The times., 1899-10-29
oLD-TIME FIDDLING.
Curious Contests which smack of
the Arkansas Travellers Day.

the Arkansas Travellers Day
From the indianapolis JournaL)
There were old fiddlers and young fid-
dlers, fat fiddlers and lean iddlers, and
male and female fiddlers at Tomlinson Hall
last night, and there. were about 1900 peo-
pie there to hear them fiddle 1t was 'Ye
olden time iddlers' contest" held under
the auspices OF. Post B. Indiana Division
Of the Travellers Protective Association.
and the entertainment was a success both
from an enjoyable point Of view and from
financial standpoint. Fiddlers were here
from ali parts Of the State and over fifty
OF them participated in the different con
tests. The contest was managed by J. II.
Ammons, and Thomas z. Potter acted as
master Of ceremonies. He briefly explain
ed the purposes OF the organization giving
the entertainment, but could scarcely be
heard for the tuning of the iddlers which
was going on behind the curtain. The
Judges-Barclay Walker, Joseph Cameron
and J. II. Dungan-weFe seated at one side
Of the stage, and near them was c. F.
olds, who acted as clerk. All fddlers
came before the curtain and Joined in the
overture in which each fiddler played his
favorite tune and no tune at all could be
distinguished. After this seeming riot was
over the specific contests were held.
Several unique instruments were used
by the players. B. B. Hardy. of No. 9I6
Chicago Street. North indianapolis. had a
violin which he made himself. He said he
was too poor 10 buy one. and he wanted to
take part in the contest, so he made his
fiddle. The bottom was of an old Noah s
ark and the sides were made from an ak
handle He PLAYED vaIiantly on this in
strument Mr.. Hardy came here from
( owen county. where he lived for thirty
eight years. An instrument which may be
a genuine Stradvarius was used by T j.
Mckee, OF the State Soldiers Home at
Lafayette He said he had been offered
a large price for the violin but he had
never had il examined by an expert TO
determine whether or not il was a genuine
| Stradivarius. The instrument is Of eX-
ceptonally clear and strong tone, and on
the inside Of it is stamped, so that it can
be plainly read "Antonius Stradiyarius
Cremonensis, Faciebat. Ammo l721." John
II. Pruitt, Of Columbus. had a violin which
is lZ3 years old, and which was made in
Germany. He has had 1t for twelve years.
In the individual contests each contes-
! tant was allowed one minute in which to
/ play the tune assigned. Mr.. Potter kept
4 the time on them, and each minute was
checked by the ringing Of a gong. Some
/ Of the old fddlers were so deaf that they
! did not hear the gong and would continue
4 playing, causing howls Of laughter from
( the audience. These contestants Mr. Cam
/ eron was compelled TO poke in the ribs so
I that they would stop Many others beat
\ time with the feet, and some could hardly
! keep from trying TO dance as others were
( playing. The first contest, for the tallest
! fiddler, brought out four men. and as
/ Judge Mock played two small bows danced
/ 10 the music Judge Levi Mock, Of Bluff
( ton, took first prize In the contest for
/ the best playing Of The Irish Washer
woman there were nineteen entries. in
cludiug one woman, There We're but two
/ entries for the fattest fddler-Frank
/ Graham, OF Marion, who weighs 100 pounds
got the first prize, and Paul Kereigh OF
/ Stilesville, who weighs GA pounds, took
the second. The judges awarded the prizes
in this contest in this manner because
they claimed Kereigh could not play q
/ tune
In the contest on the best playing OF
| Leather Breeches" there We're thirteen
I entries. IN the contest Of playing ''PoI
] Goes the Weasel there were ten starters
/ The contest between the Oldest fiddlers
/ caused much laughter. There were -four
| entries, and J. NJ. Parson. Of Broad Rip
pie. VINO is seyenty-seyen years old, car
/ ried of the first prize. T. j. Mckee. o
the State Soldiers Home at Lafayette
| who is seventy three years old took the
/ second prize. and John II. Pruitt Of Co
lumbus, seventy-two years old, took third
prize.
In striking contrast was the contest FOL
the youngest fiddler, in which there were
| two enTies-Ossie Clark, of Attica. ter
/ years old, and Dclbert Wolfe, of Upland
/ eleven years old. The prizes we're award.
/ ed in this order. The Bull Pup Horn.
pipe" brought out but two contestants
1 and Judge Levi Mock, of BlufIton, tool
| first prize, and II. c. Ellis, of Hillsboro
| took the second.
"Old Dan Tucker caused a spirited
| contest. and Of the six who played the olt
! tune. Oliver Proctor, of Lebanon, took frs
| prize. For the Arkansas Traveller" con
| test eighteen entered, and the winners wer
E K Maddox, OF Royerton first; T.
| Mills, Of WaynetoWn, second, and r. Whit
| aker, Of Greenwood, third. indianapolis wa
barred from the C, ntest for the larges
| family Of iddlers, and there were but tw
entries The Wolfe family. of Upland, witt
FIVE players, took the first prize, and tn
Clarke family, Of Attica, won the secon
prize The last contest was in the playing
of The DEVILS Dream, and there wer
fifteen entries. The judges scored on tn
best playing OF the tune in the old-tim
| manner All prizes were donated by meT
chants Of this city. but 10 each first priz
the order giving the entertainment adde
s. in money.
Everybody asks for Heurich's, drinks Heurich',
1 and aluavs warts Heuricbis For bottled bee