The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-29
WHEN THEODORE THOMAS FLED.
The Encounter Between Him and the
Drum Corps of Madison, Conn.

NEW HAVEN, Jan. 2s.-The people of Mad
ison have revived, since the death Of Theo-
dore Thomas. q dispute that threatened,
a few summers ago, TO split up the town.
The debated question is whether Mr. Thomas
really possessed the musical ability ac-
credited TO him. and if so why he should
have objected to Madison = drum corps.
The trouble between the drum corps and
Mr.. Thomas arose when he selected Madi-
son as his summer home several years ago.
He visited the place one delightful June day
when the local musicians were busy in the
hayfelds, and being impressed with the
quiet Of the town, leased large white
farmhouse adjoining the Congre gational
Church. for the season. The next week he
moved in.
It was the busy season with the members
of the drum corps and "a they were engaged
in gc ting the ir farm work done so that they
could properly celebrate the glorious
Fourth, weekly rehearsals Of the corps went
by default Mr. Thomas thus enjoyed sew
eral days of comparative quiet. Then on
one warm summer evening when he was
drinking in the sea air from his porch. the
sounds OF twenty different Instruments
struggling through the national anthem,
each independently Of the others. caused
the orchestra leader To bound off his door
step and make for the direction from which
the noise came the basement Of the adj
joining church.
The villagers will not admit that Mr..
Thomas's first thought was that the place
was haunted by a band OF luckless musi-
clans who had perhaps undesarvedly
I 4 -. frt. a.,
clan say that he rushed wild eyed and
peered into the church, expecting TO gee a
whole drum corps Of ghosts Instead he
( recognized the townspe ople valisntly iriv-
! ing with the instrume nts at hand
| The story is that the members Of the drum
! oorps. having heard that Mr. Thomas was a
/ musician OF note had been eagerly looking
/ forward 20 the evening when he should
! learn that he was IN the midst of musioinns
I and should perhaps come forward and con-
/ Rratulate them on their SUCCESS and help
them over difficult PLACES during the sum-
mer months while he was with them
To that end many Of the members had
been in favor of rendering Hail to the
/ Chief las the opening salute. but the ma
/ tional anthem won out az the most familiar
! show piece in their repertoire and the least
/ likely to awaken antagonism in the famous
] leader When he appeared before them
and frantically implOred them to let IN on
/ died an instant and violent death
Recognizing. perhaps, that he had been
unappreciative Of their endeavors. some
DAYS later Mr.. Thomas sent round a mes
1 scnger implorfng the members of the drum
/ corps to seek some other place for practice
3 during the summer season than under his
windows and Offering To pay the rent OF
I any hall that they should pick out provided
I il was far enough removed from his home
But the pride Of the members of the band
that had furnished all the music supplied
! 10 this town since the early days OF it's set
Element was aroused. and they declared
they would stand bytheir organization and
play IA before, in the basement Of the
church. for the privilege Of which they paid
/ 81 weekly.
| Negotiations were carried on for some
I days by the famous musician looking toward
! an adjustment Of the difficulties, but the
] only reply that he could get from the mem
4 bers Of the corps was that some OF them had
I played in that band before he was old
/ enough 20 know one note from another ana
J that others would stil continue 70 play e.
T IL when he had passed out Of .-emembrancsr
4 few DAYS later Mr. Thomas and his
worldly posses sions were seen for the lait
/ time at tho railroad station here, bound for
| New York