Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
CRAZED BY PROSPERITY.

Too Much Success Drives a Musical Com
poser Mad
The sad story of William Rob. the
composer, who has just been placed in
a lunatic asylum. from which, accord
ing to the doctors, he is unlikely ever
to go out again, gives striking illus
tration of the dangers of overprosperi-
ty. His story is very curious. Twenty
years ago he led the life of an out-and-
out Bohemian-not of an elegant imi-
tator, cashless Arab of art. At that
time he was the familiar of two
singers, who had a tremendous reputa-
ton among the frequenters of the less
reputable musical halls at Vienna. At
their entertainment he was the orches-
ira, for the sole accompaniment in
these places is the piano. Besides
this, he could make for them the not
very moral couplets with which they
made their mark. The life might not
be unpleasant, for though the wages
were not good, and Rob often had to go
all day without meal, he could COM
pensate for it at night. When his two
''divas' were asked out to supper ne
went with them, and, by stuffing him
self with good things and champagne,
he made up for forced asceticism.
One evening a lucky thing happened
to him. Somebody had suggested to
Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild that it
would be amusing to visit one of these
singing saloons; and he went AS is
well known. he is musical amateur,
and particularly fond of Viennese
music. So when chance brought him
to the place where our trio were per-
forming he paid little attention to the
rather commonplace charms of the two
sirens, while he noted with surprise
the brilliant execution of their accom-
pianist, who performed valses of Strauss
and Laura as we'll as his own compost
tiOns in the interludes. Now, Roths-
child had been thinking for some time
of getting together company of twelve
frst-rate musicians for his palace at
Widen, and the idea came across him
which he ultimately carried out-of
installing Rob there as permanent
chief. Here was a chance for the
poor Bohemian. At the touch of a
magician'S wand he found himself
transformed into splendid apartments,
fashionably clothed, waited upon by
servants, with his pockets full of
money, and publishers clamoring for
the rights Of publishing his songs.
His new patron was proud of him and
took him to London. Paris and other
places, got him to play before the
Prince of Wales and otherw Use made a
lion of him. Everywhere the ex-
pianist went about like great lord;
everywhere he was treated with the
Difference paid to wealth and the
friends of millionaires. The change
proved too great for his brain. The
arrangement OF his faculties soon be-
gan TO be shown by the development of
extraordinary eccentricities. He de-
veloped an Incredible refinement of
taste, and even the table of the Baron
de Rothschild was not exquisite enough
for him. As to champagne. he gave
over drinking it and used it externally.
This got worse and worse The Baron,
who treated him as a spoiled child,
thought to obviate the first symptoms
OF madness by travelling about with
him TO the Alps and elsewhere, but in
vain. He got worse and worse, and
eventually had to be handed over to a
specialist, sad case of mans brain
| being overturned by prosperity
London Globe.