New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-23

ceipt dated March l6l in a letter t'
Noscheles. which the latter transml,
ted 10 Mr.. Watts, secretary OF the fhH
harmonic Society. Rau wrote;
have. with the greatest surprise,
heard from You, who reside IN Lon
don that the universally admired
Beethoven is so dangerously III and
In want OF pecuniary assistance while
we. here In Vienna, arc totally lg-
norant OF IT, J went 20 him lmme-
diatelv after having read your letter
10 ascertain his state and 20 announce
20 him the approaching relief. MS
made a deep impression upon MN,
and called forth true expressions OF
gratitude. What a satisfactory sight
would IL have been for those who so
generously relieved him 20 witness so
touching a scene: ! found poor Bee
thoven in a sad way. more like skel-
eton than a human being. He IS SUI
fering from dropsy and has already
been tapped four times. He is under
the care Of our clever physician, Nal
fatti, who unfortunately gives very
little hope Of his recovery.
How long he may remain IN his
present state, or II he can be saved
AZ all. can not yet be ascertalned.
The Joyous sensation at the sudden
relief from London has, however,
had a wonderful effect upon him; II
made one of the wounds (Which since
the last operation had healed sud
denly burst open during the night
and al the water which had gathered
since q fortnight flowed out freely.
When I came to see him on the fol-
lowing day he was in remarkably
good spirits and felt himself much
relieved. I FASTENED 10 Nalfatti TO
inform him OF this alteration and nc
considered the event as very conso-
lator. he viii coEtr.ye 10 keep the
wound open for some time and thus
leave a channel for the water which
gathers continually. Beethoven IS
fully satisfied with his attendants,
who consist OF a cook and a house
maid. His friend and ours, Mr..
SCHNEIDER. dimes with him every day
and he thus proves his sincere at
tachmcnt 10 him. S. also manages
his correspondence and superintends
his expenses. You Will find inclosed
a receipt from Beethoven for the
1000 forins cor sl0O). When pro-
posed 20 him 10 take half Of the sum
al present, and TO leave the rest with
Baron Eskeles, where he might have
u safely deposited. he acknowledged
10 me openly that he considered this
money as q relief sent from Heaven,
and that 500 forms would not suffice
for his present want. ] therefore
gave him, according TO his wish, the
whole sum al once. Beethoven VIII
soon address letter 70 the Philhar-
monte Society by which he means 70
express his gratitude. hope you Will
again accept my services whenever
they can be OF any use to Beethoven.
/ am, etc.
II a letter dated March q SCHNEIDER
wrote TO Mosche,es:
J much regreat that you did not
express more decidedly I'm your let
ter the wish that he should draw the
500 hy instruments. and agreed with
Rau 10 recommend this course; but
he Beethoven preferred acting on
the last part Of your letter. Care and
anHiety seemed at once 10 vanish
when he had received the money, and
- sa d 10 me quite happily: Now
VIC can again look forward TO some
comfortable days" We had only $40
forms ". ". remaining and we had
been obliged 10 be very economical
Tor some, time IN our Housekeeping.
His delight on receiving the
gift from the Philharmonic Society
almost Iesembled that Of a child. A
letter from that worthy man, Stumpf,
arrived here two days before yours
and all this affected Beethoven very
much. Numberless times during the
da! be exclaimed: MAY God reward
ken q thousandfold."
Un March % Rau wrote again to
Beethoven is no more; he died on
the 10th inst. at o'clock IN the al
ternOon in the most dreadful agonies
of pain. He was. as l mentioned TO
you in my last letter, according TO
his own statement, without any re-
lief, without any money, consequent
~ in the most painful circumstances
but on taking an inventory Of his
property after his death, at which |
Was Ittctlks We 4bAiiN III 2ii Olu ileiA
mouldy chest, seven Austrian bank
bills which amount to about 1000
pounds Whether Beethoven con-
cealed these purpOsely, Tor he was
very mIsrrusting and hoped for d
speedy recovery, or whether he was
himself ignorant Of his possession,
remains for me a riddle. We found
the whole of the 100 pounds which
the Philharmonic Society sent him,
and ] reclaimed them according TO
YOUR former orders, but was COM
Delled TO deposit them with the
magistrate until further commun,-
citation from that Society shall ar
rive. could not, Of course, permit
the expenses of the burial to be paid
out of this money without the con-
sent Of the Society. Beethoven's
nephew succeeds TO all his property.