Thomas (Wiggins) Bethune (?), a slave during the Civil War (who died in
Hoboken, NJ in 1908), performed his compositions for his owner who used the
money thus earned to finance the Confederate cause...or so I heard on the
public radio program this evening, in the course of which music said to be
composed by him (all piano) was played.  I liked it.  It reminded me of
Gottschalk.

Has anybody else heard of him? Is he genuine? Is this a hoax? (He is
referred to by some as an idiot savant.) Have only I not heard of him
before?

Walter Meyer