The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-01-20
POOR BLIND TOM.
The Negro Advertised for a Con-
cert Tonight is Not Blind
Tenn
A Deception Practiced Upon Sc.
dalia by Manager Wood
Can't Go Through.

New York Morning Journal Poor
"Blind Tom," the erratic musical
genius of a decade ago, is driveling
away the remaining months of an
eventful life at a private retreat in St.
Marks place. He has been for some
time an idiot, and now consumption
has set lis iron grasp upon his once
tough frame, and his days are num-
bered. "Blind Tom" earned in his
day something like a half million d.
lars, To day he is comparatively a
pauper, and the wonder is what has
become of the fortune he made, as he
was always in charge of a guardian
and was never allowed to spend it.
Judge Andrews, of the supreme
court, yesterday confirmed a report of
Referee Jerome Buck, allowing the
estate of Daniel p. Holland
$500 for services rendered
and necessaries furnished the mad
musician during the lifetime of Hol-
land. Miss Elsie Bethune, the COM
mittee having charge of Tom, vigor-
ously opposed the confirmation of the
report. The judge observed that it
was sadly apparent that there would
be nothing lett for the maintenance of
the poor idiot after all claims were
paid. The mad musicians real name
is Thomas Virgins. He was born in
Virginia about As years ago.
HIS MOTHER WAS A SLAVE.
From the time he was able to toddle
around the negro cabins Oh his mas
ter's plantation, Tom displayed won
derful powers as a musician. He
could play on any kind of instrument
and yet never had an instructor.
With the surrender of Lee at Appo-
mattox Tom became tree man, or
rather free boy. An alert, enterpris.
ing Southern gentleman, Col. j. w.
Bethune, saw his pecuniary value, and
got an order from Virginia court
appointing him a committee for the
maintenance and safety of blind Tom.
Col. Bethune turned Tom into the
"black MINT" as he promised his
friends he would. He took him out
on the road and "played" him to every
city, town and hamlet from Boston to
San Francisco. Tom proved the best
card of his time. In those days Tom
earned for his manager from 50, 900
to Sd, 900 per week. His old slave
mother, Charity Virgins, thought
she ought to get hold of a slice of his
earnings. Charity fought in the
courts for possession of her SOD. There
were speculative people behind her
who supplied her with the needed
cash to get legal and bodily control of
Tom. Colonel Bethune won in every
fight. The courts decided that old
Charity was not proper person to
have control of such
AN ERRATIC GENIUS
as Tom. Long before Tom was de-
clared legally insane he displayed evil
dences of being "of" in the upper sto-
ry. When Moody and Sankey held
their series of famous revivals some
fifteen years ago Tom was seized with
a religious mania. He attended every
meeting he could steal to, and horri-
fed his manager Oh one or two occa-
sions by giving away the product of
his magnificent genius for nothing.
He delighted the Moody and Sankey
people by Keeling OFF religious music
by the hour upon the piano. Once,
in st. Louis, he escaped on horseback
from his custodians on a dark and
stormy night to 60 to revival meet
ing. He got on the wrong path. He
allowed his hor,e to pick his way,
and the animal brought him out
to the prairie, where he was cap
tured. When Colonel Bethune
died, few years ago, he left Tom to
the care of his wife. Elise. She, in
time, was appointed committe by
the court TO MAINTAIN Tom. She, too,
had to fight old Charity Virgins and
other people for the control of Tom.
Soon, however, be broke down iD
health, became dangerously insane,
and was placed under restraint. ALI
last summer Tom had delighted audi
ences in the house adjacent to his re,
treat in St. Marks place. He played
incessantly upon the piano, guitar and
other melodious instruments. Now he
can play no more. His frame has
shrunken to mere shadow, his fingers
have become palsied, and he cannot
evolve the sweet strains which have
enchanted thousands. The wonder
is what has become of the money