Democratic messenger., 1894-07-07
flDoLeo IN rAe FERRY HOUSE.
why Adoiph Brodsky Did This and rasse
Ills Hat For Money.

why AdoIph BrosisLy Did This and Passed
His Hat For Money.
Three men were standing on the cor.
ner of Twenty-second street and Lex
ington avenue few evenings ago when
a short. stout gentleman. wearing silk
hat. came walking rapidly towarC
them.
DO You see this mani" inquired one
of the trio. speaking to his friends.
Yes" chorused both.
well, continued the first speaker,
"he is one of the finest violinists il
America. "
The short man just then passed the
trio by and walked on down Twenty
second street AS he hurried along the
three men kept watching him. wher
suddenly one of them, who had beer
listening to the first, blurtcd out:
''Oh, YES, l remember him. He is /;
splendid player. heard him play the
violin in the ferry house at 81. George.
Staten Island, the other evening, ana
then he passed his hat and took up a
collection from. the passengers. | should
think he could do better"
The first speaker hereupon burst out
laughing OH hearing his friends re-
marks; then he Went on:
why, don't tell me you ever saw
that man passing his hat. There would
be no occasion for his doing that. ii.
is the leader of the Damrosch orchestra
and thorough musician. That is Mr..
Adolph Brodsky."
BY this time the person i'll question
was out Of sight, and great argument
ensued between the friends, the second
speaker being positive that he saw the
short man play the violin and pass his
hat around the crowd. and that he him
self contributed To the pile, while tn,
first speaker was sure there was some
mistake. A wager was made, and the
money was posted i'll the hands of tht
third party.
1t was agreed, as Mr. Brodsky was
now gone, that the trio see him at the
first opportunity, and the stakeholder
was selected rs the spokesman.
Mr.. Brodsky resides at 22i West Cen.
trail park and was interviewed the next
day. He was rather amused ut the stu.
alton laid before him and explained the
affair in the following interesting man
ner:
In regard to my playing with the
Damrosch orchestra he began. i'll an
swer TO several questions, Il will say
that am not with that body ut present,
but was musical leader for Mr.. Dam
rosch from November, 1891, until De
cember, 1898. did play on the violin
in the waiting room at ST. George,
Staten Island, on the night of May IL,
and as il seems somewhat strange that
/ performed in such an unusual concert
hall find it necessary to make explana
tion III regard TO the matter. You see,
was invited To partake i'll the celebration
of the fourth anniversary of the Staten
Island Chess club on that night, and
after the festival l was with party OF
20 persons returning TO New York. TIL,
waiting room at ST. George was crowd
cd with passengers waiting for the boat,
and two fellows Were playing music,
violinist appeared to be Il very gifted
boy. enjoyed his playing. and took
my hat and passed it around the Grove
to try To make a collection, but nobody
would give even a penny. i then bor'
rowed his instrument and rendered somt
of my fayorite selections. l passed my
hat around several times after that and
always got something, the donations b.,
ing mostly dollars, fifty cent pieces and
quarters. think the fellows made about
SEQ
The first speaker had lost the bet, hui
under no consideration would the win
ner accept the money, though the Loser
insisted.
The violinist who was the object OF
Mr.. Brodsky's philanthropy was discov'
cred to be a young man named Barney
Sinclair of the musical team of Sinclair
x Wilson. He was spoken to and cor
roborated Mr.. Brodsky's story i'll every
particular.
''Bnt the funny part Of it all was, >
remarked Sinclair, that myself ana
my partner We're simply playing for oul
own amusement when Mr.. Brodslly and
his friends entered the ferry house. III,
thought we Were playing for money.
He passed his high hat around and
threw in 81 bill himself. was at first
inclined to refuse the money, but whel
saw all the bills accepted it. and
tell you it was very welcome. Mr..
Brodsky is the best fellow ever met. >
New York Sun.