New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-21

of unsubscribed seats was opened 10 the
nublic. those of us anxious TO obtain
tickets for the first week were on hand
bright and early at the Metropolitan and
formed the well known line The writer
together with three friends. reached the
opera house at 6:l5 a. m, when there was
a line of about eighty or one hundred per-
sons. Most of these were familiar hgures
around the park benches bread lines ana
Herald portals. AS time grew along the
line was considerably increased. and not
at the end, but at the beginning, so much
so. that before the box Office had opened
there was double line from the Broad
way entrance TO the 10th street corner.
DereIicts Get Best Places.
al was situated exactly on the corner
and was able to see what went on on botn
sides. Orderly persons arriving after l
did took their places at the end OF the
line, but all kinds Of buns, loafers'
tramps and derelicts (who did not hesitate
10 use the vilest language imaginaole'
Notwithstanding the many ladies around)
were boldly placed in line by offensive and
with the aid OF the police and others on
their own nerve filed it with all kinds
Of human refuse who made it or were
instructed by their employers of the mo-
ment to make it as intolerable as possible
to remain around them
What was the result? The early risers'
who in good faith had come there 10 Cd
tain the tickets 10 the first weeks per
formances, could obtain very few seats
and the patrons who nil the cheaper parts
of the house went away in hundreds, dis
gusted and disappointed in the whole pro-
ceedings.
Il have personally seen Mr.. John
Brown. business controller of the Metro
politan. do everything in his power to
thwart the spectators, sometimes sue
ceeding, and he could not have prevented
any of the disgusting scenes that we
viewed last Thursday morning. ON the
other hand, the police doing duty around
the Metropolitan know every Spectator,
who on that morning resembled able gen
erals placing their army at points OF
vantage, getting ready for battle The
officers, II unwarranted to cause their
arrest could, at least, have cleared the
line of so many Objectionable characters,
who had absolutely no business at the
box office Of the Metropolitan Opera
House, for nothing more than the slight
est use of discretion and common sense
was necessary for the purpose. While it
is true that the man at the box office can
not discriminate as TO whom he shall or
shall not sell ticket, in case like the
present such discrimination should have
been exercised.
Furthermore, l will cite case. A man
tried and did get in line about ten per-
sons ahead Of the writer, and bunch of
SPECTATORS confederates made room for
him and tried TO cover him. A gentleman
who was Immediately before me and
saw IT, and after commenting upon it
called an officer and asked him TO remove
the man, which he did, although re-
luctantly. About quarter OF an hour
later the speculator and the policeman
brought the man back and put him in line
again, only about twenty places above
us, instead Of ten.
No Lack of Confederation.
81 do not want to make any charges.
which | could sustain but am not in
a position so to do, but the facts above
given. which can easily be corroborated
by other witnesses. certainly give rise to
thoughts which SAVIOR of pickings' be-
tween the 'scalpers' and those who have
the only power to check them.
"F. J. ACOSTA.
New York, Nov. IS, 1919"
John Brown, business controller of the
company, when seen by Tribune re-
porter. confirmed the statement of Mr..
Acosta that spectators filled up the
ticket line with their agents, but added
that there appeared TO be no means OF
putting a stop TO the nuisance, the exist
ing law being totally inadequate.
Mr.. Brown said that the law drawn up
by District Attorney Whitman prohibit
ing the selling of tickets except from the
box Office or by accredited agents OF the
treatre was the measure needed TO stop
the practice.
"As far as the police go" said Mr..
Brown. IL have found nothing to criti-
else. They have always proved them
selves most willing to help me and de-
sirous of keeping spectators away.
have. however, no knowledge OF the par
ticular incident OF which The Trioune's
correspondent writes.
1T is perfectly true that the specuia-
tors hll up the ticket lire with their
or 'diggers.' as they call them.
and whenever we are able to recognize
one of these 'diggers we refuse TO sell
them seats. Sometimes we have even
mistaken bona fide customers for specu-
lators' agents and have received mag
nant letters. 1t is. however, Impossible
always 10 recognize digger These
gentlemen go TO the most extraordinary
lengths to procure tickets. They write
on hotel letter paper stating that they are
in town for a few days and asking us TO
reserve seats. Then they call and some
times they're found out and sometimes
they're not.
THE other day man wrote. inclosng
si4 for two tickets, and signed himself
on q well known nAwA<.Aner's letter paper