The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-07-27

i've years, and has heavy, flowing
white hair and whiskers; also, an ar
.ificiaI leg replacing limb lost by a
kick from a horse. His sons, who ac-
him, are paroled rebel off,
GERS. ,.I '.
On Saturday last, Tom was in Lou
isville, where he would have given q
public entertainment if a vacant hall
could have been procured. The Jour-
nal says Of one OF his private enter
tainments a ~ I'D.
awe received, Saturday morning, an
invitation from our enterprising young
friend, Charlie Ward, to meet the
world-renowned blind pianist, Tom, at
the music store of Mr.. D. P. Faulds.-
We were somewhat surprised to see SO
many present. The large piano ware
room was well filled with the beauty
and fashion of our city. When we
first saw Tom he was twisting himself
in every imaginable attitude, hopping
around on one foot, and his head bent
down nearly to the ground, resembling
in nearly every gesture the movements
of the monkey much more than a hu-
man being. His manager sounded a
call upon the piano in the far end of
the room and Tom rushed to him, evil
dcntly greatly excited. He was then
introduced to the ladies and gentle,
men and after O few explanato-
ry remarks from the, managers, he
gave, in imitation of Stephen A. Doug
las, a speech spoken by that gentle
man some four or five years ago, in
1ynchburg, Va. The Imitation was
truly astonishing; the voice, articula-
ton, and the measure, brought wildly
to memory the lamented statesman
whose noble voice is hushed in death.
"After the speech Tom gave us sew
eral songs, with piano accompaniment
He sings remarkably well, and with
great expression; he feels and appre-
ciates the incest chords Of harmony
When playing or listning to music he
seems to be under something like q
mesmeric influence, and is sometimes
SO excited and agitated as to tremble
from head to foot, as if suffering intense
pain. He is certainly one of the great
est and most wonderful phenomena o.
this century. Professor W. Magnus
Scmnacker, of Lexington, Ky, play
ed u polka of his own composition
which has not yet been published
The piece is very difficult, indeed, and
after he had finished, Tom played il
without missing a note. He then
turned his back to the piano which
reversed the position of his hands, and
played Yankee Doodle.
"He is represented as being one o.
the happiest creatures on the earth; he
has none oftbe feelings of hatred, en-
Wy, or malice; is good-natured and af
fectionate, and loves those who are a.
round him with the strongest attach.
mcnt." ..,
Between 8 and 4 4o'clock the case was
opened. Gross had retained as counsel
Mr. Durham, of New Albany, Mr.. o.
II. Stratton, of Louisville, and Messrs
Douglas and Judge Dickson, of this
city. Judge Bartley appeared foi
Mr.. Terhune. Blind Tom was pres.
emily brought into Court, and seemed
a little alarmed, and unable to com.
prehend what it was all about. He
asked Mr.. Howard, "what are you
going to do now?" and seemed fo,
some time after taking a chair to be
in considerable apprehension. AS the
case progressed, however, he soon for,
got all but himself. His wealth of ex.
travagant smiles returned, and his
eyes, notified with the blush, opalinc
mist of the cataract, rolled exultingly
in their orbits. He would frequently
stretch himself back in his chair, and
indulge in low. prolonged chuckle
but he did not offer to rise, contenting
himself by rattling his fingers over hit
thigh, or tapping himself, with daz
zling rapidity, on the chin or breast
A strange, silly, divinely gifted crea-
ture, truly .e, .t q
In his affidavit, the petitioner repro
scnted that he was the legally-appoint.
cd guardian of "Blind Tom," and that
the latter was unlawfully restrained Of
his liberty by James A. Bethune and
the other defendants named in the
writ. ~ '..tH.iH r.H. t..
James N. Bethune. the respondent
filled an answer, in which he stated
that "Blind Tom" is now upward Of
sixteen years of age; that he and his
father and mother were formerly the
slaves of the respondent, and all were
and now arc, residents of Muscogee
county, Georgia; that said Tom and
his parents had been, for the last three
months, free, not only by the procla.
nation of the President and the laws
of the United States, but by the free
consent and act of the respondent, ,whC
had informed them that they were free
and did not claim to exercise any au
thority over them as slaves. .'.
The respondent further stated that
the parents of the said Tom, fearing
that by force or fraud he might be TAX
en- from the custody of the respondent
in travelling, and anxious thathe should
be under the protection and guardian
ship. of some person in whom they
could confde, and that the talents O
their son might be made the means O
securing to them in their old age thu
necessaries and comforts of life, ant
having confidence,in respondent, they
did, of free will and accord and a
their earnest desire, execute deed
binding him to respondent for the tern
of five years that he was now travel
inc for the nurDose of irving musicn