The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1921-08-19
steve foster And old BLACK JOE
Still LIVE IN MEMORY ON BoNERY
Restaurant Keeper in Building Where He Rooed Tells About the
Unfortunate Songwriter- on the Street Recalls His
Pathetic Death-in Bad Fix all the Time.

the old wag. II was q youngster in
them days. Out for mischief all the
time. This part Of town was a wild
sort O. place then. 1 KEEP my eyes
open. There was war too between
North an South, an l was Twin with
Granny in one O. these old houses. I
don member when it was. Anyhow,
1854, wasn't itT' said l, anticipat-
Ing his tale.
"Don' matter" grumbled the old
fellow, disgruntled at being interrupt
ed. "Eh? Where was 1?''
ION cold winters morning."
limited mildly.
Il was small, sassy jaybird Of a
kid" chuckled the old fellow. II had
no business bein' out, but l was, an
I saw what happened at No. Is.
Never fergit it neither, long as l live.
l knew Steve. He and Teller called
George were pals. Steve roomed at
No. IS and George often came to
see him. Well 1 was messenger boy
an they called me that mOrnin'-now
member to fetch Mr.. George.
Steve Foster was cut up. Accident
Slash in his throat an blood a-comin'
out. Poor Teller used to sell songs.
Queer, he was, but l liked him, even
when he had lettle too much the
night before.
"Well, I saw him allyn on the
floor. He was a turrible banged up
an groanin'. Had no money nor
nothin'. Mr.. George had him took to
hospital. Next heard he was dead"
ut wasn't suicide was it?' asked.
mo, he jest fell an hit a pitcher, I
reckon"
did you hear him read ole Black
Joe'Y
Playing on the Banjo.
"Well, often see him playin' that
an other tunes on banjo or some
thin. You bet he gave me an awful
scare, an l never fergit 1t neither"
"Steve Foster was hard up to make
ends meet, wasn't hep
"He didn't" snickered the old fell
low. His songs-they couldn't bring
in the cash. an he drank rum to fill
up. He was in pretty bad fix all the
time. But he had good word for q
boy like me, even if I was sassy"
did you learn anything about
| him?' l queried relentlessly.
Il liked him, but there was lots OF
crazy ones about, an he was sac
an needed a couple @ jolly pals or {
| girl" declared the old fellow, winkin,
slyly.
"He had been married, you know,
said l, IAN his folks were of flint
stock, Pennsylvania and Maryland
He came from Pittsburgh. He mad.
| his money by composing songs till thu
Civil War"
"Well, he warn't maxim no none!
when I knows him." the old fellow
stoutly maintained. can he couldn'
go nOwheres to get free luncl
neither, nor stand in a bread line
There's that now, when Pm special.
hungry"
"You mean the Bowery Mission?
I suggested.
"Yep, up ways, where they ha
food, an singin', an talkin, an goo'
advice" said my informant. II goe
to 'em now an then; but has my saw
ms still. Oh, yes, an l aren't goin
to die of starvation neither, lik'
Steve Foster"
AS l left the old fellow on the cor
ner near No. Is Bowery, l won
dered whether any modern geniuses o.
Steve Fosters type were dying slOwl!
day by day somewhere along thu
Bowery, and whether they would, Il
possible, join free lunch bread line
endowed by Foster Fund, which hat
$4,000 yet to be raised. l secret.
wished the Bowery Mission luck IL
their enterprise, and thanked my STAR
all folks were not equally unfortunate
eff only l were millionaire"
unused, INSTEAD of--er-a cub re