Life — April 3, 1884 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

*>LIFE: y STOP THIEF! HAT Mr. Brander Matthews should be accused of stealing his play, “ Margery’s Lovers,”. from Mr. H. P. Stephens’s manuscript of “ Hearts” is so amusing when one gets at the facts that the readers of Lire should know something about it. The following despatch, with accompanying letters and extracts, evidently place Mr. Stephens in rather an awkward position : ASSOCIATED Press DESPATCH, PRINTED IN NEw York PAPERS OF FEBRUARY 26, 1884. London, February 25th.—Letters have been published accusing Mr. Brander Matthews of gross literary theft. Mr. Henry Stephens, the playwright, says that ‘* Margery’s Lovers” is a copy of his manuscript of the drama “ Hearts,” which was sub- mitted to the American managers, Messrs. Daly and Arthur Wallack. A LESSON IN GRAMMAR. Syluie: OH! Isn’? HE LOVELY? Paul; WHERE DID HE COME FROM? Sylvie: PAPA BRUNG HIM HOME THIS AFTERNOON. Paul: You sHoutpn’r say “BRUNG,” SYLVIE, YOU SHOULD SAY “ BRANG.” Letrer FRoM Mr. Aucustin DALY. Daty’s THEATRE, UNDER THE MANAGEMENT oF AuGusTIN DaLy. MANAGER’s OFFICE. New York, February 21, 1884. My Dear Mr. MatTHews: It must certainly be four years since I read your piece called “Breakers Ahead,” which you have since named ‘t Margery’s Lovers.” It is scarcely two years since Mr? Stephens (one of the ‘*Billee Taylor” authors), who was then on a visit to New York, sent mea play of his to read. My present recollection is that I examined this piece immediately, and returned it with my answer within thirty-six hours after its receipt. This is all I have to say to-day on the subject of the cable despatch, in whichiiwould seem that Mr. Stephens seeks to connect his charge of plagiarism against you with a manuscript which he sent me. At another time, when the particulars of the charge are fully known, I may have something further to recall. Very truly yours, AucusTIn Day. LETTERS FROM AND TO MR. CHARLES COGHLAN. 121 East EIGHTEENTH STREET, New York, March 5, 1884. DEAR MR. COGHLAN: T learn that Mr. H. P. Stevens accuses me of having stolen my play, ‘‘ Margery’s Lovers,” from a play of his called “ Hearts.” I shall be much obliged if you will drop me a line stating that you read ‘* Margery’s Lovers” (then called “ Breakers Ahead”) in June, 1881, and that you sent the manuscript to Mr. Edgar Brace, in August, 1881, and that Mr. Bruce lost the manuscript, which has never yet turned up. Yours, truly, BRANDER MATTHEWS. P.S.—I shall take it as a favor if you will give me an immediate reply. Py Union SQUARE THEATRE, New York, March 6, 1884. Dear Mr. MATTHEWS: Your statement is correct. Early in the Autumn of 1881 I submitted your play to Mr. Bruce, and the manuscript has never been returned to me. Yours, truly, Cuartes F, CoGHLAN. Moy Tuomas, Esq., Daily Mews, London, England. Dear Sir*** To-day I have received the paper containing Mr. Stephens’s correspondence with Mr. Cecil, Mr. Clayton, and Mr. B. C. Stephenson; and I write now to deny Mr. Stephens’s accusation absolutely and emphatically, I have never seen Mr. Stephens'’s play ; I know nothing about it; I never heard of it before, and I was quite unaware of its existence. If a denial can be framed more sweeping than this, I am ready to subscribe to it. ***T should like to know when this play was written? If his play in any way resembles mine, I should like him to explain the simi- larity. He declares that there is only one MS. of ‘‘ Hearts ;” unfortunately there are several MSS, of ‘* Margery’s Lovers,” and one of these was lost, strayed, or stolen, in England, late in the Summer of 1881. I’ append a note from Mr. Charles Coghlan, showing that he read my play in June, 1881; that he sent it to Mr. Edgar Bruce in August, 1881, and that neither he nor I have ever seen that MS, since. It is needless to dwell on the difficulty of meeting an outrag- eous accusation like this when I am three thousand miles away, and when four weeks must elapse between the charge and the answer. I expect to be in London in June, but I hope to receive before then an apology from Mr. Stephens, and a formal with- drawal of his wanton accusation. Until I do receive these, I shall not rest satisfied. Your obedient servant, BRANDER MATTHEWS. New York, March, 7, 1884. There is a clearness and decision in the latter which is simply delightful, and we cannot help feeling that Mr. Stephens is somewhat in the position of the gen- tleman who, in walking away with a new umbrella in place of his old one, suddenly feels the cold fingers of the proprietor between his shirt collar and his neck. comicbooks.com