New-York tribune., 1908-06-15
BLIND TOMS" LIFE ENDS
Negro Musical Prodigy Dies in
HobOken-Was Born IN SIaUeru.

Blind Tom" the negro. who could play the
piano any piece of music he had heard once, and
who, aside from his musical ability, was practi
cally imbecile, is dead. His death has been
reported many times-frst, when he supposed
10 have been one of the thousands swept away in
the Johnstown food-but the old negro had been
living quietly in New Jersey for years. and died
on Saturday in Hoboken. He named Thomas
Greene Bethune after his former master.
Just how old he was is unknown. Stories vary
but he born probably between 1s49 and 1883
q plantation near Columbus. Ga, where his parents
lived the slaves of General James N. Bethune
He made his first appearance in New York in 1851.
played in Chicago the following year. at the En-
pire Theatre London, in 1867, and in California
in 1873. His last work in public at the Circle
Theatre New York in 1904. when he amazed many
who believed he dead by repeating the feats
of his earlier years.
Blind TOMS body lies this morning at the un-
dertakng rooms of the Frank E. Campbell COM
pany, where it taken by Mrs. Eliza Lerche
with whom he had been living in Hoboken Mrs
Lerche is the widow of John G. Bethune. son of
General Bethune. After the death of her husband
who had been the blind mans legal guardian and
manager. she succeeded to his Immensely valuable
guardianship Of the blind musician, after long
fight with her father-in-law in the courts.
In early childhood he initiated the cries Of farm
animals. the call of birds and the sound of the
wind and rain for the amusement of the household
BY night he would steal into the house OF his mas
ter to initiate in undertones the piano the pieces
he had heard others play during the day. He was
destitute of invention. but marvellously initiative
During his public appearances he frequently played
one melody with his right hand and another with
his left, singing whstling third, frequently
the classic compositions of Bach Chopin and Mem
delssohn Yankee Doodle Sailors Hornpipe"
OF other pieces of that class. On occasions he
played pieces with his back turned to the piano.
He could initiate the sounds of other musical In
struments and deliver connected addresses in for
eign languages without understanding word he
uttered.
The eccentricities of Blind Tom the stage
pleased audiences as much as his playing. He al
ways referred to himself the third person and
would announce his pieces by saying. Tom will
now play a beautiful piece he heard recently. He
frequently jumped about wildly and started the ap-
plause himself when he finished number
His mother, Aunt Charity, died in Birmingham,
Ala on November g. 1902 at the reputed age
of 1G5 She had spent a few years in comfort in
New York with the musician, but never was really
comfortable here and finally went back to the
South.
Blind Tom had a great fondness for water
melons and could always be induced 10 play for
any one who offered him a piece of the dainty
His money affairs in the hands of the Be
th11nes and no accounting of his earnings was
made for some time. Several suits were brought
against Mrs Lerche, but nothing definite ever
came of them.
There was report that "Blind Tom had died
in the West bout 1894 but not long afterward it
was discovered that Mrs. Lerche keeping him
in seclueion at A small cottage in the Navesink
Highlands No one allowed 10 see him there.
and he was completely out OF sight until his brief
temperance in 1904.