The bee., 1883-12-22
A WHISTLING CURIOSITY.
The Romantic Story of whfsfIinE
Jack as He Tells tt Himself

cry Here 1t is that a well-known
character eats, sleeps and whistles.
George w. Johnson is a gentleman of
color, about thirty-five wears of age.
He is variously known as "Johnson's
band, Whistling Bill, :" " WhistIing
Charley" and Whistling Jack" Why
he has never been STYLED Whistling
George will forever remain a mystery.
As Whistling Jack he is better known in
this vicinity. Everybody knows him,
but few have heard his story. Readers
of the Ne1os have seen him on the ferry
boats, on the cars, in the theatre and on
the street. They have been charmed by
him while from his screwed UP lips he
has discoursed harmony that ivaled the
sweetest toots Of Levy or Arbuckle.
Popular melodies, like ''Swanee
River" "Way Down in Dixie" "The
Last Rose of Summer" or "The Harp
that Once, have been invested with by
his peculiar talent with irresistible sweet
ness, and he can give the 'Mocking-
Bird and its trills and variations with
the accuracy, expression and finesse of
Ole Bull. His story, substantially as he
told it to a reporter, is given as follows:
Thirty-seven years ago Whistling Jack
was born in slavery on the estate of VIII
liam w. Mallory, at Hanover Junction.
Hanover county, Virginia His parents
and grandparents had been brought to
this country by English slave traders
from Africa. His former owner and mas
ter, Mallory, was captain of the guards
who stood around the scaffold on which
John Brown was hung. Mallory had in
all twenty-seven slaves. Hale and
hearty, and able to read without glasses.
Whistling Jacks grandmother is living
at Chesterfield, Va. She is now los
years of age, and was taught to read Eng
lish when in her seventy-tirst wear. Ii is
said that she is the ONLY one in this
country who can speak her native, or
African tongue A family tradition is
that her husband was prince of a Sene-
gambian tribe. In the wear 1893 he
was taken captive, with lis wife. and
while in transport to this country, where
he had been sold TO slavery. he was
drowned while attempting to escape.
When General Wilson made his historic
raid on Harrisburg Va, in 1862, Whis-
tling Jack was one Of those who crossed the
line and Joined him. lie remained in
the army until the war was over After
the war Whistling Jack drifted as far
East as Lynn, Mass, where he attended
school for three years The principal of
the school was John Batchelder, and one
Of his schoolmates was Roland C. Upshur,
who afterward became Mayor Of Lynn.
After few years of schooling WINS
ting Jack returned to virginia His su-
perior education, modest as it was gave
him prestige and influence with his col
Ored fellOw-citizens He had political
aspirations, and they were gratiied when,
in 1871, he was elected a member Of the
Virginia Legislature. He was returned to
the assembly for another term by hand
some majority, and, in 1873, his ambition
led him TO accept a nomination for Con
gress. He was defeated by w. W Ayres
After that Whistling Jack, determined to
have nothing more to do with politics,
again wended his way North. The sum
mer of 1874 found him the proprietor of
an ice-cream saloon at Long Branch. His
face and the little hand cart loaded with
ice-cream and cake. which he trundled
along the beach, became familiar to the
visitors at the Branch in a short time.
Near the close Of the season Jack accepted
the situation offered him by y. B. C.
Hoosac, secretary Of the society for TIN,
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He is
next found working for the society as
porter, at $40 per month. When less
than year in the service Of Bergh, Jack
was afflicted with rheumatism, and being
confined to his bed for several weeks, lost
his position.
Walking down Eighth avenue one day
shortly after his convalesceuce, Jack was
whistling that melancholy air: " Out in
this Cold World, Out in the Street. -
The tune was very appropriate to his case /
and condition, as Jack was then looking
for work. Ed Lane, then the proprietor
of livery stable on Fifteenth street,
near Eighth avenue, was standing on the
corner as Jack happened along, and was
charmed by the whistle. Accosting the |
whistler, he said: +" If you come with /
me tonight, you can get ten dollars for
that wind of yours. Jack, after some
persuasion, promised TO be on hand at I
3 O'Clock. He kept his promise. and !
was conducted Dy Mr. Lane to Il saloon |
on the corner of Fifteenth street and .
Eighth avenue There he met we'll .
known eX Judge, an eX-shcrilf. Il gentle .
man who is now a prominent representa-
tive Of this government in Europe and f.
several other well-known men about
town. When the jollifcation there was
at its hight, WhistIing Jack was intro
duced, and he so pleased the crowd that
he was made TO whistle all night. His
hat was taken from his head at the
end of each selection and when
he arrived home next morning
and counted the wealth that had been
thrust into his pockets he was richer by
$70.71 than when he left his lodgings the
night before. Many Of the same party
were to have an excursion the next night
TO Gravesend. Nhistling Jack was hunted
up and brought along. There were girls
in the party, and a band was taken along
in the stages. The band proved to be IN
competent for dance music, and Whist
ling Jack was called upon The girls
were delighted with his whistling, and
at their suggestion the band was DIS
missed. Whistling Jack whistled from
9 p. NJ. until A. NJ. One of the girls
took his hat around and realized S10l.Gl
for his nights music.
After that Whistling Jack devoted
himself 10 the business of whistling for
a living. He has been ia Europe and
has amused many Of the nobility. He
sleeps by day and 10y night he wanders
in search of an appreciatiye audience.
Last winter he travelled with a stock
company through the West, and the
newspapers spoke of him as the attrac-
ton of the show.
Whistlinp lack Is no lonUer moor In