New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-04
A MUSICIAN'S COMPLAINT.
SAID TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY RE-
VENGEFUL BANDMASTER.
HE ALLEGES ~ M APPLICATION FOR INCREASED
PENSION THAT HE HAS BEEN WRECKED
PHYsIcALLY. BY BEING FORCED TO PLAY
IN TURN EVERY INSTRUMENT IN

IN TURN EVERY INSTRUMENT IN
THE BAND At WEST POINT.
Otto Hanschild formerly a musician in the
Military Band at West Point. has made apph-
cation to the United States Government for
a rerating OF his pension. The application Is
based on a novel ground Hanschds case mas
attracted wide attention among musicians he
alleges and has secured affidavits to back up
his statements. that he has been ruined lor
life through the petty spite Of bandmaster'
who. under threats Of placing Hanschild IN thc
guardhouse, compelled him to play every III
strument in the band which. Hanschi'p
friends say, is unheard-of and cruel thihS'
as it is a we-established fact among musi-
clans, they say. that. after having played one
instrument for years, it Is almost impossiDie
to play half dozen others. Although Hans
child protested, he compelled to go Oh
until finally he broke down. He had to biow
so hard that he ruptured his windpipe. ana
has been Informed by the doctors that he IS
likely to die at any moment. At present
Hanschild has to live on milk and other nuids.
The rupture of the windpipe is said by some
physicians to be without parallel. Hanschiid'
who is No 23O East Thirteenth-st.. under
medical treatment lives at Highland Falls, near
West Point. Hanschild was engaged by Charles
Rehm, the West Point bandmaster. to play the
b fiat cornet, which has a small mouthpiece
and does not require great lung capacity Oh
the death OF Rehm. Arthur a. Clappe ioi-
lowed him bandmaster at West Point
Hanschild made the remark one day that
Clappe. was poor musician. The remarh
came to the ears of the bandmaster. ana Hais-
chlds friends say that he determined 10 take
revenge. When any of the musicians were
sick or when their term Of enlistment was
up the bandmes ster made Hanschild play the
vacant instrument. Hanschild enlisted in lSSo
for five years. and when his term was up en-,
listed for another five years. Being an enlisted
man he had to follow the orders OF the pahd-
master
The first instrument that Hanschd was called
upon t. play when the bandmaster started In TO
make his life a burden. was tuba. the bass horn,
which has large mouti piece which fits over the
mouth and requires great lung capacity. Musl-
clans engaged to play the cornet are never asked
to attempt such a change, it is said. but. as me
guard house was this hapless cornet player al
tentative. he was obliged 10 submit. 1t was Win
extreme difficulty that he isted his llps around
TO tit the mouthpiecc and eXerted his lungs. Next
the man who played the f. fiat was SICK. ana
Hanschild was ordered to MI his place
Now the T. fat Is the smallest mouth
piece there Is, and 1t was a great strain
To pucker his lips anew. Then. as ne
began to accustom himself to the r nat the
bandmaster ordered him I play the euphonium,
which is only a little smaller than the TUBA.
Hanschd stood aghast at the task. Not being
deep-ches.ed or robust he felt unequal to the
instrument. Play he must. or be marched or TO
the guard house for insubOrdlnation. IL Is alleged
Hansch!ld tackled the euphonum. and next day
the bandmaSter told MN TO play the nugelnOrH,
as the musician engaged to play 1t had served his
term. When a fugelhcrn player arrived Hans
child begged for his B fiat cornet but the band
master was inexorable. and when the barytone
plaver was i'll Hanschild had to struggle with an
instrument that he had never tried before he
emitted dscordant notes and spoiled the pro-
gramme that the band was rendering while IN
cadets were on dress parade fhe bsndmasteT
accused him Of doing so Intentionally. The cOrnet
player sighed for his b fiat more than ever. ana
exchanged fierce scOwls with his tormentor, VINO
CHI
house Next he was called on to play the trum-
pet. BY this time he was fast becoming wreck.
The cords Of his throat had been badly strained,
and when he tried his B fat cOrnet in the privacy
Of his room he discovered that he could not play
of yore lie puckcred up his lips and arranged
the point of his tongue hut the music that came
forth did not soOthe him But more fndignities
in store for the man who criticised the band
master He had to play the solo alto and e fiat
bass He grew thin. His dreams were troubled.
IIe had Nightmares, In which he was called upon
to play every instrument a once while the band
master stood over him with MS baton ana con-
iured ND fresh horrors.
Finally the cord snapped one day Hanschild
was directed 10 play 'kondO CaprlcciO'
by Beethoven on barytone. He pleaded that
il was an impossbity. But the bandmas-
ter gave imperative orders that Hanschlld
must play the instrument Hanschlld at
tempted to obey. 1t was too much. He rup-
tured his windTpe and did not finish From
that day to this he has never placed any In
strument 10 his lips. The rupture caused deaf
ness. and Hanschild applied for a pension
which was granted. He received s25 month
This sum does not begin to pay his expenses.
in his original application he did not say that
his deafness had been caused by the band
master He has been advised by friends that
under the circumstances h was entitled to
more liberal allowance from the Government.
Ee has gathered proof from his former com
rades in the band. and yesterday forwarded
the papers to Washington. Clappe was dis
missed from the Army last spring for incom~
potency . :,
the statements given here are embodied in
his application papers.