Evening star., 1926-04-18

and q local organiSt OF prominence
who died yesterday at his residence.
1880 New York avenue, following .
stroke of apoplexy Friday night, will
be cremated here Tuesday. The
funeral arrangements have been de
ferred awaiting responses to kilograms
to his two brothers who reside in New
York State.
prof. Walter was born ina New
York State and came to Washing
ton to reside about 80 years ago, To-
eating at the place where he died yes
terday. He was a man who loved
the outdoor life and is remembered by
many as wearing knickerbockers, and
in all kinds of weather enjoying
spin on his bicycle along the smooth
street,. Prof. Walter was an en-
thusiastic musician and was regarded
in musical circles as one OF the fore
most orga niSts of the country. For
almost 25 years he was the organist at
All Souls Church, where President
Taft worships, and was also the
for the Washington Hebrew
at the Eighth Street
Temple for more than 20 years. To
him is ascribed the honor of designing
and planning for the installation OF
the big pipe organ in that temple.
Prof. Walters death was great
shock 10 his wide circle of friends in
this city for he had been in his Gus
tomary good health up to the day OF
the fatal stroke. Prof. Walter was
about 60 years of age, and lived in the
large frame house just west OF
Corcoran Gallery Of Art on New York
avenue. apart from kith and kin. He
is survived by two sisters. Mrs. L. O..
Schafer of this city and another who
resides in Philadelphia. and by two
IL 1n IN
State"
IN The Star Of Monday, March 13
L 1911, read that Prof Walters
funeral will be held at All Souls
Church, that Rabbi Stern will assist.
and that the Rev. Ulysses G. 3.
Pierce. the pastor. or the Rev. Wilson
NJ. Backus, pastor pro tenn, Will Off
ciate. 1t is written that Eugene
Walter, borther of George, and Madi-
son Ham. an uncle, ARE expected TO
arrive from New York tonight
DIR. George Walter was we'll read I'm
scientific and romantic English liter.
ature. His native intellect was above
that of many other professional men.
His preliminary schooling had been
adequate and the world was a school
whose classes he attended all his life.
He was different from that man who,
after four years of rah, rah, rah. foot
ball, fraternity dances and attendance
at series of lectures on the Ancient
Civilization of the Penguins" OF
"Etymology of Verbs in the Choctaw
Tongue" has completed his educa-
ton" He collected q music library OF
5000 volumes. He was interested and
sometimes absorbed in mathematics.
and one of his hobbies was optics. He
was a skilled penman. but, of course
my readers consider that Of no &C
count. Penmanship is on the scrap
heap. Il is almost in the garbage can.
Any sort OF business or professional
man hires a girl to put his splendid
thoughts on the typewriter. Some OF
these secretaries are a great help to
fellows who cannot spell.
George liked to say unexpected
things. 4 man said: ''Dr. Walter. l
am going to write a critique of your
concert and say that you are the best
orga in Washington
please don't" said George. "TelI
them that I am the best bicyciist" :"
DR.. Walter made a collection-col-
lected in strange ways and places
of bells and gongs. arranged in So
quence of tone. l do not know how
many octaves long the queer instru-
ment was. but several. II was COM
plete but for one note, and he kept his
ear alert for that for months. One
day he sprang from a chair and
rushed into the alley where an ash
cart was passing and the ashman's
gong was sounding. George had
heard it afar. 1t was the missing
note. The astounded ashman would
not part with his gong. but the num-
ber of the cart was taken, the gons
was secured from the boss ash col
lector and George felt like victor.
,; !: * =
IF YOU have forgot Leo Wheat COM
poser. organist and pianist. let me
recall him. He had large. lustrous
eyes which told his emotions. and he
was a man Of many emotions. He
had a symmetrical face. with a clear
formed nose and a mouth which / find
hard to tell you of without using the
worn phrases finely chiseleG, "sensi-
lively nodded etc. 1t was not one
of those mouths which suggest that
the owner thinks most Of custard pie
and beef stew and which is a mouth
usually associated with an ill-modulat-
ed voice. clumsy enunciation and de
fective accent. His hair was black
and his skin pale. The forehead was
wide and high enough. remember
that Leo Wheat's face sometimes
made ME think of the picture of
Edgar Allan Poe. and at other times
Wheats face seemed like that OF
Edwin Booth. You see. I am trying
hard to show you that Leo Wheat had
fine features and an intellectual coun-
tenance. In youth he was a musician
of uncommon talent, and with poetry
and fancy in his fingers. When |
came to know him he was on the
farther side of mid-life. / used to
watch his hands and they seemed to
be as expressive as any / had seen.
He was a companionable man and did
not seem to take his art very seri-
ously. though. Of course, it was all in
the world to him. He played with
sentiment that touched listeners. and
he played that way because he was
born that way. Leo Wheat left his
old companions in 1906 and died in
1915. How the years slip. He lived
73 years. Let me pass over to You
this, from The Star. March 25. 1915:
Leo Wheat. composer and organist
and who a. few years ago was recos-
nized as one of the most prominent
musicians of the South, died early
this morning. Death was due to In
r1rmitieS of age, although the illness
which was Immediately responsible
for his death developed about a week
ago. Mr.. Wheat was attended by DR..
Cary T. Grayson, White House ply
sician. Arrangements for the funeral
have not been completed. Interment
will be in Glenwood cemetery.
"Mr. Wheat was born in Memphis.
Tenn, May .. 1S41. He was the son
of the late Rev. J. T. Wheat, who
was a minister of the Episcopal
Church and also for many years pro-
fessor of English in the University of
Il 7
ceived his education. A brother, Mai
Hobideau Wheat, commanded bat
talon of the Louisiana Tigers in the
Civil War. Mr.. Wheat studied music
at Leipzig, where he was classmate
ana intimate friend of Sir Arthur Sui