The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-12-07
WONDERFUL "BLIND TOM"
His Mother Tells Whal Queer Child
He Was..His Musical Abilities.
Snecial Disnatch to the Post.


New YORK, Nov. 27.-In the case
of Blind Tom," who sheriff's jury
yesterday declared to be mentally
unsound, his mother gave some very
interesting testimony regarding his
life. She testified as follows:
Q. Tom was not the same as other
children?-A. Oh, no. He did not
have the knowledge that other chill
dren have. He has not until this
day. He was born as bind as pos
sible. There was no more Write
about his eyes than there is now on
the back of my hand.
@. Did he have sufficient capacity
to know you?-A. Sometimes.
Q. Tell us about his musical abil-
ities.-A. Well, if he heard a chick
en- or rooster crow he would make
the same kind of noise. If he
heard dog bark he would do the
same. Ii he heard bird sing he
would go for the noise, and we had
to watch him nights.
@. How old was he then?-A.
About two years.
@. At what age did he show any
ability in the line of music?-A.
When he was q little child.
Q. How did he get up to the piano
to playa. Well, that is what as
tonishcd us ALL We had all been
sitting at the table, when we heard
some one playing the piano. We ran
in and saw Tom sitting there play
ing. That was the first time that
he had ever been seen there. After
ward, whenever he heard the girls
play, then he would play as they
did. We had to fix him upon the
piano stool so that he could play.
Tom would play anything. Mr.. John
G. Bethune took him to town every
day to take lessons.
Q. How old was he then?-A. A
little over two years.
Q. At what age did he begin to
play for the public?-A. AT about
three years of age
@. Has he ever been taught any
thing else but music?-A. Nothing
else but music.
@. When you saw him last, about
a year ago, did he recognize your
voice?-A. Oh, yes.
@. Can he talk on any subject?-
A. Not at all.
@. las he had anything to do
about the investment of money?-A
When we gave him money he would
throw it away.
@. If he was ever taught anything
did he forget it?-A. He never tor
gets anything.
@. When you punished the other
children did he. like it?-A. Oh, yes;
very much. He was very much
amused to hear them cry.
@. Did he ever churn for you?-
A. Oh, yes; the noise seemed to give
him great pleasure. He would also
listen to the rain drops as they pat
tered upon the roof and would play
Oh the piano to initiate it.
Prof. Joseph Poznanski, who
taught Blind Tom music two hours
day for nine years. testified that
he believed him to be rational in re-
spoct to only two things-music
and eating.
Q. How did you instruct him?-
A. Well, we had two pianos in one
room. l would play for him, and af-
ter listening a while he would get
up, walk around. stand on ,ne foot,
then on the other, pull his hair, and
knock his head against the wall.
Then he would sit down and play a.
very good imitation of what 1 had
played, with additions to it.
@. Would he retain his knowledge?
"A. Oh, yes; hts memory was some
thing prodigous. He never forgot
anything. Whenever an orchestra
would play he would get up and
dance. He had peculiar idiosyn-
cracy that brought every nerve into
action. I wrote his compositions
many times. He always had them
written under other names than his
OWE. While he played the piano L
wouId write the music.
G. Does he play any other instru-
ment?-A. Yes, sir, the flute.