Evening star., 1921-08-07

that John Esputa fine musician and hne
man. had better acquaintance with
John Philip Sousa than anybody else
had. He knew more of the real inside
John than Johns own people did. But
We are a little ahead Of the story in that
we have not finished with Antonio the
elder. When he came to Washington IN
1854 he entered the Marine Band to play
the trombone. Francis Scala was then
'fife major" principal musician" or
leader of the band. 1t was in the sum-
tuted the summer open concerts at
the White House and Capitol. the band
then being under the leadership Of Anto-
MO Pons, Francis Scala taking up the
baton for the second time July II. 1854.
Great-grHndmothers and great-grand
fathers of some of you who are reading
these lines attended those concerts and
AnteAso was playing the trombone in
the band.
A age came on. Antonio suffered
from asthma. and between teaching.
practicing at 1.-The garrison" as the old
people spoke of the marine barracks,
and taking part in ceremonies and con-
certs. Antonio Sousa practiced cabinet
making, and he built little house.
which he called shop. on the north
side Of his lot. facing E street. while the
frame house that had been built on the
lot raced on 1th street.
1t is said by the old neighbors
that the officers at 1.-The garrison all
seemed to like Antonio Sousa, not
because of his musical ability, because
there were many musicians as good
as he in the band. but because
able manners. AS the boys came
along he taught them music. and
Johns progress with the violin was
his especial solicitude and a cause OF
pride to Prof. Esputa. John was not
a marvel on the violin and it is re-
corded that as a boy he was not
particularly Industrious in his prac-'
tice. but he got along very well and
Prof. Esputa had him play in certain
. little concerts in the Sos. One of these
concerts was for the entertainment
of the people at the Government Hos
! over with the professor in that big
carriage called THE Bloomingdale."
John said that he had no clean shirt.
and then in after years John told this
story:
"The excuse proved futile. for he
made me go upstairs ana oon one OF
, his shirts. which was many sizes too
large for a small boy. The collar
had to be fastened at the back with
a pin and l was about as uncomfort-
able a youngster as you could hnd
when I stepped on to tho platform
to play. s-,.ss o-o Tho, Tho
introduction Of my solo when that
wretched collar button became un-
fastened and began to climb over the
back Of my head. The agony OF this.
coupled with the thought of the audi
ence I was facing. made me forget
every note of my solo and I began
to improvise to cover up this lapse
Of memory. and I could hear my
master hurling imprecations at me
under his breath as he vainly strug-
gled at the piano to vamp an ac-
companiment to my improyising: FL FL
from the stage. My master followed
and hissed in my ears: Don't you
dare to eat any supper tonight. This
was my punishment and / had to pre-
tend birdlike appetite at the supper
that always followed the concert, and SO
I went hungry to bed.
AS John grew to be a boy In his teens
he blew the trombone with Vigor. ana
when he was about fifteen years old ne
enlisted in the Marine Band. to play that
instrument. Some Of his best friends in
the southeast say that as trombone
player he was a dsa ppointment to MS
| father Indeed, some of them say that
John was about the worst trombone
player they ever heard. One OF his boy
hood friends said III John had stuck
to the trombone he never would have
become a distinguished man." There
seems to have been some resentment ir
the neighborhood against John and the
trombone Some of the neighbors said
that young John was depreciat!nE the
value Of real estate in that part Of Wash
ington. However. John continued to
make some progress on the fiddle, and.
hearing one Of the great violin artists
who gave a concert at Lincoln Hall, or
II may have been Marini's Hall. he be-
came erthused and determined to become
a real violin virtuoso. From that time
on he gave great satisfaction to Prof.
Esputa, and also took up the study OF
harmony with Mr.. Benkert OF George
town. Then John went to Philadelphia.
| played in orchestras. became an orches-
ira leader, moved to New York, con-
tinued as an orchestra leader ana went
on the road with Ofenbach's orchestra.
His musical friends in Washington
would hear splendid stories Of his sue
cess. 1t was talked over in the Marine
Band. John was making money. His
mother began to think that the old-fash-
ioned house was a little out of date, but
she and her husband would not think Of
moving to any other section Of the city.
| though some parts of the city had be-
come more nifty and fashionable than
the old-settled parts OF the southeast
\ So, John sent home money for making
! over the old house. Carpenters tore on
the wide Notwithstanding. and around
the 1oists and scantlings they built brick
walls and made over the interior OF the
home, Instead Of the little frame cot
taee at the southeast corner OF 7ta ana
e streets southeast, there Is today a
brick house, but the inside tmbers are
those which were put together In the
summer of 1857, when John was three
years old.
iTTENRY FRIES succeeded Francis
IL Scala as leader of the Marine
Band in 1871. and Louis Schneider
succeeded Fries September 2. 1873.
Schneider's term of leadership was
drawing to a close, and the COM
Imandant at 1.-The Garrison" having
heard many times Of the success OF
his office one day and asked If he
thought John would take the leader
ship of the historic band. There was
J some correspondence between Antonio
and John and the commandant; PROP.
ably Capt. McCaulley offered the post
, to John. AS you know, it was ac-
In the matter of John Sousa's sue
Icession to the leadership OF the Ma
rine Band. The Evening Star OF Oc-
tober /, 1880, published the following:
| The published statement that the board OF
charges against Prof Schneider. leader Of the
Marine Band, found him guilty. and that Com
modore Jeifers, acting Secretary Of the Navy,
has approved the findings and appointed Mr.
John Sousa leader Of the band, vice schneider:
is incorrect in so far at least as the action Of
the acting secretary is concerned. The report
the Navy Department at noon today and conse'
auently no action has been taken there:
\ There are several names mentioned Tor the
vacancy, among them william Thierbaeh. whe
has been in charge Of the band since the sus
pension Of Prof. Schneider; Mr.. Petrola, an old
| nonhoP NJ the b6md and Mr.. John p. SOuDa,