Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-06
I. I. COCKAYNE.
he DIED VERY SUDDENLY AT TIE COUNTY
NFIRNARY, LAST EVENING.
For Many Years Hs Was at the Head Of the
Popular Dancing Orchestra Of this City.
Known for Hundreds of Miles
Along the River
Poor Tommy" Cockayne is dead.

Poor Tommy" Cockayne is dead.
The end came last night about eleven
O'Clock, at the County Infrmary, where
he has been living for year or so past.
Heart trouble must have been the
cause. perhaps a result Of the paralytic
stroke from which he suffered for the
past sixteen or eighteen months, and
which followed in the wake of the acct
dent about two years ago, by which he
sust tanned a fracture Of one of his
arms. This accident was the beginning
of the end for Tommy" and from that
time he went steadily down the steep
declivity which has the poor house at
the bottom of it. Almost forgotten in a
city where his name was once house
hold word; known to few, where once
he was known to all; old, cripple, and
penniless, "Tommy's" death last night
at the institution named will doubtless
awaken more Of "reminiscences than OF
regret-more of surprise than OF sor-
row.
Time was when T. I. Cockayne was
the best known man in Wheeling, and
one of the most popular. All circles Of
society were open TO him and his violin,
and his orchestra, in the decade between
1850 and 1860, and for years thereafter
as well, was part and parcel of almost
every ball, hop or dance given, not only
in this city, but throughout the sur1
rounding country, on both sides OF the
river. Those 0Were the days when
Union and Melodian Halls were the re-
sorts of the disciples of Terpsichore, and
few were the functions there given that
''T. T. Cockayne's Cotillion Band" was
absent from. The givers Of private
parties claimed Tommy" for weeks
ahead, and scores of joyous wedding
parties have tripped over the carpet to
the music of this same orchestra, while
no river excursion was complete with
out this organization Of musicians. All
during the war, and for many years
thereafter, this popularity was kept
up, but with the growth OF the city and
the advent of other musicians, TON
my's" music was gradually crowded
out. Still, so firm was his hold upon
the public that he long continued to
play for all manner of social events,
and it was only few years ago that he
stepped aside completely from the gay
world over which he so long "called
figures" and welded the bow. Tommy"
was not musician, in the sense that he
played from notes. That was branch
of the divine art which he never &C
Ouired. His music was learned by main
strength and "ear," but 1t was well
learned, nevertheless, and in his prime
his band was equal to every call made
upon il.
In his later days Tommy" took to
the river, for which he always had a
weak spot in his heart, aud in various
capacities he went up and down the
Ohio, between Pittsburg and Cincin-
natl, his merry laugh and his inevitable
violin being everywhere welcome. Few
river men but know him like brother,
and few there are who will not
recall him with sigh. Jovial to q
fault, upon occasions; peculiar TO a
most unusual degree. he had the faculty
of making and holding friends in all
walks Of life, and his ear-spltting
laugh and his "All is WE'LL" will be
widely recalled, and by none more gen
orally than by the older newspaper
men of this city.
The deceased was about the Infrmary
yesterday, and seemed no worse phys
ically than for long time past, but late
last night he seemed to be particularly
i'll, and about eleven o'clock he suddenly
dropped upon the floor, and when those
present ran to his aid, he was dead.
The remains will likely be taken charge
of by relatives down the river.