The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-04
MINSTRELSY OF LONG AGO
George Thatcher's "reminiscences of the
profession" IN the Early Days.
Famous Cork Artists Who Retired Wealthy,
and One Who Went Br~oke-Stories
About Birch and Backus.


humorous mixture of minsrrelsy and farce
comedy, has been assiduously engaged in
his warfare against the 'blues' for more
than q score of years, SO that now
he talks of ''us old men," though no
is but little past forty five. 1t is
pretty safe to assert that there is no man
who is better acquainted with the history
of negro minstrelsy than Thatcher. II he
were to sit down and write q book of all
that he knows of the business. from the
early days down to date. it would make
mighty interesting reading. But he says
he is getting so old that his memory is be-
ginning to leak, and he would be afraid to
trust himself in print.
He began to black his face away back in
1868, in HE native city, Baltimore, and he
has kept il black ever since. except in day.
light, and then he sleeps. He said yester-
day: Il was just trying to figure
up how much burnt cork Pve used
on my face in these thirty years.
but it's too big q problem for me-" In
those days he played at John I. Ford's old
theater, the seating capacity of which
years he was with the old san Francisco
mistrels-tha famous old company which
numbered among its ranks the four great
est men who ever wore burnt cork, Billy
lDtICu, bdtO w III SudIlCl DdChuH duu
Billy Bernard. .'Uncle Dick" Hooley, now
the welI-known Chicago promoter and
manager. played second fiddle in the Or
chestra.
Thatcher, in a reminiscent tone. Those
were tho times whep minstrelsy was
essentially q home entertainment,
when the old. long tattered coat
and the shoes. that had to- be
tied around the sole to be kept OH, and the
frowsy wig were the garments worn, when
the genuine old niger wench, with a dress
made of coffee sack. and hair sticking out
with curl papers kept the audience in q
roar with her grotesque antics. The
'ChRrleston Gals was the acme of their
business and their songs were Aunt
Dinah's Qulltin' Party Sally in Our Al
ley Make Dat Hoercake,' and sach like.
With Birch on one end and Backus on the
other. and Bernard In the center. there was
the greatest representation OF negro mIn-
strelsy the world ever knew. Then Dave
Wambold would step ont to the footlights.
end as the orchestra played he would roll
!Nsi sysS n nssve q nady ana s OF . .TEb.,y R Gissie
Church Around the Corner in
Q way that would bring tears to the eyes of
a stole. Dave Wambold had the sweetest
tenor voice that ever sang in front of the
foot-lights-probably not the most powerful
or the best trained, but surely the sweetest.
But the old mlnstrelsy has become
almost extinct. due doubtless TO the fact
that the real negro has himself so great
ly improved since the war and one never
that existed during the early days. South
of Mason and Dixon line and i'll Wash
1ngton City we occasionally come across on
old relic of anre-bellum times, but not up
North. To return to the old Frisco quar-
tet: They first held out where the old
Fifth.avenue Theater stood. in New
York; then, afterwards, Mr.. Gilsey
fitted them q hall on Broadway. between
Tur 49, u 49, ;>b k.14kH
where Herrmann's Theater now stands.
Bernard then Adropped out. as he could see
no money In that location. The other three
stood together, and in time all became rich.
Wambold was forced to retire In the course
of time on account of sickness; then poor
Backus the keystone Of the company. died.
He had q greater following than any min
strel who ever corked a face. .Wambold
died worth about $50 900, and Backus
worth 100000. The latter made most
was in San Francisco. in specu-
lation IN California real estate.
Bernard died worth considerably over q
million, the greater part of which he had
inherited from an uncle. however.
That caves only Billy Birch and he,
poor old man, Is penniless and forlorn in
New York city. The happy smile and
merry joke never light up old Billy's face
lost all his money in Wall street on Vii
lard's Oregon and Transcontlnental deal
and he had by pothecated all his securities
aid mortgaged all his property to put into
It. Then, too, he never could save a cent.
He was too liberal-hearted and had too
much confidence in his friends. ANYBODY
could talk him out of every cent be
had in his pocket. They tell an
old story on him that one day he was
standing on the street talking with some
friends when q man came rushing up to
HIM apparently IN the greatest excitement,
and asked for the loan of q flyer. saying he
wanted to 60 down to the steamer to see a
friend sail: and would return the money
in his pocket and handed the fellow the
money and saw him dart off in the crowd.
After a few moments he turned TO his
friends and said: who was that fellowf
/ don't know him.
"He and his wife were shipwrecked once
off the Florida keys, u both were rescued,
but by different boats. Each thought the
other drowned. and FASTENED to Baltimore
to tell the news to their friends, when they
met again. One of Birch's failings-and it
can be properly called a failing when car
ried to the extent he carried twas his
enormous appetite. He could eat more
than any man l ever knew in my lite. The
place for assembling after the theater IN
at rwenty-eighth and Broad and there
all the old professionals would gather for
0midnight lunch and chat after the
show. Birch would always send in for o
uouoic OIucr VI every tninS anu soHolilhoS
go back for more. One night q stranger
from the rural districts happened to be at
q table next to the one Birch occupied.
The man was eating clans. Billy arose
from his chair. slipped up to the stranger.
and just as he had q niece, juicy clam
raised between the plate and his
mouth. Birch smacked his lips. and whis-
pered In the strangers ear, Excuse me.
but did You ever try a little pepDer.sass on
clamsP No one could ever feel Of
fende at anything. Birch would say
or do, for he had a good-natured,
polite manner about him hat always
overcame any anger that might have
been aroused in his victim. Yet he was an
eccentric chap, and never liked any body
to question his policy of running his show,
There was q song called 'Billy's he
quest which he sang for about three years,
and after awhile the people would begin to
applaud laugh whenever the
orchestra struck up the tune.
But Birch supposed that was only
an expression of appreciation. so he con-
tinued to sing 'Billy's REQUEST night after
around he thought he would sound some of
his friends as to the ACCESSIBILITY of singing
'Bllly's Request again. so he went to Gov
AID Ryman and said: Say, Ad, don't
you think it is time for me to
change Oft TO another tuner Ryman re-
piled, We'll. ! should think so. You've
been singing that old thing for three years
now, and it's beginning to show holes, it's
SO t~hreadbare.' Well Birch turned on Ry-
man and gave him the worst berating a
man ever got for daring to intimate that
anything he did was tiresome.
ITO give an example of Charley Backus's
ready wit, shortly after his baby was born
the nurse in attendance went To him one
day and said: MIR. Backus, excuse NY
MAINTAINING IL buf how IL If that yQur babV