas
urer Of the trust company, testified that
as the first night of he opera drew near
the company Cor its own protection
opened a temporary box Office In the
Hotel Manhattan and sold under the name
OF Tyson Brothers tickets to those who
had receipts for tickets signed by Tyson
& Co.
Tyson e. Co. wanted time to summon
more witnesses and get hold of neces-
sary exhibits. so Magistrate Deuel. ad-
journed the investigation until this after
noon at 2:30 O'clock
Tn Ely W0MhM,c CAVITY