The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-08-15
PENSION
For Late Daniel D. Emmett
Was Secured
Through The Efforts Of
Vaughan Hester
Whose "PfOdigaI Judge" Is
Now Being DramatizGd

George Middleton, who is at pres
ent dramatlzing Vaughan Kesters
"Prodigal Judge" has the following
in this weeks issue of LaFollette's
Weekly concerning the late Mr.. Kest-
er's efforts in securing aid for the
late Daniel d. Emmett, the composer
OF Dixie"
The announcement of a complete
uniform edition of Vaughan Kester's
works recalls the fact that he was
largely instrumental in making the
last years of Dan Emmett, the COM
poser of immortal Dixie, comfortable.
Many years ago, while on visit to
his grandmother, Mrs. Watkins, at
Mount Vernon, Ohio, the future nov
elist heard a rumor that the author of
Dixie, Old Dan Tucker, Boatman's
Dance, The Road to Richmond, and
other well-known songs, was living in
a cottage on the roadside just north of
the town. The report was vague, as
few of Emmett's townspeople under
stood who he was or the nature of his
claim to fame. This was not surpris-
ing, as he had only recently returned
to his native place after an absence
of almost fifty years, and only the old
er residents knew anything concern
ing him. 1t was in 1888 that Emmett
reappeared in Mount Vernon. He pur-
chased an acre or two In the outskirts
of the town and proceeded to erect a
small cottage, which he occupied up
to the time of his death.
In an old letter Vaughan Kester des-
cribes his first meeting with Mr.. EN-
nett:
zone Sunday afternoon | walked out
to his cottage. The first thing / asked
him was If he was the Dan Emmett
who wrote Dixie. He laughed and
said, Well, I've heard of the fellow.
At this time he was living entirely
alone, and had been living so for sew
eral years On the occasion of my
second call the door of his cottage was
locked, and the old composer nowhere
in sight, but neighbor, who seemed
deeply interested in the unusual fact
that Mr.. Emmett had caller, told
me | would find him in the woods,
perhaps a mile distant; and there
found him. and at work with his AK,
He told me quite frankly that he was
chopping wood not exactly for the
pleasure of it, but because the farmer
who owned the timber paid him for the
work and allowed him to bring off all
the chips and unstable wood for his
own use, an important point during
the winter months, as his cottage was
not "piped with gas" After this
saw Emmett frequently, and as his
mind was alert and vigorous and his
"reminiscences of the early days of ne
gro minstrelsy most interesting, In
duced him to furnish the facts for
several newspaper articles The pub
licity thus gained enabled him to dis
pose of few autograph copies OF
Dixie at good price"
The truth is that Vaughan Kestel
| devoted much of his time to writing
articles about Emmett, and that he
| gave all of the modest returns to Mr.
Emmett, who was at this time pas
| eighty and practically without any re
| sources. These articles on Emmett
and his career were the first efforts
of the author of The Prodigal Judge
ever to appear in print,
When the time came for Vaughan
Kester to return to Virginia he was
very much troubled by the thought o
leaving Mr.. Emmett in such precari
ous financial condition. He suggested
the idea of applying to the actors
fund. Mr. Emmett. was opposed t.
this, however, and would take nj
steps himself to bring his situation
to the attention of the fund Prompt
ed by his great anxiety for Emmett
Vaughan Kester asked his brother
Paul Kester, the dramatist, to write
to A. NJ. Palmer, the famous manager
who was at that time at the head o
the fund.
Results were immediate. The an
swer was a telegram from the secre
tary of the fund, saying that fifty dol
lars was on the way to Emmett. Th'
telegram was followed by letter;
"New York City, March 3, 1893
To Paul Kester;
Dear Sir Referring to the case o
Dan Emmett, | beg to state that il
addition to the $50 donated him, thu
executive committee have awarded
him weekly relief of s. for term o
ten weeks. At the expiration of thi
term the relief win be extended shoulr