The Hungarian boys' band Under the direction of
 Niklas SCHILZONYI and the tutelage of Herr A. NUßBAUM.
Burlington Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, April 3, 1898
Published at DVHH.org 07 May 2007 by Jody McKim Pharr

The Hungarian boys' band has just concluded a two weeks' engagement at the Columbia theater at St. Louis. On the program the band is called "Kaiser Franz Josef's Husaren Knaben Kapelle." Under the direction of Niklas SCHILZONYI and the tutelage of Herr A. NUßBAUM. The band was composed of forty young boys* whom Gustav Walter has brought from a military school in Southern Hungary. None of the boys appear to be over twelve years of age and they travel under the same rigid discipline which characterized their life in the school of their native land. Like well trained soldiers, they stand at "attention" and salute their director whenever he pauses them. The boys were secured for a two years' American tour only after great labor and much diplomacy on the part of the manager. Most of the lads are sons of soldiers, and many of them are orphans placed in the military school to be trained as army musicians. Before the government would consent to their leaving the school Mr. Walter had to deposit 20,000 gulden (about $8,500) as a guarantee that he would fulfill the terms of the contract made with the authorities. These terms covered a period of two years and provide not only for the maintenance of the boys under certain rigid conditions, but also for their proper education in both music and the language.