The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-09
MUSICIAN IN COURT
ACCUSES THE MOON
Responsible for Much Trash in
Song Writing Contests.
lie Asserts.
POETS FILL THE ROOM

When once the germ Of poesy escapes
from the isolation hospital on Mount
Parnassus 1t aligh,s ON It's victims In
discriminatory.
This was the lesson to be CLEANED from
the sixty or more rhyrnesters who pre-
scented themselves At thu door of Judge
Rufus r. Fosters branch OF tho United
States Dlstric, Court yesterday at the
opening of the trial Of John r. New
conner, alias John 7. Hall. head of the
Hall Musical Publishing Company. who
is charged with using the mails to de-
fraud poets who desired to nave their
immortal verses set TO music.
Hall. according TO Assistant United
States Attorney Har,ridge. demanded
from s35 to si5 for the work OF immortal
~ization. promising, 1t il alleged, to furnish
tho harmonic trimmings and advertise
the song. lie also agreed TO divide with
the rhymesters all royalties from the sale
OF the songs The Hall establishment,
lie Is alleged to have told his clients,
was known as Americas most reliable
musical publishing house and its imprint
on any song was enough TO give the
writer a tremendous advantage over
tlpst VIZ tl4toI III EulheS ~ hioSANit
fame.
Just prior to his arres. by Post Office
Inspector Mayhem in November. 1914,
Hall rad advertised "a ong poem COLI
test for three cash prizes a~ggregiting
$500. lie a informed 1900 OF the
contestants, IL is charged. that they were
In u fair way of winning n priz. pro-
Nded they paid the entrance fee and
had their poems set - music 10y j. Victor
~ H.
mony studios. Greene IS also under ar
RESI-.
The Cover mcut'S witnesses. selected
from among thcs, contestants, crowded
the back part of tho cour, room yesterday
and gazed longingly at a spot on thu
back Of the defendants head. II there
Is anything to the theory of malicious
animal NJ gnetism. Hall must have spent
an uncomfortable few hours while Fod-
cral Attorney ilartridgo was addressing
tho Jury.
The ii,e, witness called by the Gov
rnmcn was the defendants brother
Walter W. Newcomer He described
himself as "A musical writer, a volunteer
org1nist, u theatrical producer and a
Judge N the Hall song contest. lie said
that his brother had written a number
Of popular songs. among them the wv ed
ding of the Winds
IlO you ever llSN'll u NI'lu, ne WIS
asked by George Gordon BATH, attorney
tor the defendant.
Never unless ] have to- vac the
reply. II always u now when | hear
his music. I'm sick of it,
Speaking as an expert the witness de-
clarcd that the music OF "a song was q
greater factor In its success than the
words. Mast words were about the same
anyhow. lie said, and even " they were
of exceptional merit The slngc1 usually
made them unintellisible.
"S~eventy-fvc cut Of "a hundred poets
get the moor IN their verses" said the
witness, AN it's always a full s.lvcry
moon. Then just consider the enuncia-
ton of the singers. Why, | speak three
language, but | can't make out what an
opera is about To- save my life
THE song business was a hit or miss
proposition. according to Newcomer, and
often songs with all tho carmarks Of
merit went a-bcgging while mediocre
compositions were successful. Some
times too, he said, good ideas wcre crude
ly worked out, and Hall kept "A number
OF experts 10 trim them up.
The trlal will he continued at 10 20
this morning.