The Washington critic., 1888-01-14
MAsHINGroN,s N1o1hN.
An 1nstrument the Father of His Cour
try H. said to Have plnyed on.

An 1nstrument the Father of His Coun.
try IL said to Have Played on.
An old violin, q worm-eaten case,
some historical letters and an affidavit
vouching for the violin's history all
in possession of violin maker Of this
city-will probably lead to some in
teresting historical researches con
corning the musical iuclinations and
abilities Of George Washington, for
the violin is said to have been his.
The violin and its case are now owned
by son of Gemunder, the Astoria
violin maker, and that is presumption
enough that young Mr.. Gemundcr is
up on yiolins. His surname is George
and that possibly gives him authority
to speak concerning the Gather of
his Country" 1t was not known gen
orally, until this violin turned up,
that George Washington, like Thomas
jefferson, was musical1y inclined, but
the ailidavits and letters in Mr.. Ge-
numbers possession seem to make out
q pretty strong case in favor of the
tradition that General Washington
was something of musician. Mr.
Gemunder showed the violin and its
case to q reporter recently, together
with the letters and afidavits, and
told the yiolin's history. II came to
him and his father at Astoria, n. Y,
about two years ago, sadly in need Of
repairs. The owner, Thomas Il. Wash
ington, of Charleston, w. Va, wrote
them at the same time all about the
violin and its case. They tried to buy
the instrument, but Mr.. Washington
would not let it 90 then, because he
said that it had always been in
the Washington family's possession
since the Generals death. But Il
short time ago the Gemunders sue
ceeded in getting it. Thomas Il.
Washington, when he sold it, gave
the Gemunders an affidavit vouching
for the Instruments having once been
owned by the first President of the
United States. The story runs that
as the Father of his Country was
riding one day through Southern Nir-
| ginia he heard 'sweet concourse of
sounds issuing from negro's cabin,
which made him an amateur musi-
clan, for he alighted from his horse,
entered the cabin and bought the
violin, which was being played by an
old negro" History is silent as to
how well or how much the Gen
eral played on his violin and
the traditions of the Wash
ington family do not furnish any
information as to whether the Father
Of his Country "whooped her up for
the boys at barn-raisings, huskings and
Fourth of July celebrations. But it
seems that after he died the violin and
its old case went to his nephew, Judge
Bushrod Washington.
| Judge Washington called it the
"0ld Cremona," because he found q
slip of paper glued inside the violin
bearing the inscription "Jacob Steiner,
1876" q Cremona maker. Mr.. Gle.
munder, however, thinks that it is O
Tyrolean violin made in imitation OF
the Cremona school.
Judge Washington had nephew
Thomas L. Washington, father of the
one who sold the violin to the
Gemunders. Thomas B. thought that
he could play the fiddle if he only got
it, so after persuasion the old Judge
turned it over to him. On his death
his son, Thomas B., got it. He could
not play it, but preserved it as ieal.
ously as if it were the apple of his
eye, or part of the historical apple
or cherry tree, or the famous hatohet
itself. With the violin he turned
over newspaper slip from "The
Spirit of Jefferson, paper published
in Charleston, in which the editor
reverentially speaks of the relic as
once the property of President George
Washington.
The violin is under the usual size
but it is called "full size," and it is OF
shapely model. The back is made OF
maple and the top of spruce, and it is
stained brownish black color. The
case is shaped like leg of mutton
1t opens at the end, too, just as if 6
slice had been cut off the big end
The violin is now at No. 27 Union
Square. 1t is valued at 81 ,000.-LN
y. Tribune.