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


which time he was intimately associa-
ted with Artemus Ward, who was his
warm and personal friend, 1t was Con-
verse who first gave instruction TO the
best families in New York, and elevated
the tone Of the instrument and its mu-
sic, while to RUBY" Brooks belongs the
honor of having been the first to give
meritorious banjo recitals in homes Of
the elite Of our metropolis, Converse
met and defeated all the prominent pro-
fessionals Of his day,
There We're hosts of others who made
banjo playing their profession in con-
nection with negro minstrelsy. "Jlm"
Budworth, who sang ION the Road to
Brighton" localized here in New York
to Going to Coney Island'D; "BiW
Budworth, his brother, player of good
ability; ben" Cotton, who for a time
was a partner of Dave" Reed; "Eph"
Horn, so long member of Bryants
Mlnstrels, and who loved the music of
the banjo, though not a remarkable
player-James Morrison, the banjo
manufacturer has in his possession
"Eph's" PUNK" which has to be seen
to be appreciated-"Bilr' Newcomb, af.
terward partner with Hi" Rumsey,
both of whom made trip to Germany
with minstrel troupe, but failed to
arouse the phlegmatic Teutons to an
appreciation of their talents; tall
"Nelse" Seymour (Sanderson), who was
engaged by Dave" Reed, in New Or
leans, to play the banjo in his -and Cot
tons company, but joined issues with
Dan" Rice instead, came to New York
and finally cast his lot with the Bryant
(O'Brien brothers derry, Neil and
DAM; Harry" Stauwood, who was like
wise connected with the Bryants; and
BILLY" Shepherd, with his anvil Cho-
rus" made memorable by his sSilful use
of the "thimble;" all these were num-
bered among those devoted to the ban
10, its songs and it's music. One long to
be remembered was Charley" Fox, a
lank, long-legged, comical genius, who
sang parodies and local and negro
songs to the accompaniment of the ban
jo. THAT Young Gal from New Jer-
sey" was one of his most popular ones.
He used both long and short necked
banjos, one of which for many years
stood in the corner of the writer's room,
and is now in possession of Johnny"
Hogan. 1t had long neck of yellow
wood, inlaid; an old-fashioned scroll peg
board, and the rim was of yellow We
neering, considerably inlaid, too. The
brackets were few and far between,
and the instrument had deep, full
toned voice.
Many an evening has it helped tell
the public to See that Old Thomas
Tnk r =
Rich, Cook-shop Gravy on Their Ia
ters;" it told how the "Old Gray Goose
Sat Smiling at the Gander," and that
sally am de Gal for Me-" The days
are nearly gone when one can go to a
minstrel show and hear old-time sonRv
like the Charleston Gals" "Nebber Do
to Give 1t Up So, Mr.. Brown" I'm on
for Charleston" Amt | Glad to Git
Out of de Wilderness" The Knicker-
booker Line" "Camptown Races" Jim
Along, Josey," "Ole Zip Coon" "Old
Bob Ridley and the long list Of those
that made the feet of our respected pa
rents keep time to their melody. Even
"Juba' will soon be relegated to the
past, and embryo banjoists will know it
no more; the darby of the same name
as the tune is quite forgotten, and the
days when it delighted the sports of
Gotham to assemble late at night, to
witness this phenomenon dance his
wonderful jigs are as nearly obliterated
from the public memory as is the old
name of the street (Orange, now Bax-
ter street, where he performed No
less a parsonage than Charles Dickens
was among those who visited "Pete"
Williams cellar to see "Juba' dance
When the latter made a professional
tour of England he was everywhere
advertised as "Bozs Juba,' and set the
nation agog with unprecedented jigs.
In old days George H Goes won con-
siderable reputation as a violin player,
and was counted the champion banjoist
of the Pacific slope. Later on he asso-
ciated himself with Luke" Schoolcraft
| in funny negro sketches, in which he
generally made use of his skill upon the
| banjo. Their best-known act was Mrs.
Didimus' Party"
| PoorLuke! Three weeks before his
death the writer met him in the Sinclair
House quietly eating squirrel pie at the
lunch counter. Old times were talked
| over, and Luke recalled the words Of
| liiS SiCit NY SOlISt L DoouIll W a.
| Simmons Tree, Raccoon on de Groun'."
| This song is not to be confused with
'Possum Up a Gum-tree, Coon in de
Holler," which latter is an "old-timer"
and contemporary with Coal Black
| Rose" "Ginger Blue" Sweet Tobacco
Posy" and melodies of that class.
| Schoolcraft was among the funniest
! and cleverest who ever used burnt cork,
and a faithful delineator of negro char
acter.
Horace Weston was the greatest
| ''stroke" player the world has ever
| seen. No one has ever equalled his
marvellous execution and style in ''strik-