The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-01
TALE 0F 4 'y|RHD'
Whereby Other Tales of Death
and Dishonor.
STOLEN FROM ITS OWNER
Man Convicted of Its Theft
Attempts an Abb.


Sradidivarius whose disappearance has
wrecked the career of a dealer in insuu-
hents and the life of an old musician.
Prof Victor Fletcher, who is under
sentence of one years imprisonment for
aged Prof. Bott, processes 60 have dis
covered it in Brooklyn.
If he can prove that this is the verita-
BILE Bott Stradivarius it will follow that
the violin he was trying to sell when he
was arrested We years ago, son after
Bolts death from a broken heart, was
wrongfully identified by the old must
clans widow and others.
In that case he will never serve his SEN
tence, the appeal on which has not yet
been decided.
Many romances cluster about the VIC
Inns that were fashioned by the cunning
hands of Stradivarius, the Amatis and
other masters in the days of old Gre
mona, but the romance of the Bott vio-
lin abs more direct appeal than any
other, because it belongs in our own time
and place.
The fiddle was cracked and Clipped and
patched but it sang with the sweetness
of bygone centuries and its voice stirred
the blod. In the early years of. this CEN
fury it already possessed a history. 1t
had been lost and found. 1t had glad
dened royal hearts and humble. Perhaps
1T had broken hearts, too, before Jean
Joseph Bot fell under its spell. At that
time lie was in Hanover, and belonged to
the Duke Of Cambridge cousin Of Queen
Victoria
Jean Joseph Bot fell in love with the
violin, as many living and dead must
clan had done before him. The great
Spohr's favorite pupil, he was at the top
Of the musical tree-conductor of the
Royal Orchestra and one of the most
famous violinists of his day. He alone
was deemed worthy of the Stradivarius,
and he was given an opportunity to buy
it. 1t cost him 5000 marks-s4,O0O.
Filled with the idea of making a for
tune, like Paganini, he came to America.
But in this country, for some inscruta-
BILE reason, perhaps his own lack of bust
ness instinct, he fell f1at-and as the years
passed by he went rapidly down hill. But
always he chung to the Stradivarius. To
than a child; it was almost a religion.
Hunger is a tyrant before which even
religion aliases itself. The day came
when the broken-down musician resolved
to sell the violin that he and his wife
might have bread in. their old days. He
went to Fletcher, who carried on bust
ness in Union Squal ?, and instructed him
to find a customer. But he did not give
Fletcher the violin, for he knew that
there was much knavery in the musical
instrument business.
Fletcher learned that Nicolini the hus-
band of Patti was looking for Cremona,
and entered into communication with
him. A meeting was arranged. Bot
asked $500, mad 'Nicofini consented. 1t
was agreed that the violin was to be de-
uvered and paid for the next day. which
was the day for Nicolini's departure for
Englan with Pat. That night Prof Bott
and his wife did not sleep. They .wept
over the old fiddle.
On the following afternoon the white
haired musician, with the Stradivarius
Rugged in his arms, trudged from his
home at 355 West ThirtyFirst street 60
Nicolni's hotel. The diva's husband Of
fered him his check for $500. Bott made
suspicious by misfortune and half long
ing for an excuse TO keep the violin,
refused to take anything but gold, and as
gold was not available he went home
with the object Of his love, vowing that
he would not sell it at all Mrs B0tt,
when she saw it, wept tears of joy, and
then remembered that they were hungry.
a few days later the violin was stolen
out of the bureau drawer which for years
had been its hiding place. The theft was
a remarkably skilful one. The first &C
ton of the detectives assigned to the
case was to visit Fletcher and tell him
ali about it.
For a year Prof Bot haunted police
headquarters. the district attorneys Of
fee. pawnshops, instrument stores-wher-
ever there appeared to be any likelihood
of hearing OF the stolen Stradivarius. He
wasted visibly. His wife, hardly less
crazed than himself. was his escort. Cir
culars were sent all over the world de-
scribing the violin. Every Stradivarius
heard OF in this country was examined.
The police of London and Paris kept an
open eye for persons offering vi0lins for
sale, and especially for those offered to
Sig. Nioolini
Meanwhile Jean Joseph Bott died Of q
broken heart.
4 few weeks later il was learned that
Fletcher was secretly Offering a Strad!-
varius violin for sale He was t-aPfeI
into exhibiting it to an expert. who was
familiar with Bolts instrument The pre-
tended purchaser Identified II as the sto-
len violin, and Fletcher was arrested
1t was not his first appearance fl the
courts for he had been sued three o.
four times by persons who charss4 him
with selling them bogus viclins.
While the case was hanging fire Mrs.
Bot received an anonymous letter. the
writer Of which offered 70 return the
violin If she would conduct he negots
tions in the personal column and pay
fair reward. At Fl4tchsr's trial Profes-
sors Ames and Carvaiho swore that this
letter was in Fletcher's handvritinE-
Violin experts were heard On both
sides Some svore xith Mrs Bott that
the violin IN court vas Prof Bott's ee-
loved .-suad." Others sworEs i was u
.'Strad-" after a..
Fischer vas convicted au8 reteaee5 OF
bal pending an appeal Stree that tns
he has been searching t5r TIE stolen VIC
Iin-isnortng the instrument that reszit-
es in his csnviction- So1 he wrsald tn
Sert s.per=snag' IL newspaper. and
row ~ would os1e- s. ~ re~ard for the
return 81 sIrz Batrs fiddle
a fe~ days ago Ae rusned into Capt
ucC-gussy.s sse.ce al pail1s headquarters.
shouting
sTve g5t it. lis sa BrnEiya.