The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-04-29
NOTED COMPOSER NOW PAuPER.
Musician Who Played for Kings IL
in the Poorhouse.
Leo Wheat in the poorhouse!"


in the POOrhouse.
Leo Wheat in the poorhouser'
Together with motley crowd, hope
less specimens Of humanity, the once
noted musician and composer, associ-
ate of Sir Arthur Sullivan and Pader-
ewski, scion of a southern family, says
4 baltimore correspondent of the New
York World, was ratified of to Bay
View-the last refuge of the homeless
and friendless. sss~zs.."as'
Leo Wheat had been arrested the
night before for assaulttng a man on
the street with q cane. He was in
liquor at the time. The musician was
walking along the street, a picturesque
figure with his old gray felt hat pulled
carelessly over his eyes, his clothes in
disorder and bright red carnation in
his buttonhole. Taking offense at the
way a Dasser-by looked at him, the
odd Johnny Reb," as he calls himself,
raised his cane and brought it down on
the shoulders Of the surprised citizen,
and the old man was hailed to the sta
ton house.
Here Mr.. Wheat explained that he
had been to concert and to the exhil-
aratton of the music he had added that
Of liquor, so that he did not know what
he was doing. When his victim
learned who his assailant was he re-
fused to prosecute. Then the old mu-
sician, broken In health and purse,
asked the magistrate to commit him to
Bayvlew. Justice Grammar granted
his plea and he sank YEARLY upon the
wooden bench. ~
Soon his dropping spirits revived and
while waiting for the prison van the
professor entertained his friends upon
the old piano in the station house. Po-
lice Lieutenant Cole had been asked If
the old nan could harm the instrument
and had laughingly replied that he
couldn't hurt it If he played ut with
his feet" Mr.. Wheat turned the cover
down with all the gentleness with
which he might have treated the finest
piano made.
Slowly at first, and with little ami.
nation he played the old airs. He liv-
ened up considerably on 'Dixie," max
ing the Away, Away, Away Down
South in Dixie echo and re-echo
through the station house. He talked
Of Fort McHenry when he played 1.-The
Star-Spangled Banner; and he tried
to sing when in some truant fancy his
hands wandered into the strains Of the
Dox0iogy. But when he struck his
own Cradle" song, which he told his
hearers was the best thing he ever
wrote, he began to tnterpolate remarks
Of his own in his playing.
"Now," he said, now she's putting
the baby in the cradle. Sh! Quiet
Now she's singing to it-softly, slowly
Now, she's rocking the cradle with her
foot-a little woman's foot. Now she's
sewing, sewing" The old musician
took his hands from the keys for q
minute and bent them as If using the
needle.
When he ceased playing he was
asked many questions, anu to one OF
them he replied: you ask me If 1 have
| AOC RAoS GU Ava Ivy any ACSB AOA a4DCA
Edward, I played twice; once in '5E
and again in '66. 1 have played fol
Emperor Frederick OF Germany and
for the Emperor of Austria. Paderew.
ski l met in Poland. He was then q
young man and requested me to give
him what we call listing lessons"
Leo Wheat was born near Richmond
and early manifested an unusual talent
for music. He went to Europe and
studied there for two years, forming g
close friendship with Sir Arthur Sui
Ivan. On his return to America he
was considered to be among the fore.
most pianists in this country. He has
been organist in many large churches
in both northern and southern cities
and has played as premier soloist in
many a concert. He is a brother OF
Col. Roderan Wheat, Of the noted Lou
isiana Tigers, and himself served in
the Confederate army on the staff OF
Gen. Lee. He Is q wldower, but has
several grown children in Virginia.
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