GOD AND MAMMON. FISK JUBILEE TROUPE. AN INTERESTING CASE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 367, 11 May 1889, Page 5

GOD AND MAMMON. FISK JUBILEE TROUPE. AN INTERESTING CASE.

The details of the action brought in Melbourne by Edward Price, advance theatrical agent, against F. J. Loudin, proprietor of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, for arrears of salary, form very interesting reading. Price claimed arrears of salary, as business manager, from June Ist, ISB6, to August 15th, 1888, 116 weeks, at £25 a week, less .t'6sB 2s 7d paid on account, or £2,241 17s sd. In the alternative he claimed £2,540 7s sd, being 7$ per cent, on the takings of the company during the same period, .L' 54,880, or £2,610, less £69 12s 7d to the defendant's ciedit. The defendant, examined, said ho was introduced to plaintiff at Longford in Ireland, during 1885, and subsequently, at Carlisle, engaged him at £10 a month in addition to his board and lodging, and travelling expenses. The troupe had sung for 8 years on behalf of the Fisk University, Nashville, Term., U.S.A., founded for the higher education of coloured folk, but in 1878 tlii& connection was severed, and the troupe began co sing on its own account. Loudin, who was the basso, became proprietor. On tho Ist April, 1886, the company sailed for Australia, and gave their first public concert in Melbourne on the 7th June. Plaintiff's salary was raised by degrees from £10 to £13, £15, £1S and £20, until eventually it stood at £25 a month when the Australasian tour terminated in New Zealand in August last. He positively did not engage to give Price such a salary as £25 a week, nor did he regard the 7^ per cent, commission as a fair and reasonable one. Cross-examined by Mr Purves, witness said that prior to coming to Australia the tioupe sang for V.M.C. Associations in the United Kingdom, the associations receiving 35 per cent, or 45 per cent, of the takings. He had no agreement with his leading lady, Miss Lawrence. She was receiving £18 or £20 a month in the United Kingdom, and up to £33 in Australia. Miss Malone received about £15 a month in England and about £20 in Australia. As a matter of fact, when he found he was prospering he increased the pay of all his employees inglyMr Purves : What did you mean when you told Mr Pi ice that this trip to Australia would either " make or break " you ? — If it turned out a failure I had enough to keep my obligations, and that would just about wind me up. What capital had you when you started for Australia I—l had about £5,000. Where is it now ? Some of it has gone to the solicitors and barristers. (Laughter. ) What did you bring with you ? — I landed with about £2,000 and two "drafts, one for £600 and the other for £300 or £400. How much have you taken from first to last in Australia? -About £32,000 up to August last year. How much have you taken since ? — I don't know ; I have had no occasion to look it up. How much did you pay out ? — About £24,000. Leaving £S,OOO ?— Ye3, besides some investments in America and Australia. What, have yon been gambling ?— Oh no. What are you worth ? — I am worth, perhaps, about £14,000 or £15,000. I have some property in America that I was offered £1,000 for before I left England to come here, and I was told lately that 1 could get at least £2,500 for it Why did you charge higher prices for your concerts in Australia ? Was it be cause the expenses were heavier ? No. It was because I thought I could get them. "We have always charged more when we first went into a new country. I see by the reports that you did drag in the missionary business in your speech ?—? — I exp'aiued the matter fully. The missionary part of the business is worthless, any way. Were any of your troupe emancipated slaves? — Yes; Miss Came was born a slave,. What was the date of the emancipation ? —1863. And how old was Miss Came ?— 3O years odd. Have you ever had a failure ? — Yes. For about three months in Great Britain I was losing £25 a day. As a matter of fact six of your troupe were emancipated slaves? — Yes. Misses Malone, Came and Gibbons, and Messrs O. M. McAdoo, J. T. L. Lane and R. B. Williams. Mr Purves, addressing the Court, wa3 very rough on the missionary claims of the singers. He said Loudin came here to make or break his finances. He determined to make money or go " bung." Loudin wa3 a man travelling round the world with a "show" such as the "Bearded Woman" or Cherubini Steffiani, who declares she comes from the mountains and valleys and hills of "somewhere," and is a real live " something " which we may pay 2s 6d to see, but find after it is all over to be, like A. Ward's wax figures, a myth and a delusion. We must not be deluded into the belief thot show " was anything else but a band of professional missionaries, imitating the programme of a previous lot who were pioneers in a "real" venture for a certain object years ago. If Loudin had come to this country with his band of minstrels, and said they were descendants of the original band of singers, but not singing for the University, he could understand the affair being a mere speculation. There was not in the A'hole afiair one semblance of proof that either Loudin or the singers ever sang for the University. One could read it in the book that there were "15 concert seasons from 1871 to JBB6 bv the original company from Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America. Frederick Loudin, manager ; Miss Lawrence, assistant." Underneath is an advertisement of an " atnoniaphone," also expressions of opinion from General Uarfield and others in regard to the *• Fisk " entertainments being for an excellent purpose, and one ot the most interesting performances of the age, etc., etc. Loudin succeeded in getting a number of "bell wethers," as well as Wesieyan and Presbyterian parsons, to subscribe to the entertainment. He also coaxed money out of the pockets cf politicians, a thing which we considered most remarkable and difficult indeed. Even his friend, Mr Zox, was there with his white waistcoat. The Rev. Watsford (a sort of Wesieyan archbishop), the *' aged dean," and other good people all assembled at the Grand Hotel and indulged in sandwiches and coffee. Their songs were no doubt beautiful. They made him think of orange groves, lovely shades, crocodiles, sylvan retreats and rustic scenery. They took in the reporter of the "Telegraph" with their glowing ppeeches. who was convinced of their praiseworthy motives and the desire of the company to induce the public to do something for the cause of Jesus Chrifct, and not for Mr and Mrs Loudin and the little Loudins. Mr Justice Williams, in summing up, said: "The public were supposed to be supporting a company who spent so much qf their time in promoting the interests of

the Fisk University. In this they we*' evidently working a fraud on the religious part of the community. I think this business of the emancipation of slaves is all nonsense when we look afc it reasonably. Price, the plaintiff, however, seems inconsistent, for he says, in communicating with Loudin, that ho could make more • filthy lucre ' in many ways than at his present occupation. The latter was not compatible with the nature of his strong ' religious belief,' which he expressed to the defendant. I think it is funny, to say the least of it, how religious peoplo of ' this character ' neb sometimes. Price objects to ' lilbhy lucre ' on account of ' his salvation ' being at stake, and yet he is trying to secure more income by making it. Is this a reasonable method of obtaining salvation ? It is evident Price was trying to servo ' God and Mammon ; ' but could, he do this at the rate of £25 per week, or isn't the price high enough ? Evidently not if he could got more for the same reasons." Further on in his remarks His Honor intimated that he thought the public had been a little deceived, not by tolling lies, but that the management so worked things as to lead the public to believe that the receipts would go to the whole troupe, and not to one person. They had been deluding the public to a very great extent, not by false statements, but by the very clever way they worked it, so as to make the public believe that they were supporting the unselfish toilers who had given so much time and labour to the promotion and support of worthy objects. All the talk about emancipated slaves was romance — \\ as romance when they looked at it as it was. There might be some five of the singers who were born in .slavery, but were only little children while slaveiy existed, and thoie wns piecious little sla\ery about their lives. Ho asked the jury to strip all this romance from the case and look ab it as a business speculation, and perhaps as clever a transaction as they had ever read or heard of — very well and very skilfully managed, but it was a commercial speculation from beginning to end. But all the romance and rainbow hues were dispelled as soon as they pricked it. It was a commercial venture with a view to make money, and for no other purpose whatever. Just as much so as was a fireworks exhibition, whoro money was charged at the gate. The jury found, in reply to questions, .that the arrangement made between Price and Loudin, when they came to Australia, was that the former was to receive £13 per month, leaving himself in Loudin's hands as to any future increase. Plaintiff continued under this arrangement until he resigned his position. The salary he was receiving, which was raised successively from £13 to £25 a month, was a sufficient recompense for his services. The payments he received were for his monthly salary, and not on account of that salary merely, as had been argued, and it was sufficient to cover his own leasonable expenseo, and the reasonable and ordinary expenses of his wite and child. Judgment for the defendant, with costs.