New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-26
HOME, SAYS MAESTRO
WAS "VER|TABLE HADES'
SkoInik, VioIiniSt and Opera
Concert Manager, Details
His Woes in Suit.
LATE OF "ALIM0NY CLUB"
Musician Says Moribund FL
ancee Revived to Full Vigor
of Temperamental Wifehood
and Threatened His Art.

His home was "veritable hades," says
Gregor Skolnik. concert master of the
Chicago Grand Opera Company. which at
mosphere, he contends dissipates the
nervous energy essential to man of his
profession.
The maestro. who recently spent several
days with the Almony Club in Ludlow
street Jail, made this assertion in an afii-
davit submitted to the Supreme Court in
his separation suit against Mrs. Clara
Skolnik, who has brought a counter suit
also for separation The violinist alleges
cruelty and Mrs. Skolnik makes the same
charge, and adds that of abandonment
The wife asked for SO a week alimony
and 500 counsel fee Justice Pendleton
yesterday awarded her $40 a week ali
mony and SIPS for counsel fee Mrs. Skol-
nix had her husband arrested because he
had contract which would take him
to Chicago for seventeen weeks. and she
feared he would leave New York before
she obtained her order for alimony. After
remaining in Jail several days Skolnik
gave bond and was released.
Skolnik said in his affidavit that when
he married Mrs. Skolnik. in 1907 he was
nineteen years old and she was thirty
one and had daughter nine years old.
He married her be said, only because he
promised, while she was suffering from
pneumonia and was expected TO die that
he would care for her daughter and in
case she recovered he would marry her.
He rented an apartment on Riverside
Drive, spent $500 on his stepdaughter
ND 1,a, a..
his married life, said the musician, had
not one bit Of happiness" 1t was a
''veritable hades' he said. and being
'nagged by the wanton caprice" OF his
wife he gave up his musical career.
His wife said she could not tolerate
music, according to his complaint. This
difference of temperament caused him TO
put away his violin and not PLAY for
four years. Induced by Mrs. Skolnik, said
the husband. he went into business about
which he knew nothing, and he lost all
the money he had saved. His wife settled
with the creditors, he alleged. with his
money, while she kept her own money.
When Skolnik left his wife, on August
20 last, he said, to live with his mother.
he had not a cent in his pockets. Even
in the time he lived with his wife, he as
serted, his wife was averse to his having
any money in his possession, and used to
take whatever he had in his clothes while
he slept. He left his wife. ne said, ito
find rest from the scourge of the defend
ants violence" His mother bought HIM
a suit of clothes with borrowed money.
Skolnik said that great responsibility
rests on him in his job as concert mas
ter. He must control the whole orches-
ira, Of from fifty to sixty men. and
must be keen and alert to the most mi
mute fraction of a second, and must be
alert to every move and intuition of
every member of the orchestra"
He holds his position verify by the
sweat Of his brow" said the violinist
1t means hours and hours of labor and
mental energy" and often musicians re-
turn from such tours as he is TO under
take wrecked in health. His marital
troubles have greatly interfered with his
peace Of mind, so essential in his work,
he said, but he will wait with patience
and hope for the fortunate day when JUS
tice will restore TO him the happiness
which he has never known since he was
married"
Mrs. Skolnik replied that Skolnik insist
ed OF marrying her when she was thought
10 be dying of pneumonia, and wanted
TO bring in minister at once. He threat
ened 10 commit suicide, she said, unless
she married him. AS to her having thou
sands Of dollars" as her husband said.
the wife asserted that she owes every dol
lar she has.