The late Mr. O’Connor, of the Haymarket, painted the first scene used, representing the laboratory of “The Haunted Man,” which Christmas story the late Charles Dickens, by his special written permission, allowed me to use for the illustration of the Ghost illusion. This ghost scene ran for fifteen months, and helped to realise, in a very short time, the sum of twelve thousand pounds, not counting what I received for granting licences to use the Ghost, and also the sums realised during many successive years as new ghost stories were brought out.
Sylvester now patented the use of looking-glass in the performance of the Ghost, which I thought very good, and bought of him—he could only infringe my patent by attempting to use it, and therefore his patent was useless to anybody else but myself.
Mr. King, of Bath, brought out what he termed a “New Patent Ghost”; but my solicitors, Messrs. Hughes, Masterman, and Hughes, very soon quashed the alleged patent by appearing against Mr. King, when he tried to get his patent passed before the Solicitor-General, the result of which is thus described by
THE
London New Music Hall Journal.
MANCHESTER, AUGUST 10, 1863.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE GHOST FROM
THE LONDON NEW MUSIC HALL.
It is with unfeigned regret that I have to announce to my numerous patrons the withdrawal of the Ghost from the London New Music Hall. The reason is as follows:—My engagement with Mr. King, to whom a large sum of money was paid down, was with the understanding that he should personally superintend the first representation of the “Great Optical Illusion, the Marvellous Ghost,” which, however, he failed to do, and to which is attributable the failure and disappointment which ensued. I also distinctly understood that his representation was free from any infringement of the right of patent, and that it was in every respect equal to the original production of Professor Pepper. I beg, therefore, in order to acquit myself from the odium of disappointment which may have been felt by the unusually large attraction which it has occasioned to “The London” during the past week, to state that I have received an intimation from Professor Pepper that Mr. King’s representation is an infringement upon his own, and that I have no course left open to me but at once to bear the disappointment, and allow its immediate withdrawal. It is my intention, however, to seek redress in the proper quarter.
I therefore trust that my numerous friends will see the predicament in which I have been placed, and readily acquit me of all blame; assuring them that I am at all times, regardless of expense, anxious to secure the most sterling talent that can be procured, and to avoid anything in the shape of disappointment.