davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
That Haunting Similarity
Of broadway Tunes

1t was also impressed upon my lny-lke inno-
ccrce that the less one knew apparently about
careful, technical study the better prepared he
seemed to be for composing this money magnet
music of Broadway Eliminating Victor Her-
bert, who is in a class all by himself, of course,
there is a similarity among the haunting hybrid
harmonies Of most Of the Broadway successes
that is painfully apparent
Why was it, I unused, that these untheoret-
ically-trancd congratulated song writer's
who had spent little or nothing on a sound mu-
steal education-could annex melodies Of great
men like Beethoven and Chopin, turn them by
some incomprehensible method Of their own
into acres Of cash, and do it without desk
sergeant taking their names?
Then it was that l learned at first hand
what brother musical directors had assured
me was the case, that the average Broadway
composer cannot write his own songs down on
paper without outside help.
These potential owners of Great Neck, or
the White Mountains, hit upon happy idea
play it over to their pet arrangers, trained mu-
sicans, who take the songs down. and then the
composers work is done.
The arranger gets $40 or $50 for putting the
song into presentabe shape for the printer
and the composers share may run anywhere
from a few hundred dollars to a quarter of a
million! If the song contained absolutely
original musical idea this would not be so bad.
The trouble is that it isn't original at all.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
1t Won't Do to Surprise
An Audience Too Much

1t is only patched-up fragment, cleverly
done into finished song, parts of which every
body knows and has heard before, somewhere
or other Therein lies the secret Of its popu-
larty, for audiences do not like to be disturbed
when tapping their feet to a certain rhythm
They like to know that they of keep
ing time.
Placed in a production and assisted by a
clever or q lyric, with a popular star
singing it, or row of prettly clothed girls
dancing it, the royalties from this song mount
steadily upward as long the receipts roll
into the boxohice.
The case and the abandon by which the COM
poser could gnoranty repeat himself and
annex more dollars were nfuriating and |
rushed away to do likewise. I found that it
was not so easy to be done had the alphabet
but not the answer. There was musical
screw loose somewhere. Evidently my expen-
sive foreign education had spoiled me for the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
How 1t Looks to the Man
Who Pays the Bills

While all this is going on, how about the
producer who has to foot the bills? How is
it that men whose investments tower into the
millions willingly pay out enormous sums for
practically the same music that other man
ayers are also producing?
If you ask him he will probably say that he
is giving the public what it wants.
This sounds pretty tough but it is the cast
IRON truth
The producer is ready and willing to buy
original music if he can find it. This means
that he doesn't know it until it has been tried
out. This brought me to another, and the
most interesting Investigation, in my chase
after that two hundred I refer to the costly
necessity on Broadway Of experimentation on
the part of managers
By this time my salary had taken another
jolt-up to a hundred a week. How this
happened l don't remember. Probably some
star had asked me how to shoe horse.
I have spoken before of concert singers
being tried out because of their fine voices
and then discarded during rehearsals because
of their inability to act or dance Some
times an amateur prima donna like that gets
as far as the opening night and fails
miserably.
She becomes an experiment that has proved
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

sumes the proportions of a nearest friend for
the time being; and, getting that far, they in
stinctively turn to him with pretty nearly all
their affairs-from a sore throat to a sore
husband
soon learned, therefore, why the man with
the cigar and the irritating habit of tapping
his desk wanted to know if I knew how to
handle girls.
After being called upon to give advice about
five domestic quarrels, two funerals and one
stabbjng afray my salary jumped to S75 a
week.
This step upward brought me in close touch
With the most significant class of money earn
ers on the big street.-the jazz composers Of
musical comedies and the song writers of the
broadway music shops The climb of most of
these men into owning shore homes, country
estates and cheerful checking accounts reads
like a page from the Grimm brothers.
Again l dmIy realized that had probably
missed these chaps over in Europe among the
Conservatives and had now to learn the fact
that America has what the whole Continent
never did have and that is style of melody
that pays quick money and pays big.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

day especially at this season of the year
Most Of them are after the money and not
the work | have known society women too,
restless Of home life to attempt to break into
Broadway with an insolent assurance that
would be laughable if it were not so pathetic.
Uncouthly prepared by nature, in face and
figure, most of this class assume that it only
requires daring to get on the stage Some Of
them perfectly willing to exploit their
broken homes, thinking that by offering this
publicity they will get instant hearing.
With personal looks that would make a stage
door man shudder, they try and try again.
These women usually can do absolutely
nothing beyond talk and tango
Another class of 'wasted efforts but de-
serving far more attention and consideration,
is that vast horde Of vocal pupils and lesser
concert singers who are seized with the
lsudable ambition to earn money for further
study, or to be prima donnas, just to show
Gatti and Cali how wrong they arc.
With beautiful voices these young women
make a good impression and frequently gec
as far as the rehearsal room, if they have
good looks. But the trouble is they secretly
have an idea that musical comedy is beneath
them. To them it is usually only means t.
an end Now in this game, more than in any
other field in this world. the first principle
Of success is absolute love OF your work.
Without it you are as dead as a smet.
With this Impression these girls start re
hearsing, only to find, perhaps, that Their
nicely modulated speaking voices sound
squeaky on the stage; they cannot dance
without painting, because at home they could
always stop when they got tired-moreover,
parlor dancing and stage dancing are two
vastly different things; they are told that
their natural airs and graces that made
them elegant in society cannot meet the So
phistcated grace required on the stage, and
finally, the fact that they must use all three
Of these requirements at once, with ease
with relentless monotony eight times q week
for thirty-two weeks, puts them back in the
subway station with feelings best left I'M
described
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
First He Must knou Girls;
Music Is Secondary

How in the world they were more important
to & manager than my musical education
couldn't figure out on the spur of the moment
Furthermore, the drop from 5000 to $50 was
so vopanic that saw it would be useless to
argue the matter with the frowning car who
was tapping his desk and awaiting my next
move / decided, with rare sagacity, to take
the plunge.
81 know all about them" I replied briefly
"All right. Be here Monday morning at 10
o'clock and try out voices
escaped out into the hot street which up to
that time had been to me merely an annoying
tangle Of traffic separating the Metropolitan
Opera House from Carnegie Hall. Fresh from
conservatory fields in Europe, this .aurly-burly
portion Of Manhattan appeared to my loft,
classical eye suspciously akin to Coney Island,
and it seemed that the only successful way to
thread in and out among its weird multitudes
with perfect serenity was to borrow the stolid-
ity Of the COWS who used to switch their tails
in Times Square in the days when Columbus
Circle was pasture and not so we'll fenced in
at that
For ten years l have now been conducting
musical comedy productions on Broadway with
more CT less success, and the experience has
been veritable mine Of interest. Young peo-
pie and old are still flooding the theatrical
district in the hope Of easy success and quick
money. l did myself, totally ignorant of
what requirements are necessary in order to
make living in this highly specialized branch
Of the theatricalword- that of making
comedy with musical accompaniment.
Il seems as if every young girl who can
sing and likes fun thinks she has chance
or Broadway not realizing the many funda-
mental attributes essential to its peculiar
brand Of success.
Girls with no knowledge of acting or dane
ing imagine that their studo-trained voices
will carry them INTO stardom. Girls who know
absolutely nothing Of singing, who couldn't
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

carry tune in one hand think that their
looks will sail them into a leading role not
realizing that diction as we'll as dancing is
necessary sometimes to win the game arross
the footlights.
Have you ever heard chorus girl speak
Zine" in a musical production? Have you
ever felt like laughing at it? Stop and think.
Do you know what her usual procedure is
after she has been given that Zine" to speak
at rehearsal, or before the curtain went up?
1t is this: She hustres to the manager or pro-
Queer and boldly asks for part in the next
show. Perhaps she is placated by the promise
of an understudy part, for this is favorite
device of managers to keep chorus girls happy
She usually demands and gets an increase in
salary.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

subtle craftsmanship of peddling familiar goods
doctored up by twist Of Broadway's tail
What would become of these jazz composers
without the men who arrange their music for
them-the inspired hacks who labored to learn
music, and whose names, seldom if ever, ap-
pear on the program.
Answer that question yourself
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
He Will Tell You
About Girls, an Ex-
te,,siue Topic, and He
Will AnsWer the Cues
ton, Why and What
Is broadway Music?

very costly one for her manager. Another
woman has to be rushed into the part, mean
ing extra and nerve-racking rehearsals~ Her
costumes have to be remodeled or entirely
re-made Worst of all, the piece, which with
the proper prima donna in the first place
might have been a huge success, may suffer
terribly. Occasionally the failure of the ex-
pertinent means the failure Of the managers
$50, 900 or 100000 investment
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
He MAN WHO TURNS HIS BACK ON BROADWAY
Snnm uHBAnm
Ten Years Spent in
Conducting Musical
Comedies Qualities a
Man to Speak of Both
Songs and Singers.
Herewith He Speaks

-OR two years after my return from
~ thorough musical training abroad. I
Il ignored Broadway, a matter Of
course, until one day heard that some
musical directors over on that street were being
paid as high as 5000 week.
Assured by my landlady that I had better
investigate this-and do it quick-I was asked
by a prominent producer if knew how to
handle girls.
"If You DO" he growled, passing my Euro
pean credentials back to me unopened, "Ill
start you in at $50 week"
| dmly realized that girls were more or less
essential in Broadway productions, but had
never suspected that knowledge of how to
handle these difficult creatures was necessary
in order to make my technical training satisfy
the personal problem with the lady who rented
rooms over on the East Side.
Evening star., 1921-11-04
PIONEER MISSIONARY
PASSES AWAY At G. u.
Rev. Francis Barnum, s. j., Was
Archivist Of University for
Past Fifteen Years.

Rev. Francis Barnum. S. j.. pioneer
missionary during the gold rush in
the Klondike, and archfvist at
Georgetown University for the past
fifteen years. died yesterday after
noon at the Georgetown University
infirmary following a long Illness. He
was seventy-two years old and had
been suffering from a complication
Of diseases for the last six months.
Mass will be said tomorrow morn
Ing at 8 o'clock in Dalghren chapel.
Rev: John B. Cresden. S: J. president
fciate. Interment will be In the
cemetery on the university grounds
Father Barnum was born in Balti-
more. Md. January 23; l849. His
father was Genus Barnum. owner of
the old Barhum Hotel. He was edu-
Gated at Loyola College, Georgetown
University and the University Of Fir-
ginia.
Inspired by the report of gold dis
covered in the Klondike region
Father Barnum Joined the first party
going out and remained in the far
sionary among the Esquimeaux and
rendering medical aid to the natives
and the adventurous alike.
Father Barnum was one Of the few
men who understood and spoke
f1uently the Esquimeaux Language
grammars and dictionaries of that
language. AS a linguist. he spoke
half dozen languages includint
Slavic.
After leaving the Klondike, Father
Barnum served as chaplain for "a
number of years at Blackwell's Is
land. New York, and performed social
service work for the inmates of the
workhouse and penitentiary.
He was ordained as priest in 1SSS
by the late James Cardinal Gibbons.
at Woodstock, Nd.
For the last twenty years Father
Barnum was associated with George
town University. being in charge Of
the archives during most Of that time.
Evening star., 1921-11-04
DIES AFTER COLLAPSE.
Mrs. Emma Peake Fatally Stricken
ON WAY to Doctors Office.

Stricken i'll near 18th and T streets
yesterday. Mrs. Emma Peake. sixty
six years old. Sc street, died shortly
after reaching the Emergency Hos
pital.
Mrs. Peake. relatives said, was on
her way to a doctors office when she
collapsed on the street. DR.. Carl
Corley. 1863 Columbia road, hurried
her to the hospital.
Mrs Peake was born at Catonsville.
Nd, and had resided in Washington
for more than forty years. She lived
with her sister. Mrs. Millard F.
Peake. at the street address. She
is survived by her husband. William
c. Peake. and three sons and one
daughter. Mrs. Peake's daughter
lives in New Orleans. La. and the
mother had been planning to visit
her in the near future.
Evening star., 1921-11-04
MRS. LYON G. TYLER DIES.

RICHMOND. Va, November 4.-Mrs.
Annie Tyler. wife Of DR.. Lyon G. Ty-
Ter. son Of John Tyler. tenth President
CT the United States. died yesterday
in a local hospital. Her funeral will
take place this afternoon and the
burial win be in President Tyler's sec
ton in Hollywood cemetery here. Mrs
Tyler was the daughter Of Lieut.. Col:
St George Tucker of the Confederate
army and Mrs. Elizabeth Tucker.
daughter Of, former Gov. Thomas
Walker Gilmer.
Evening star., 1921-11-04
CARDS OF THANKS.

HALL. We wish to express our sincere thnnks
and appreciation to the many friends. mem
hers Of church and organizations. for their
kindness. sympathy and beautiful floral trih.
utes accorded us during the illness and
death Of our dear husband and brother-in-
law.
MRS JAMES A. HALL AND BROTHER. .
SPEcHT. We wish to express our sincere ap-
preciation TO. the many friends for their
kind sympathy and for the beautiful floral
tributes rendered us at the death of my nus
b. hand. GEORGE ]. SPECHT.-
The New York herald., 1921-01-24

a stubborn man. has set his heart on a
Brooklynite for Mayor
While the leaders In Manhattan and
The Bronx do not concede the place TO
Brooklyn. the facts are that the Repub-
lican enrolment in Brooklyn is much
larger than in any other borough. Jo-
seph Fl. de Bragga. the Queens boss"
i7 playing the game with Livingston. In
I primary fight - Brooklyn ms would
have much the best OF it. Livingston
has gone so far as TO intimate that he
NJ. as... =. ~. aiaate IN the primary re-
e9rdleas OF what any OF iue otaer iras,-
ers may think or l.. AS things iOSk
now any amendment OF the direct pri-
mary law win not 80 so far as to restore
the city convention.
Justice CrOpsey was understood TO be
Mr. Livingstone candidate. The latest
information is. however. that the Living
ston fondnoss for the judge has cooled.
Without this backing it is not believed
he would make a .~rong fight for the
nomination.
Senator Calder has been doomed by
those who wish to see an anti-Livingston
man named and because OF his known
strength as n vote getter. But he has
told those who have been making free
use Of his name that in no circuDl-
stances will he consider leaving the
Senate for the City Hall.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
70 TAKEN IN RAIDS
BY POLICE DISCHARGED
Threat to Sue Commissioner
Enrighf FolIoIOs.

Seventy-nine persons taken in Satur-
day night police raids on charges of dis
orderly conduct in places where 1t was
alleged gambling was going on were dis
charged in Magistrates courts yesterday.
A threat to sue Police Commissioner En-
right for false arrest was made by Mich
olas G Psak, an attorney. of 14S2
Broadway, who appeared for sixteen
men arrested in a restaurant at GA
Eighth avenue. Two detectives said
they heard the defendants Swapping
their fingers and found deck of play
ing cards in a table drawer
Your Honor, isn't there any protec-
ton from the police for law abiding citi-
zens?' Mr.. Psaki demanded
81 guess not much" said Magistrate
rockingham.
Mr.. Psaki then said he was prepared
to go TO Commissioners Enright and
carry the case into the higher courts II
necessary. asserting that the same res
taurant was raided a few weeks ago and
the defendants were not held. Magis-
trate rockingham, discharging the pris-
oners. said the arrest was unnecessary.
The others discharged were forty ne
groes, arrested in poolroom in Yves;
Forty-frst street. The cases also came
before Magistrate rockingham in JEFF
ferson Market court. Twenty-threC
women and seven men who were ar
rested in an apartment dwelling in West
129th street by Inspector Cornelius +
Cahalane and his staff were discharged
The latter were arraigned in Washing
ton Heights court. and were set free
without comment by Magistrate Levine.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
ELIZABETH ST. HAS
NEW FEUD MURDER
Killing Of Grocer Adds An
other to Long List Of Death
Mysteries.

Ar=>S pasrr->-s. 40 years old. a
grocer of 394 East Thirty-ninth street.
was shot and killed yesterday afternoon
when walking in Elizabeth street be-
tween Prince and Houston streets.
block in which more murders have oc-
Cured than any other In the city. A
man jumpeo out of n hallway just as
Parpricona passed No. 245 and fired
four shots at him. The grocer fell to
the street dead and the slayer disap-
peared into the hallway again.
Policeman Franzoni of the Mercen
street station was less than block
away when the shooting occurred, but
could find no trace of the person who
cid the shooting or iocetn ga one who
could give good description of the man.
The street was crowded with men.
women and children at the time, but
the descriptions given by witnesses
varied. Some said the murderer was
tall and that he wore dark clothes. while
others asserted lie was short and wore
q brown suit
Detective John Bottis arrived on the
scene Just atter an aMDulance surgeon
had pronounced Parpricona dead. The
detective searched every apartment in
245 Elizabeth street and had the block
by reserve policemen until
every building in it had been searched.
Botti found a pistol in the yard OF 245
which had four empty chambers. It is
thought that the murderer jumped over
a rear fence and got out into Mott
street through an alley. The police
found s45 and pistol permit in the
pockets of the dead man, but there was
no weapon.
Botti is inclined to believe Parpricona
was slain by a business rival or in one
of the many feuds which the police never
have been able to get the upper hand
in. Relatives of Parpricona asserted he
mad no enemies and could give no clue
that would lead to the identity of the
murderer.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
REPUBLICANS PLAN
TO PUT PARTY MAN
:: =. 4.,V MAY1R Atty
Chances of Winning Good
and Brooklyn Candidate
Is Favored.
SOME TALK OF CALDER
Darwin Il. James, Justice
CrOpsey and Senator Lock
wood Considered.
LA GUARDIA ROD IS UP
Martin SAKE. Henry IL. Curran
and Arthur Woods Also in
the Running.
SOME TALK OF CALDER
LA GUARDIA ROD IS UP

These are the men whose names are
most frequently mentioned as possible
candidates for Mayor ON the anti-Tam-
many municipal ticket this fall:
From Brooklyn--Darwin r. James
United States Senator William NJ. CAL
der. Justice James c. Cropsey of the
Supreme Court ana Senator Charies e.
Lockwood. chairman of the Legislative
Housing Committee.
From Manhattan-Martin SAKE, f. II.
Ia Guardia. President of the Board of
Aldermen Henry II. Curran, President
OF the Borough OF Manhattan. and Arr
thur Woods.
The fact that these men are all Re
publicans represents the determination
OF the party leaders--so far not pub
licly expressed-that the Mayoralty can
didate this year must be a Republican.
And that there are no Independent
Democrats suggested ever so casually Is
due to the recognition OF the Republican
claim by the Independents. While some
OF those who have been active in fusion
movements in past years would like to
have this years ticket framed On such
basis. they acknowledge that conditions
do not warrant such handling. of the
situation.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
BERWICK BLUE LAWS
ARE PARTLY OBSERVED
Ban Lifted on Newspapers,
Gasolene, Milk and Ice.

BERWICK, Pa. Jan. 2s.-Berwick' $
first Sunday under the order of council
Tor strict observance of the Sabbath
closing laws found only half a dozen
business places. most OF them cigar
stores and ice cream parlors, remaining
sssn. Scores CT establishments. includ-
ing clothing and crocilery stores. that
formerly counted Sunday their biggest
day obeyed the edict.
Burgess Il. Il. Kitchen modified the
closing order to the extent OF permitting
the sale of Sunday newspapers. gasolene
milk and ice.
The police made an inspection of the
entire town and announced that arrests
would be made tomorrow of the pro-
prietors of the stores that remained open.
The penalty for the first offence is S4
Tags with the words Permit to walk
the streets of Berwick on Sunday" found
big sale. and were worn by objectors
to the blue law crusade.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
WOMAN THIEF TINTED
HER HAIR TO DECEIVE
Different Descriptions Mysti-
fled Baltimore Police.

BALTIMORE. Jan. 2S-Mrs. Helen L.
Wilder tinted her hair a different color
each time she visited pawnshops to dis
pose of stolen articles valued at thou
sands of dollars. according to informa-
ton obtained by the police to-day. Mrs.
Wilder and her husband. Carl l.. Wilder.
and William Braid of London are held
at Central police station. charged with
many robberies.
In their visits to the pawnshops the
police got different descriptions of the
woman who pawned the jewelry On
one trip she was described as. black
haired. At another shop the police were
told that she had dark brown hair. At
another brokers' shop she was described
as having light brown hair and another
described her as redhaired.
The New York herald., 1921-01-24
where La Guardia stands.

While President La Guardia believes
his position as the only citywide Repub-
lican official now in the Board OF Esti-
mate and his vote getting ability as in
dicated in the campaign a year ago last
fall entitle him to promotion to Mayor,
he has shown as yet no determination to
demand that honor at the hands of the
organization.
Henry Curran feels much the same
way about IT, His friends have urged
him to start something" looking toward
his selection as the Mayoralty candidate.
He has replied that he is busy making
good on his present job. II success
there wins him Mayoralty nomination,
all right, but he is not going to play
politics with the office.
During the last week there have been
rumors that Arthur Woods would throw
his hat in the ring. 1t is true that GER
tain OF his friends. watching keenly the
developments in the police situation as