The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-29
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others kept the phone busy. Among
| the early morning callers was City Ac-
eountant George S. Crenshaw. who ex-
pressed heartfelt regrets at the sad
news.
Shortage Discovered.
Ten days ago. Captain Cunningham
was suspended from Office by Mayor
| Richardson following the discovery Of
! an apparent shortage in the city col
lectors accounts to the extent OF 49,
,4s75s. The same day the captain was
/ taken III and conveyed to his home in
! the West End. After that he did not
leave his bed, continuing to grow
/ worse until the end came.
! Soon after his suspension, it was
/ reported that the captain was going
I to resign and thus forestall his prob
able removal from Office as a result of
| the shortage charges. Instead of quit
/ ting under fire. however. he retained
/ counsel who announced that they
would fight TO the bitter end, believ-
! ing that their client had been sus-
| pended without just cause.
/ The hearing was scheduled to take
I place last Thursday, but was contin-,
| ued in account of the captains Illness
( until next Wednesday.
Created Grand Opera Role.
/ What Is not known to the younger
generation, but which is recalled with
/ interest by those Of Captain Cunning
| hams age, Is that his greatest musical
| success was achieved in the city OF
! New York. Already the wonderful
sweetness of Captain Cunningham
voice had gone abroad and he was
very much surprised when he receiv-
( ed a letter from a New York i'm
I pressario. inviting him to come to New
York and sing the tenor roles In
series of productions of grand opera
I In English.
Captain Cunningham accepted and
| had the honor OF singing for the first
| time in English the leading tenor role
4 IN the opera Martha, when that opera
! was sung In English for the first time
/ in this country in New York city. Cap
tain Cunningham also sang the tenor
roles in ItTrovatore and other grand
I operas during that engagement and
! had he SO desired could have con-
t!nued In that profession, where
distinguished career awaited him.
The life or a professional however,
did not appeal to him and he return
ed t6 his home In Richmond. salts
+ fed to live a domestic life with his
family and friends and lending the
sweetness of his gift to the comfort
Of the bereaved and the pleasure of
his own people.
Comforts Borrowing.
| During his life, Captain Cunning
| ham sang at more than $4,000 fun
! erals. He never refused his services.
/ giving them freely and willingly on
all OCCASIONS where they were in de-
/ fnand and In return never received
cent of remuneration. In fact on
many occasions, Captain Cunningham
Is known to have paid his own eS-
renses OF travelling and carriage hire
in order to fulfil request that has
been made fer his services ON some
such occasion.
AS a church singer Captain Cum
ningham was recognized as one of the
foremost In the South. For more than
! thirty %aaYs he was the soiotst at the
/ First Baptist church in this city. OF
which he WAS Il member. Some time
| ago he vas forced to give up singing
regularly in the church on account OF
an attack of asthma, from which he
never fully recovered. Prior to Join
Ing the choir of the First Baptist
church. with which ha was associ-
ated SO long. he had been soloist at
Trinity Methodist and St. Johns
Episcopal churches.
Although Captain Cunningham re-
tired from the First Baptist church
choir three years ago. he continued
to sing there annually Home OF the
.'t0i Oh iti1 dItitlS STSdTF OF the death
OF a mem Der, who had made the re-
quest, and which Captain Cunning
ham had carried out for number OF
/ years.
Last Public Song.
I While he had not sung regular with
/ any choir for three years vet he o.
5cassonally gave his services His last
song in public was at Grove Avenue
/ Baptist church on Sunday. April is.
an H.
/ captain Cunningham lent his services
freely during the large revival meet
ings that have been held In Rich
mond, and was pressingly irnportuned
1 ny Moody and Sankev. during one syf
their revival shries in this city, tn join
with them and become solo.st.
/ captain Cunningham was married
on November 20, IS71, 10 Miss SaIIie
coleman Morton OF Halifax county,
I Va, by whom he is survived. His
/ surviving children are DR., Frank NJ.
;tsafaT1sssgaaaaas, of Mseen, Ga; Mrs.
/ EliJah Baker Jr., of Richmond; Cor
bet A. Cunningham, OF Macon, Ga.
and Miss Ruth Cunningham, OF Rich
mond. All the members OF his imma-
date fasntty we're present at the bed
side when the end came. with the ex-
eepton Of DIR. Cunningham, who had
not been summoned. his fathers Ill
Z H'FN 'iANh i'AS EEfH tDTSiuFfed SO
serious,
Member Of Many Orders
Captain Cunningham was a member
/ of number of lodges and secret or
| ders. In many OF which he had held
! high office. Among the offices he had
4 held In the several lodges were: past
poten'ate OF Acca Temple. Mystic
| Shrine; past eminent commander Of
the Erand comrnanderv OF the State o.
/ Virginia. A. +. and A NJ; past eminent
/ commander, Richmond Conmanderv
No. 2, knight Templar; past master OF
st. Johns lodge, No. S. A, r. and A
NJ, Richmond; pas. master OF Meri
dian Lodge, No. 2ae, which he instt-
tuted. past exalted ruler, Richmond
/ Lodge, No. ~, b. r. q. Elks and past
/ president Dixie Aerie, No. 32s, i. O.
I Eagles.
In addition to the above. Csptain
! cunningham was a member OF Knights
! OF Pythias. ROYAL Arcanum, Red Men.
[ Woodmen OF the World and Odd Eel
/ lows Captain Cunningham was also
a member of Lee Camp. United Con
| federate Veterans and former captain
| of Company b. First Virginia Regi-
Inent. All of the above organizations
! Will be represented at the funeral
! which will be conducted with Masonic
rites,
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