[Thomas Wiggins]

Thomas Wiggins (1849-1908), also known as "Blind Tom" and Thomas Bethune, was a blind slave and a piano prodigy who would probably be categorized today as an autistic savant; his contemporaries called him an "inspired idiot" and "freak pianist." His owner, James Bethune, early discovered and cultivated Wiggins's peculiar musical talents-he could play any piece of music on the piano after hearing it just once, and started composing at age six. From 1857 on, Bethune hired Wiggins out to concert promoters and soon was making a great deal of money from his slave's musical talents. Bethune persuaded Wiggins's parents to sign a contract stipulating that Wiggins would stay under Bethune's management and that Bethune would continue to keep almost all of the money from Wiggins's performances.
On the back of this carte is an account of Wiggins's performance: "Tom will play two tunes and sing a third at the same time, and let the audience choose the keys he shall perform in. I heard him play 'Fisher's Hornpipe' with his right hand in two sharps (D), and 'Yankee Doodle' with his left in three flats (E flat), and sing 'Tramp, tramp, tramp, the Boys are Marching,' in the key of C-all at the same time."