New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-19


other indictment against him charging
grand larceny in the second degree.
The Evening Telegram advertisement
reads as follows;
"V1CTROLA, large mahogany cab
met, 5000 size. used four months
plays all records, combination
reproducer, diamond point, sac
| rihce, $50 with records. ACk-
RON, 254 Stuyvesant Az, near
Gates, Brooklyn, Phone $685. Bed
ford"
MIR. Magnus declared, and the In
dictment charges, that the representa-
tons contained in the advertisement
were false, in that the machine was
not a Victrola. that there was no large
mahogany cabinet and that there was
no diamond point.
A day or two after the advertise
ment appeared Mr.. and Mrs. MagnuS5
went to see and hear. They saw ana
heard both Ackron and the phonograph.
They bought the latter, but defects
promptly developed. When Mr.. Mag
nus called these TO Ackron's attention
the latter declared that he was totally
ignorant of "the inside works ana
very sagely suggested visit to the
photograph repair shops. BY TINS time
Mr.. Magnus was wary. A few days
later he communicated with Ackron
again, as an advertisement to the same
effect continued to appear in the Tele-
gram, and asked whether the machine
had been sold. No, it hadn't been.
Thereupon Mr.. Magnus wrote to The
/ Tribune Bureau of Investigations, mot
with the hope of obtaining any re-
dress" but TO give an opportunity TO
/ exnose a nice little scheme"
On receipt of this complaint Tribune
investigators went to see the machine
which had been sold as "Nictrola,
5000 size" It's name plate read: "Sa-
voy Gramophone Company, New YORK,
and beneath this line appeared the
word "Victoria," so lettered as closely
! 10 resemble "Victrola." The trail OF
the Savoy Gramophone" led to Grand
/ Street and the East River where a con-
Germ known as the Names Art Furni-
ture Company also operates under the
style of Savoy Gramophone Company
The Tribune investigators encountered
there a gentleman who had pushed ms
suspenders off his shirt-sleeved shout
ders and who declared he was the
president.
After some persuasion he led the
way into a room where a phono-
the name plate of the Savoy Gramo
phone Company He was asked whether
there were any other styles-one that
carried the name Victoria" for in
stance. He shrugged his unhampered
shoulders and asked what concern 1t
was Of his what name the dealers
placed upon il. His attention was d.
rected to the fact that these machines
had been advertised as Nictrolas lie
admitted that that was not right. that
they were Photographs" lie declared
he had recently received a few COM
plants regarding this practice, but re
garded il as none of his business what
the dealers did with his machines after
they had bought them. The Savoy
Company, he declared, manufactured
only the cabinet. The photograph ma
chine comes separately and is bought.
Although the Names Company had IN
dicated 10 the Tribune Investigators its
ignorance OF the tact that the name
"Victoria" had been used In connection
with its product. nevertheless, when
Mr.. Magnus. who had bought Savoy
Victoria TO his sorrow, went TO Grand
Street and the East River his phon0-
graph was not unknown to the Names
Company. He remarked TO the young
woman who received him that he had
an opportunity to buy a Savoy-Victoria
and called to see whether II was worth
the price asked for IT. She asked him
what the price was and from whom he
intended TO buy II. Then she told him
he had better see Mr.. Names. Presently
she went into a telephone booth, had o
conversation and came out to report
that Mr.. Names said that Mr.. Magnus
had certainly run across bargain for
SEQ; that the cabinet alone was worth
$40. In and out OF an ante-room passed
a person apparently of authority. As
he went by the young woman said:
"This gentleman is getting Savoy
Victoria for $50"
"Well that's certainly bargain" he
paused to say I'VE get $40 for the
cabinet from the people who put the
motors in. You better grab it. mister
These episodes in the methods Of
Ackron are admirable examples OF the
way a fourishing industry of misrep-
resentation is being conducted in this
city. There are cabinet makers who
are producing cases which have a gen
eral resemblance to better known
types. There are firms producing
stocks parts or collecting worn out
standard parts and inserting them in
these cabinets. There are dealers
masquerading as private individuals
advertising from private homes and
using the magic words Victrola, Edison
and others to attract purchasers, and
there are such papers as the Evening
Telegram to help them.
Undoubtedly the Victor Talking Ma
chine Company is the greatest sufferer.
possibly because the very success OF
their product has made 1t easy 10 use
Victrola as generic word But IL D.
not a generic word. II is fully pro-
tected trade mark. and the Victor peo-
pie are doing their utmost TO run i'm
postor~ out of business.
The Tribune's interest in the situa-
ton lies in the fact that an inferior
article is being offered to the public
under a trade mark name. u is log
zeal part of the campaign for better
advertising to give full publicity 20
offences of this sort when they are
sufficiently general - and sometimes
when they aren't
Right here in Manhattan. also there
is conducted a photograph scheme Of
Misrepresentation and deception. An
Evening Telegram advertisement Of
4, photograph, containing the familiar
lures Of private residence" and sac
riice,' and referring interested per
sons 20 400 East l23d Street, appeared
al various times over the name Of
Waller and Walter. One day ~ at
trsrted Mr. | Henry Tglk Of DIS W.e,