The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1908-07-10
Negro Pianist Long a
Great Money Maker.
PROFITS PROBABLY AS HIGH
AS $4,000 A YEAR.
SAID TO HAVE MADE 100000 ON
A TRIP ABROAD-GREW TO SEE
A LITTLE - DELIGHTED IN
CRIES OF PAIN.
from the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Few public performers ever played
to more money than Blind Tom, who
died recently. He was prominently be-
fore the public for twenty years, and
after that when his trustees were
changed he still continued to play, but
not with as much success. His new
managers did not know how to handle
him properly, and handling Tom took
lots Of tact. Until only a few years
ago he played, and his last appearance
was probably on the variety stage. For
forty years he had been an attraction,
and in the first half of that time he
played in almost every town of any
size in this country and Canada and
made tours on the other side of the
Atlantic.
Even in small towns he did well,
and as running this show was not an
expensive affair the profits were large.
A statement of accounts made by his
old managers showed that in one
month in 1854, which was spent in Vir-
glnia, the receipts were more than
$4,000 and the expenses $4,000. He
usually kept on the road for nine
months out of the twelve. so that his
yearly profits may have averaged
about $4,000. On his trip on the 9th
er side it was said he realized about
100000, so that Tom while in good
hands was source of steady income.
1t is singular that his old manager,
Thomas Warthurst, who for twenty
years took him all over this country
and through Canada, died six months
ago, and it was under his management
that Tom was most successful. He
was then well cared for and we'll
coached in his work, and he earned
many thousands of dollars for the
Bethune family, on whose estate he
was born slave.
About twenty years ago Blind Tom
got into the courts. He was born dur
ing slave times and later Gen. Bethune
acted as his trustee. 1t was said that
up to 1870 he had earned more than
quarter of a million dollars. Gen.
Bethune then turned the trusteeship
over to his son, John G. Bethune. John
Bcthune ran racing stable which was
said to be supported by Blind Toms
earnings. He died in 1888, and after
his death his widow brought suit
against the Bethune family, alleging
that as widow of John Bethune she
was the Tightful trustee of Blind Tom.
In this she was supported by Charity
Virgins, the mother of Blind Tom.
Mrs. Bethune won her suit, and since
1886 Blind Tom has been in her care,
but she only succeeded in making a
success of him for a few years.
Blind Tom was born a few miles
from Columbus in the county of Mus
cogee, Ga, on May 25, 1S49. His par
ents were field hands of the pure Ne
gro blood, with nothing to distinguish
them from the mass of their race, eX-
cept that his mother had small feet
and hands and was of an active, merry
He was born on the es-
tate of Thomas Greene Bethune, where
his parents were slaves.
Tom was born blind, and as he was
unable to learn anything from sight it
was generally thought that he was
ldiotic. When very young he showed
2 great fondness for sounds, and must |
cal sounds eXerted a controlling inter
est over him. He learned to talk when
young and spoke clearly, but his words
had no meaning and were simply imi-
tations of what he heard.
Gen. Bethune, when he heard what
Toms mother had said Tom had not
sense enough to learn, declared this
was a mistake. He went to Tom and
said; tom, sit down" Tom repeated |
the words. The General then repeated
the order and at the same time sat
Tom on the floor. tom, get up"
sold the General Tom sat still and re-
peated. He then ordered Tom to get
up, and lifted him to his feet. Next |
time Tom learned quickly. Every one
tried to teach him.
When Tom was about years old a
plano was brought to the house and as
soon as he heard this Tom was en-
RANGED. One night his mother had
neglected to lock her door and Tom
disappeared He found his way into
he Bethune house through an open
window and carly in the morning the
0iano was heard. Tom was seated be- !
'ore the instrument playing one of tn
pieces he had heard, and playing :