The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-25


ique," so familiar to singing and whist
ling small boys, and done every hour In
the day by the Organs in our Streets"
At this point the banjo makes great
strides into public notice and favor
through the proficiency Of "Tom"
Briggs and those of his class. He was
the first to play the BEL Chimes"
swinging his banjo from side to side in
front of him, while holding the lnstru-
ment between his thumb and foretinger
by the neck, near the nut, His rendi-
ton of Home, Sweet Home" was con-
sidered marvellous in his time, and in
his repertory was the imitation of a
horse race, a runaway and smash up on
Broadway, that highway being then a
favorlte place for speeding horses.
Briggs was big, fine-looking fellow,
and always stood up when playing the
banjo on the stage. He was the first to
use "thimble," or plectrum, upon his
forefinger when performing certain
pieces. He was closely followed in his
lines by Hi" C"HipeO Rumsey, who,
besides being a large man like Briggs,
also stood when playing, One of Rum
sey's specialties was an elaborate rem
dering of the Arkansas Traveller" He
was likewise a wonderful drummer.
Among the contestants for musical
honors in those days was "Pic" Butler,
made famous by his banjo song, "Pica-
yune Buffers Coming to Town." and by
his skill as ''stroke" player,
Nearly every one familiar with the
banjo has heard the Spanish Fandan-
60" This air was brought into public
notice by "Popsey" keenan,, who had
been south either for pleasure or profess
sionally, and returned with this tune,
which he played fairly we'll to an audi
ence of admiring professionals one
evening In the green room of Novelty
Hail. on the corner of Pearl and Center
streets, afterward at the Olympic Thea
ter and about town generally.
The popularity of the instrument was
greatly enhanced by the clever efforts
of travelling showmen and by the sport
ing men of the Mississippi river. They
journeyed through the west and among
the bayous of the river, and entertained
the public for profit and for opportuni-
ty to ply their trade by banjo songs and
instrumental pieces. A boat called The
Banjo was fitted up as theater. with a
seating capacity of seven hundred and
fifty persons, by Spalding &, Rogers,
the circus men, and ran into the bayous,
giving performances wherever a good
audience could be relied upon. She was
necessarily of very light draught; in
fact, drew So little water that 1t was
said of her that she could run upon the
morning dew.
Among those identified with The Ban
10 and the Mississippi steamboats, was
"Antwine" Beckwith, a sporting man;
Jim" Johnson (Gallagher, who was
also a performer upon the banjo, and
whose brother Frank was celebrated
as violinist; BILLY" Lehr, who was
one of The Banjo's greatest proficients,
and Joe" Kelly, who affected the river
boats and afterward played banjo
match with Frank" Converse at Wy
mans Hall, in st. Louis. The result
was determined in Converse's favor, ac-
cording to agreement, through the audi
ence's reclamation.
In '43 or "A Earl" Pierce opened with
E. P. Christy, at 472 Broadway. His
skill with the tambourine was so mar
velous that he was the talk of the
whole town. He was the first to spin
the tambourine on his finger, a trick
that became an established necessity in
all minstrel troupes forever afterward.
Pierce made most excellent darby,
and rejoiced in peculiar lisp that rem
dered him still more comical. He went
to Europe with Wambold, Raynor and
others. Though Christy did not go
with them his name did. and Is still in
England a synonyme for negro min
strel. Earl sang his famous Hoop
de-dooden-do" in Eondon as we'll as
countries.
One of the oldest banjoists associated
with Christy's Ministries was Tom
Vaughn. There were others identified
with the different troupes who attained
great celebrity; among these was
George Swayne Buckley, member OF
Buckley's Serenaders, whose playhouse
was on Broadway near Walker street
They were originally known as the
Congo Ministries" and commenced
their career by exhibiting about the
country under tent, Buckley played
upon six and nine string banjo and
popularized the song Somebody's in
the House with Dinah."
Matt" Peel (Flannery) made his de-
but at Novelty Hall, at benefit given
to Dave Reed, upon which occasion
he danced a Jig with marked success.
He afterward Joined "CampbelPs Min
strels," which in due time became
Murphy, West & Peel's Minstrels,
and finally Matt Peel's-Campbelrs
Ministries" Peel was Bones" in the
company and distinguished himself as
a good all-around man in the "busi-
ness" he was an excellent old Niger
and as a comic banjo soloist acquired
an enviable reputation. Hard Times
and Rock Susy Anna" were two of his
many well-known selections. He and
Frank" Converse played the "Siamese
Twins" in which act they were tied to-
gether and each played simultaneously
upon the others banjo, half and half.
Luke" West was also identified with
the banjo professionally, and whistled
most cleverly and peculiarly.
In 1855 Frank B. Converse came be-
fore the public in Detroit as young as
pirant to honors in the banjo world In
early years he had received thorough
| musical as well as general educat ton
which ministered materially to his ac-
QUESTION Of the position he still main
| tains, as being the best professor of the
banjo and it's music in the world In
the march of progress there are those
to-day who excel him in technique, but
he is the peer of all in his thorough
knowledge of the banjo, its capabilities