[D9240AAE], Letter from Augustus Newman Sampson, New England Phonograph Co to Edison Phonograph Works, December 21st, 1891
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9240AAE
Transcription
Boston, Dec. 21, 1891 Edison Phonograph Works Orange, N.J. Gentlemen:- We have received a circular from you dated December 18th, in which you quote that you have stock duplicates of the celebrated “Casey” records, enumerating the same, and we desire to say, that we must ask you to discontinue the manufacture of these as duplicates as these records are solely the property of the New England Phonograph Company. Mr. Russell Hunting is under contrast with this Company to make these records, made the first records that were ever made of that series for this Company, and has always been connected with this Company in making records and is now enrolled as a regular employee of this Company, and we cannot allow his records to be duplicated and put upon the market at all. We therefore notify you, that if you have purchased any of these records from the New York Company, we desire to say that it be entirely irregular. That Mr. Hunting made for Mr. Haines a few records while he was sojourning in New York City in connection with the Soudan Company, at the Academy of Music, to pay for the loss of the Phonograph which he used in his family for their amusement. No records should have been put out for duplication, and Mr. Hunting, himself, states that it was entirely against his wishes and opposite to anything that he had ever supposed that these, records should ever find their way into your place to be duplicated and be put upon the market, and if we learn of any being sold we shall expect that you will notify us how many you have in stock and either sell them to us at a reduced price, or have them shaved off. This matter we feel very strongly upon as we have developed this series of records ourselves, been at a great deal of expense to fit up and take them, and have coached Mr. Hunting in the method of using the Phonograph, and introduced it to him. Awaiting reply, we are, Yours very truly, Aug. N. Sampson, General Manager,