The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
JENNY LIND AND BARNUM
The Sort of stuff That Good German
Papers Tell About America
From the New York Tribune

n.
From the New York Tribune.
II there is any limit 10 the credu,itv ~
the German journalist touching al MAJ
ters relating 10 America, or. at least. an
those which reflect upon the American
character il has not yet been discovered
Seven years ago. when the death sentence
was for the first time executed against a
murderer in this state by cleo ricity. ina
National Zeitung of Berlin, which plunss
itself upon writing for the ''highrr
classes devoted over a calumn to a story
which told how the rivalry between me
various makers of electrical apparatus FOR
The privilege Of furnishing the killing ma
chine 10 the state had grown so great that
one OF them bribed the entire Legislature
in corpore, and thus secured the coveted
contract. All this at a time when il was
well known that the money which the
electrical companies were spending on the
case was devoted to an attempt to defeat
the law which made death by electricity
the penalty for murder in the first degree.
An American newspaper writer who
CHANGED to be in Berlin at the time ana
was acquainted with the responsible ed
itOr of the National ZeitUng, drew MS al
tention to the falsity of the story. bur il
was too ingenious and striking an illustra-
ton of the rapacity, venality and vulgar
cruelty of the American people to be cor
rected; and so the tale has probably a
the history of American law, morals and
manners.
The incident is recalled by a recent
feuilleton in the Tageblatt of Berlin, En-
titled Jenny Lind and Barnum" writ
ten by somebody who calls himself Franz
Fridberg and vouches for the literal
truthfulness'' of the story, which he saws
was told him by Maurice Strakosch.
Poor Strakosch, alas! is dead. and cannot
defend himself. He was a most amiable
reconteUr, and none of his friends were
ever disposed to exact the uadorned truth
from him when he was INDUCING his fond
ness for Renaissance, but it is an insult
to his memory TO attribute a story Ike
this of Fridberg's 10 him. The story in
brief was as follows:
Jenny Lind had won great popularity in
England, but earned no money; for the
latter convenient commodity she was OBJ
lged to wait till she came to America.
That visit was brought about in this way
Goldschmidt, her accompanist had gone
to America to seek his fortune. II had
been a hard parting, for he loved the
singer Che afterward married herr, and
the result was disappointment. He was
about to return home when he met Bar
mum and complained to him of his ill-luck.
BarnUm was equally unhappy He had
tried everything. "circus, violin virtuo-
SOS, dancers, educated apes, learned lee
lures" but all in vain Then Gold
schmidt suggested that he knew sing
er in England who might be a card in
America.
"A singer? Pah. what's her name?'
Jenny Lind"
That's no name"
But she sings beautifully"
Good thing for her, but no business for
me-"
But she's the greatest singer in Eng
land"
Better still for her; but Wen talk about
something else
After a while spent in talk on other sub
jects. Goldschmidt returned to the attack.
For Gods sake" Barnum broke in i'm
patiently, leave me in peace with your
singer. We have as many singers as there
are sands on the seashore.
pity" replied Goldschmidt, carelessly
perhaps after all something might De
done with the Swedish Nightingale"
Barnum leaped to his feet What's
that? Swedish
That's what they call her in England"
"The Swedish Nightingale"
"The Swedish Nightingale? Telegraph
at once 10 Miss Jenny Lind. l will engage
her for 100 concerts; $50 900 down free voy-
age and living for three persons. AT
oncer
But. my dear friend, you haven't heard
herV'
Heard her! What the devil do know
about music? Swedish Nightingale! I'M
mense! And you, unlucky wretch, wait
till now before telling met
GOldschmidt rushed to the telegraph
Office. sent the message, received an an
swer and the thing was done!
This much of the story might be ac-
cepted good-naturedly, even IL the facts
were not of record that the contract be-
tween Barnum and Jenny Lind was nego-
tiated by Mr.. Barnum's agent ]. II. VII
son. in January, 1850, with the singer her
self; that this was a year and four months
before Mr.. Goldschmidt (who Joined her
company here in May, 1851. after julius
Benedict, the original pianist, had return
ed to England ever saw America, ana
that the Geographic message so peremp-
torily ordered and promptly sent was dis
patched eight years before there was an
Atlantic cable
But the marvels are Just beginning 4
new bridge was building in the harbor.
The newspapers announced that Il was %
be dedicated when Jenny Lind arrived
There IL stands. a regal structure. croWa-
ed with humanity waiting for the snip
Only invited guests have been given ac-
cess TO IL. The ship comes In sight,
tremendous excitement seizes the masses.
all crowd forward shrleking "Hurrah.
waving handkerchefs, stamping WIN
their feet. crash, a. scream Of horror.
The bridge has collapsed! Was It an ac-
cident due TO the faulty construction Ok
the bridge? Oh. MOI IL was Barnum
most mastery trick. He had provided
the money TO build the bridge. hired me
invited" public to stand on 1t at $40 per
head placed those who could swim tar-
thcst from the shore. the others nearer
and the moment the ship landed the piers
were pulled away and the structure Win
an upon Il precipltated into the water.
few hours later kilograms flashed in az
directions: Horrible catastrophe! rive
hundred dead When the ship which
brought the Swedish Nightingale 20 New
York hove IN sight to-day there was such
a crowd and scramble on the newly
built landing bridge that IL collapsed. i've
hundred persons were drowned. Mne.
Miss Jenny Lind heard OF the dreaalul
she wept bitterly, and at on
the plous artist resolved to devote we
proceeds Of her first concert TO the rene,
OF the families OF the victims Anu
Franz Friedherg concludes, putting tne
words into the mouth Of the genial MAUI
rice: "Barnum did the biggest bushes
he ever did IN Amorica-that &c. be 1il
get e bigger card later-Jumbo. the Wnite
Ifnfthnff fff IL Ia IuaffIf 20 inc