Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-02
MCCARTHY IS BEST FIDDLER
Bellevue Citizen Takes Honors at the
Old Timers Contest.
MANY UNIQUE FEATURES APPEAR
Large Audience Loudly AppIauds Eff
forts Of Men who show How
Instrument Was Used
In OIden Time.

An audience that became wildly enthusi-
astic over old fashioned and rollicking
tunes from the. fiddles Of old timers list
ened to a contest OF skill with the bow at
the Young Mems Christian association
auditorium last night participated In by
men none Of whom was under 50 years
and some Of whom were near 80 years Of
age.
Many unique and interesting features
kept the audience constantly interested
and hardly a foot remained still on the
floor when such lively tunes as Turkey
in the Straw" "Arkansaw Traveller -
Paddy on the Turnpike Devils
Dream" and reels and hornpipes were
played in the spirit Of long ago.
There were eleven participants in the
meet. several OF them being old soldiers
and pioneer residents OF this city and
state, while a number were prominent in
the early history-making days Of Nebraska
old Timers Take Part.
Those who entered were: G. r. Rathbun,
Frank Miller, w. II. Dunn, Uncle Jerry
Beaver Brice Viers ]. H. Presson, H. f..
Gladwin, w. j. Morrison, Homer Kirk
J. S. Sicott and Jesse Mccarthy. Mr.. Nc
Carthy is resident Of Bellevue and Mr..
Morrison Of near Springfield, this state.
and with these exceptions the others parti-
cipating reside in Omaha.
Prizes were awarded for the best playing
and for the fiddler who kept his feet still
the longest and were received by the fol-
lowing: First prize, gold medal, Jesse Mo
Carthy; second prize, silver medal, W. j.
Morrison; third prize, violin case, Uncle
Jerry Beaver; fourth prize, silver medal,
to Homer Kirk The violin case was a
gift of A. Hospe.
Bryce Viers, rs years old, played the
same tunes he entertained a band OF Sioux
Indians with in 1862 at Jack Morris ranch
on the Platte river and appeared as young
as any of them.
The fiddle Frank Miller used is a result
Of his own handiwork, being made by him
after painstaklng effort and was completed
several weeks ago.
w. II. Dunn said he had played the fiddle
for the last hfty-seven years
Uncle Jerry Beaver made quite hit with
the audience, despite the fact that he is
Il years old, and said he learned to handle
the bow when he was 10 years old
One is Minister.
j. II. Presson, a retired Methodist min
lister and resident of Omaha, prefaced
his playing with few remarks. He said
his father preached the first sermon in
what is now Omaha. and that he, as
boy, longed to have a violin and to learn
to play It, but his father objected on &C
count Of the prejudice against that in
strument in the early days. But when he
grew older he learned to play, and It has
been a pleasant source Of amusement to
him ever since. He referred to a time
when, as a minister, he would lead the
church choir, playing his violin in his
pulpit
Both Messrs. Gladwin and Morrison are
old residents of the state, fifty and forty
seven years, respectively.
Many Of the players were obliged to re-
spond to encores, and while the audience
was waiting for sthe judges to announce
the names of the winners, all of the 'old
boys" Joined in playing, with vocal ac-
compartment, "The Arkansaw Traveller"
to the great amusement and interest Of
the audience.
The judges were, w. II. Gates. G. G.
Wallace and George A. Magney assistant
county attorney, Judge L. d. Holmes
acted as master OF ceremonies, and his