The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-09
CONVICTED AS A THIEF.

THE next day. June ~, 1895. nearly mr.
] teen months after the violin had been
stolen Fiechter was In Jefferson mar
ket court to answer TO the charge that he
had the stolen violin I'm his possession
Old Mrs. Bot was there as the COM
plainant; the violin which she was so
sure was her husbands was on the mag
istrate's desk. When the widow was ask
ed TO swear TO the affidavit she had made.
she seized the bible In both hands. and.
falling TO her knees. abe said:
II swear that all say Ia true"
As emphatic as on the night before
Flcchter made u general denial that the
instrument was the one Mrs. sBott be-
iieved II was, or that he ever knew
anything about her husbands Strad after
the day the professor had refused 20 ac-
cept PATHS check for Il. Furthermore
he told Just where he had obtained the
violin which was supposed to be the MISS
ing Strad He said he had taken n from
Stanley H. Ross. "A lawyer OF Auburn, ~.
Y. who was also a dealer In violina.
F1echter admitted he had sold Il TO Ross
I'm the first place. and had received tla5
for e. He was not able 10 guarantee n
was a stradvarius. and he had agreed
TO try To sell Il for Ross at any time
he desired TO part with II.
The hearings dragged along for two
weeks, and 10 was n battle OF experts
a feature OF the hearing one dav was
the testing ~ the instrument by Edouard
Remsnyi. the famous virtnoso. A. he
stepped forward he said he was nervous
and didn't care TO play.
what IL the good OF IT." he asked.
ST win show very little. can take
violin worth only - and make ~ mellow
or harsh. Just as wish II IL the
PLAYER and not the fiddle that counts"
How long have you been playing the
violin2" he was asked.
Fifty years" was his answer
How many instruments have you
played on In that timer
About 1900: maybe more"
''can YOU tell stradivarius from any
other maker"
"Csan you tell black man from n white
man7r was the question with which he
answered this n could not be mistaken"
'Ts this Strad7'' the lawyer asked, as
he handed the violinlst the instrument
IN dispute.
mo" he snorted IN response
Then he took the violin and the courf
walls rang with such music ms never was
heard In court before. Remenyt chose a
selection from "The HuguenoiR." and II
seemed " no one drew breath until he
placed the violin back on the desk and
walked out Of court.
when the hearing was finished Magss-
trate Fiamrner discharged Fiechier.
Although triumphant Fieehier was not
through With The law by any means Sir
weeks had IL saed when he was arrested
en- bench warrant issued tv Recorder
Con. the grand Jury having indicted him
on two counts--ons accusing him Of hav-
ng stolen the Boft straA. che other with
paving - IN his possession. lie furnished
fi.so bail and was NJ liberty until April
-. 1855. when he was called for trial be-
f0re the recorder. Many witnesses who
had tdeatiaed the f7olln produced IN the
police court as a genuine S;rna and "a
the hoit violin were confident that tho
Instrument before the recorder was not
tho same.
This. hnwexer. had no effect on the
tur0rs. They we're IN consultation for
ten and sne.hslf ho8rs. and their verdict
Mss one 81 guilty.
A few days aftsfward Frc0rdcr Cs0n sen.
fenced Flechter 10 imprisonment for one
year. His counsel appealed The ease how
ever. and n Vas a0t necessary FOR this
music dealer 70 so % prison. But he bal
no reason FOR rejoicing when the des4siar.
% the appellate aiyit.cn was made known
u affirmed THE fndlnE o. the lower court.