Evening star., 1929-11-15
NATIONAL ANTHEM
ORIGIN IS CLEARED
Keys Great Grandson Says
Author Was Aboard Ameri-
can Vessel Under Guard.

Newly discovered facts indicate that
Francis Scott Key was prisoner ABOARD
q small American vessel when he wrote
THE Star Spangled Banner" during the
War of 1912, his great-grandson, Fran
els S. Key-Smith Washington lawyer,
revealed in a recent address here.
Citing conflicting views, Mr.. Key
Smith declared that "when all the evil
denceS are examined and considered, 1t
can be stated without fear of contradic-
ton, that Key and his party were not
aboard British Tnan-of-War during the
time they witnessed the bombardment
of Fort McHenry, but were aboard the
little American vessel upon which they
had made the trip down the bay from
Baltimore to visit the British fleet.
"As most accounts written and pub
1ished on the subject place them aboard
some vessel named the Minden, while
no documentary evidence has as yet
been discovered which would definitely
establish the name Of the vessel, the
probabilities are, and the writer is in
clined to hold with ESmeraldo Boyle, the
British admiralty and other early writer's
that the little vessel or cattleship was
named the Minden."
Prisoners Release Sought.
Mr.. Key-Smith explained the stirring
circumstances which gave his great
ing of the national anthem. Francis
Scott Key. an eminent lawyer, was ap-
pealed to by relatives of his friend DR..
William Beanes, to negotiate for the re-
lease of the physician after he was cap
tured by the British and held as a priS-
oner for having caused the arrest of
stragglerS of the English army.
Through skillful dickering Key and
his companion on the mission, Col. John
s. Skinner obtained promise from the
commanding officer of the British to re-
lease DR.. BeaneS. However, the physi-
clan, Key and Col. Skinner were or
dered detained under guard until after
an attack the invaders contemplated
making on Baltimore. It was while
prisoner, the speaker pointed out, that
Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort
McHenry and during the night knew
from "the rockets red glare, the bombs
bursting in air our flag was
still there"
Mr.. Key-Smith explained that the
music adapted to the words of the his
toric song was the tune by which an
old English song Of that day, entitled
TO Anacreon in Heaven was sung"
Objection IncOnsequential.
The speaker added there has been
some objection to the music on account
of this, but when 1t is remembered that
this piece of music, like its original
words, would have long since been lost
in oblivion but for becoming the air
of our national anthem the objection is
inconsequential. The music, a classical
piece in itself and excellently adapted
to the words, was reincarnated and
Americanized when it became the music
of "The Star Spangled Banner" and
illustrates the ability to adapt without
obsequiously following.
How it came to be selected as the
air for the words seems now also to
admit Of some doubt. Family tradition.
however, has it that Ferdinand Durand
and his brother, musicians, playing at
the Holiday Street Theater in Balti-
more, upon seeing the words in print,
tried them to first one piece of music
and another until 1t was found they
best fitted the air of 'Anacreon in
Heaven to which it was sung that eve
ming upon the stage of the Holiday
Street Theater, and from thence it be-
came, and was acclaimed, the national
anthem Of America, the land OF the
free and the home Of the brave"
Mr.. Key-Smith viii deliver the lee
tnre again tonight at William and
Mary College, in Williamsburg, Va.