A COMPOSER'S TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1922, Page 12

A COMPOSER'S TRAGEDY

Many New York people were shocked recently-by .the ..disclosure that Paul Barnes, whose name as a composer of the'/sbngj "Good-bye, Dolly. Gray," was famous-, in ' theatrical circles here only two decades ago;. • died, recently in tho State Asylum—insane, , blind, and a pauper. .' Mr, .Barnes .was buried in the Potter's Field, unknown and unmourned except by his wife, who had steadfastly stood by the husband whom she had married when he ; was wealthy, and bravely fought off approaching poverty for the last ten years. '"Dolly Gray" was .the battle-chant of the American soldiers and sailors in the SpanishAmerican war. Mrs. Barnes, then Phyllis ■ Ruffel; kept up interest in "the song long afterwards by her dashing rendering, and later introduced many other popular son^s, fifty of which her husband composed. Mr. Barnes, whose real name was George Feger, lost alarge sum jvhen his,, music publishing firm failed in 1902. In, an effort to recoup their lost fortunes, Mr. and Mrs. Barnes went, to England, whoro they were successful in a skit written by Mr. Barnes, until the war intervened. Re. ''turning t6 America in 1917, they found that .':tb"*y were ."old-fashioned." " and their vaudeville engagements were cancelled.