The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-19
VAUDEVILLE TRUST
REAL, SAYS MORRIS
Veteran Manager Tells of On.
preston ms Witness in
Fischer Suit.
SEES RUTHLESS PURPOSE

\ N,rfne Of determination waged
b, - vaudeville trust against i%ndepend-
ents WIS told of before Judge Learned
Hand and a jury in the Unite-l states
District Court Yesterday by William
Morris. one Of the pioneers OF vaudeville
IN this country. According to Morris the
trust regarded any methods as fair in
order TO attain "A monopoly.
Morris Is now manager OF the Ham
mptSt,iU Amusement Company. lie tes-
tilted for Clitord &. Fischer, an indie
pendent hooking agent, who has brought
q $500. 006 sherman law suit against the
Unite Booking Offices OF America, the
Central Vaudeville Promotion Company
the II. Il Marinelli Company and other
corporations md individuals composing
the aiHged trust. clifford In his suit
declares that the activities of the trust
have ruined the business Of the indie
pendcDis.
Morris testified that twenty Years ago
he ran "A booking agency which furnished
performers to the Keith n Proctor cir
cults. Whth were later welded into the
trust He received several offers to Join
the combination. but refused them. he
said. and IN 1905 managed to acquire
the American. Lincoln Square and
Plaza theatres In this city. The trust
ofercl him S2j.oo0 for the delivery of
these houses, and. he said, his rejection
OF the offer started hostilities.
nnrns-cd. says Norris.
Thereafter. Morris said. he was sub
k,t {" all sorts Of difficulties, such as the
frequent disappearance of baggage Just
o. acts wer. about to he staged. The
trust. he said, usually took ava his hest
features and even lured away "A num-
Der of his employees. After deserving
him, he said. many of his performers
would appear a week later in Que Of the
houses in the trust circuits.
Nevertheless. Morris, operating under
the title Of William Morris. Inc. man
aged also TO get hold OF the Fulton
Theatre in Brooklyn ana theatres in
Toronto. Memphis, New Orleans. 81.
loU.s, Cincinnati. Allegheny. Chicago
md Boston. Then. he said. william
Morris Western, Inc. was formed. with
the backing of some Western f~inanciers.
10 establish a circuit OF theatres I'm every
city Of Importance west of the Missis-
sippi.
TBS project apparently alarmed the
trust. for when Morris and Harry
lauder. the Scotch comedian. we're in
san Francisco to o~tiiciate at the laying
OF the cornerstone OF a new building,
Morris saws, he was approached by Nor
rs Mryerfeld. Jr.. and Martin Beck, two
OF the defendants in the present suit.
Who proposed hat he sell out to the
rust They wanted him, he said. to
discontinue his Western activities on
the promise that they would affiliate
with him IN this city.
Tells of S.35.OOO Oner.
Morris said he refused 10 discuss the
subject there. hut met Msyerfeld and
Beck AZ the Hotel Knickerbocker in this
city some time later. He n of cred
1885 600. he said. to quit his opposition
TO the trust, but no decision was reached
until a later conference At Beck's hotel
at Lake Hopatcoug. where Morris agreed
q rr'!ulu.sh his project fpr q chain OF
theatres In the West and received "A
part payment Of. $4,000.
Y was arrangeL Morris said. that
Beck and Meyerfeld we're 10 tuy the
SNu."'u worth Of stock held by Little
Tim S~u'.ivan's widow in William Nor
rs, nc. The contract Was drawn up
when the negotiations We're stopped
BY Edward +. Albee of the United Book
IN offices of America. In the mean
time, Morris said, the defendants mad
arranged for the establishment OF a
$4,000. hnu chain OF theatres to parallel
the projected Morris circuit in the West.
" 70 MtriuelN Of the ". Il. Marinelli
Conntny. itd. one OF the defendants.
ais testified Mariuell. according TO
the complaint. was given a monopoly of
the business Of supplying trust theatres
VII inr. IN acts after Mariueili had
WthlraNu his $4,000 900 sherman law
sur against the trust. lie admitted that
MS G. u'rtrt with tho United Booking
N1lteS and with IN. Keith circuit had
ended hs suit against the trust.
TIE t-ial Of the Fischer suit Will be
Continued AZ 10 :30 O'Clock his morning