Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1886 — A Voice Left by Will. [ARTICLE]

A Voice Left by Will.

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1 bate known many singers in my day and heard many stories about them and their voices, but I have never heard ©f but one case where a man willed his voice to another,” said Mr. L. E. Gannon, the barytone, in talking with your correspondent recently. “ ‘Slier’ Campbell, the barytone, who with William T. Castle did so much in making English opera a success in this country,” said Mr. Gannon, “was raised in Salem, Mass., the place where Lhail from. Before Campbell and Castle began singing in opera they were ballad singers in a minstrel troupe, and excellent ones, too. On their lirst trip to the Pacific coast they were in a party which included John Hecker, who had a magnificent barytone voice. At that time both Campbell and Castle were tenor singers. Campbell’s voice was even high r than that of Castle. Hecker got sick and had to be left on the way. He died soon afterward. He felt that he was going to die, and told all the members of the troupe that tney would never see him again alive. As Campbell was leaving him he said: ‘Johnny, you can leave me in your will that pin (a small diamond he wore), but what I would prize more, if you could \v 11 it to me, would be your voice. lam tired of singing tenor.’ Well, the minstrel party went to San Francisco. While there word came that Johnny Hecker had died. Some weeks afterward Campbell received the diamond pin, which Jo nny direc ed should be sent him. With it was a note stating that as he (Campbell) had asked for the pin it would be sent him after Ins (Hecker’s) death. The note ended: ‘I also will you my voice, which you also asked for.’ Campbell was very much affected by the message. He talked of nothing else all that day and far into the night. When he woke the following morning he had a barytone voice. His voice had changed from a tenor to a barytone.” New York Herald.