Custom Violin found by Bag lady

[Merlot]

A guy left his custom violin at a streetcar stop. He has posted a large reward of $1000.

A couple saw a bag lady carring it in her life belongings adn offered he $35 for it. Now they are returning it to the owner adn collecting $1000 reward.

Life isn't fair adn you have to look out for yourself an family but my conscience wouldn't allow me to keep all the reward without giving th ebag lady moreor the shelter she may stay in etc..

Any thoughts on this?

[dks_34]

A guy left his custom violin at a streetcar stop. He has posted a large reward of $1000.

A couple saw a bag lady carring it in her life belongings adn offered he $35 for it. Now they are returning it to the owner adn collecting $1000 reward.

Life isn't fair adn you have to look out for yourself an family but my conscience wouldn't allow me to keep all the reward without giving th ebag lady moreor the shelter she may stay in etc..

Any thoughts on this?

I hope the bag lady gets the money. I'm sure the couple knew how much the reward is worth.

[Golden Bear]

Is there an article about this somewhere? I'm not getting enough information from the OP.

Did they buy it from her knowing there was a reward?

If not, then after they bought it and found out there was a reward, was there any way of finding the homeless woman to give her a cut?

Has the couple commented on why they chose to share or not to share the money with the homeless woman?

How did we find out about this story in the first place?

[Merlot]

Is there an article about this somewhere? I'm not getting enough information from the OP.

Did they buy it from her knowing there was a reward?

If not, then after they bought it and found out there was a reward, was there any way of finding the homeless woman to give her a cut?

Has the couple commented on why they chose to share or not to share the money with the homeless woman?

How did we find out about this story in the first place?

It was just reported by CTV and the head anchor read it as if it was no big deal or anything suspect about it.

The way in which it was worded, the couple new there was a reward, that's why they took notice of the baglady having it and offered to buy it on the spot for $35. Obviously a good deal for a violin of most any quality I would think. But anyway...

It's the first I have heard of it but the anchor also made it sound like it had been reported in the news somewhat because of the owners sad story regarding the losing of a custom violin during other things happening in his life stress or something to that effect.

oh hear is something. haven't read it yet.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/412783

[Golden Bear]

If that's what happened, it's a wee bit tacky.

I'm just wondering, though ... if you're going to hose a homeless person by paying $35 for something without telling them they can get $1000 for it ... Why the heck would they tell people they bought it from the homeless lady? Why wouldn't they just say they found it on the bus? If they're going to be jerks, they shouldn't tell people about it!

[Merlot]

the wife says she didn't know about the reward. maybe. But th eman who got the reward also says he knows the baglady likes coffee and smokes alot. Sure he could find her again.

See what happens. Did I read that article correctly? The husband knew and that why he called his wife?

HAHA. They are going to Vegas with the money. Yes, its good this is reported Golden Bear so people can tease them about it.:$ :(

[Clevelandfan]

It sounds like from the story a) he didn't know the amount of the reward and b) he called the musician before getting it off the bag lady so the musician could have gone looking himself.
I don't think they did anything wrong and certainly for their time and effort it is a very reasonable reward for them to keep

[Merlot]

It sounds like from the story a) he didn't know the amount of the reward and b) he called the musician before getting it off the bag lady so the musician could have gone looking himself.
I don't think they did anything wrong and certainly for their time and effort it is a very reasonable reward for them to keep

Maybe, maybe not. Here is a quote from the Star article.


"Wayne Wulff was heading to work Saturday when he saw an oblong beige case sticking out of a local bag lady's shopping cart. He thought nothing of it until he got off the streetcar at the same stop where Wallenberg lost his violin. Wallenberg had posted a sign there asking for its safe return. The sign said there was a reward but not that it was $1,000."

He does deserve some reward considering he would go out of his way to get a viloin for a stranger not knowing what the reward is. Could have been $50. He is a true samaritan if story is exactly as written in article.

If the samaratin would have know how much it was worth(violin), he could have kept it for awhile then sold for big bucks! Then he coul dstay in a nice room in Vegas and hire the prettiest ladies instead of some cheap package deal.:rofl:

For that matter, the baglady's misery would have company(violinist) though they both wouldn't know it(company) nor would they know how much fun the samaritan was having in Vegas.;) :rofl:

[BowmanvilleJim]

Everyone is happy in the end. The bag lady is up $35, the guy is up $965 and the owner got his valuable violin back for $1000.

[Merlot]

Everyone is happy in the end. The bag lady is up $35, the guy is up $965 and the owner got his valuable violin back for $1000.

What you don't know won't hurt you as they say. Plus she got a nice shiny ring!:rofl:

[Golden Bear]

It sounds to me as though, for the most part, they did nothing wrong, and in fact, were being pretty good citizens ... though they were probabnly motivated by the unspecified reward.

The "wrong" part comes if they have no intention of giving the homeless woman a cut. If I were in their situation, I would have done everything as they had done, but upon receipt of the reward would be trying to find the woman to give her a share.

To be fair, it was the couple who discovered it was a missing violin and did the work to get it back to its owner -- the bag lady just picked it up, kept it, and sold it when someone offered her money. So, it's not like she was being a good samaritan in helping to get it back to its owner. But she didn't get fair value for the violin.

Of course, there may be sides to this story that we don't know, and that the people in the story don't want to advertise. Perhaps the owner felt that his violin was stolen ... he advertised it as "lost" because he just wanted it back and didn't care if the thief profitted. Or perhaps the violin had the owner's name and address in it, and the lady was in a position to return it to its rightful owner and elected not to. But that's pure speculation.

[sharkhark]

Gee and how about doing what I would do....give the bag lady the same$$$ the guy did.....then....return it for nothing. Just because a guy advertised a reward doesn't mean you have to take it.
Do we as a modern society not have people who just do things to be nice?

Part of me initially thought give the bag lady the full reward then it dawned on me, why take any money off the guy who lost it?

I returned a wallet once that had a load of cash in it. Guy offered me $500 compensation. I said whether that was easily affordable by him, or not, I didn't want a dime.
Karma, what goes around comes around. It also happens in golf. I have never kept a single item I found and yet countless people, including friends of mine, yell 'score' when the find something. Sad.

(PS except a beaten up monkey headcover I forgot to drop in pro shop.....anyone a monkey fan? :) )

[Merlot]

It sounds to me as though, for the most part, they did nothing wrong, and in fact, were being pretty good citizens ... though they were probabnly motivated by the unspecified reward.

The "wrong" part comes if they have no intention of giving the homeless woman a cut. If I were in their situation, I would have done everything as they had done, but upon receipt of the reward would be trying to find the woman to give her a share.

To be fair, it was the couple who discovered it was a missing violin and did the work to get it back to its owner -- the bag lady just picked it up, kept it, and sold it when someone offered her money. So, it's not like she was being a good samaritan in helping to get it back to its owner. But she didn't get fair value for the violin.

Of course, there may be sides to this story that we don't know, and that the people in the story don't want to advertise. Perhaps the owner felt that his violin was stolen ... he advertised it as "lost" because he just wanted it back and didn't care if the thief profitted. Or perhaps the violin had the owner's name and address in it, and the lady was in a position to return it to its rightful owner and elected not to. But that's pure speculation.

And people think Native Canadians have a claim. :hush: :rofl: It is true. Ignorance is no defense.

I would have given the baglady back something. Maybe some new blankets and clothes. Things she could really use in case wasted the money on booze or drugs as some may say as reason not to give her anything..

Maybe they will. Maybe they were jusy nice people who went $1000 out of thier way(according to Clevelandfan) to return a violin to a stranger not knowing if the reward would add up to $35 and a shiny ring.

[Bellyhungry]

I have a violin at home, 9.5/10, only needs a tune up...$300. Any taker?

[Merlot]

Gee and how about doing what I would do....give the bag lady the same$$$ the guy did.....then....return it for nothing. Just because a guy advertised a reward doesn't mean you have to take it.
Do we as a modern society not have people who just do things to be nice?

Part of me initially thought give the bag lady the full reward then it dawned on me, why take any money off the guy who lost it?

I returned a wallet once that had a load of cash in it. Guy offered me $500 compensation. I said whether that was easily affordable by him, or not, I didn't want a dime.
Karma, what goes around comes around. It also happens in golf. I have never kept a single item I found and yet countless people, including friends of mine, yell 'score' when the find something. Sad.

(PS except a beaten up monkey headcover I forgot to drop in pro shop.....anyone a monkey fan? :) )

You are right IMO. Just get back the $35 and the shiny ring value. Clearly not worth replacing for the couple..

As far as karma is concerned, don't give them any money to bet for you in Vegas.:rofl:

I have a violin at home, 9.5/10, only needs a tune up...$300. Any taker?

$35 and a shiny ring is my best and last offer. Now quoted and documented forever.;) :rofl:

[Golden Bear]

Gee and how about doing what I would do....give the bag lady the same$$$ the guy did.....then....return it for nothing. Just because a guy advertised a reward doesn't mean you have to take it.
Do we as a modern society not have people who just do things to be nice?



Very good point.

Personally I wouldn't ask for a reward -- if I could return something I'd just do it. I'd get the guy his violin and wouldn't even bring up the reward that was offered. If he then pulled out his wallet I might say, "oh, you don't have to do that", but would accept the reward when it was re-offered. Something to remember is that when people are giving you a reward, they're doing it out of genuine gratitude -- it's a monetary expression of genuine emotion. The giver feels better about giving that reward than having that reward declined.

[Merlot]

Very good point.

Personally I wouldn't ask for a reward -- if I could return something I'd just do it. I'd get the guy his violin and wouldn't even bring up the reward that was offered. If he then pulled out his wallet I might say, "oh, you don't have to do that", but would accept the reward when it was re-offered. Something to remember is that when people are giving you a reward, they're doing it out of genuine gratitude -- it's a monetary expression of genuine emotion. The giver feels better about giving that reward than having that reward declined.

Thats so true. Another good point to consider. This thread wasn't so bad after all. :)

I hope the bag lady gets the money. I'm sure the couple knew how much the reward is worth.

In the end I hope she gets something too. See if this story has some legs in the press.

[golfpal]

Heard on the radio this morning an interview with the Violin guy. He is from the philharmonic and his violin was commissioned to be built by an Italian violin maker by his mother so it is valued at about 77,000 he says or insured for. It is very sentimental to him. If he has the money and the guy went to the trouble to know about it and get it back I think he deserves the money. He said he believed he didn't know the amount of the reward when he retrieved the violin or if it was even this guys violin so that's why he gave her the 35 dollars and a ring. who knows it might have been just a violin she picked up? But now he knows the bag lady sometimes sees her around and he is going to get her some food stamps or is going to help her in that regard now. Considering his name is published and everyone now knows the story I think it's kind of wierd he actually did an amazing good deed he did find the violin which the man may never have known about or gotten back and everyone was happy. So because of the amount of the reward he is looked bad upon I think that's wrong. He did a good deed and should be compensated. I know if I had lost something that sentimental and have money the people deserve a reward for their time and effort and being observant. Just to get the item back can be worth so much more sometimes. The bag lady just picked it up and didn't really do anything more. It was his knowledge that got her some money too. So I think it's a good thing he was going back when he found out the sum to give her a little more. But rightfully its his reward.

[Merlot]

Heard on the radio this morning an interview with the Violin guy. He is from the philharmonic and his violin was commissioned to be built by an Italian violin maker by his mother so it is valued at about 77,000 he says or insured for. It is very sentimental to him. If he has the money and the guy went to the trouble to know about it and get it back I think he deserves the money. He said he believed he didn't know the amount of the reward when he retrieved the violin or if it was even this guys violin so that's why he gave her the 35 dollars and a ring. who knows it might have been just a violin she picked up? But now he knows the bag lady sometimes sees her around and he is going to get her some food stamps or is going to help her in that regard now. Considering his name is published and everyone now knows the story I think it's kind of wierd he actually did an amazing good deed he did find the violin which the man may never have known about or gotten back and everyone was happy. So because of the amount of the reward he is looked bad upon I think that's wrong. He did a good deed and should be compensated. I know if I had lost something that sentimental and have money the people deserve a reward for their time and effort and being observant. Just to get the item back can be worth so much more sometimes. The bag lady just picked it up and didn't really do anything more. It was his knowledge that got her some money too. So I think it's a good thing he was going back when he found out the sum to give her a little more. But rightfully its his reward.

The vilolinist was on Oakly this morning. He said he told the the guy how much the reward was when he first called him and said that he might have found the violin but not in his hands yet.

The guy said he didn't know until after he he actually got the violin.

Hopefully he gives her something more and lives up to his word which may or may not be very good.

Come to think of it, we do live a democratic capitalist system. Considering that, the bag lady just wasn't very good capitalizing on a situation.:D

[Big Shooter]

This all smacks of that guy earlier this winter, who had his dog stolen, and flew back from Florida to post a reward, then when someone came forward to collect the rewards, turns out they were involved in the theft of the dog and ended up bding charged.

Hope this is not the case (pun intended) this time! :cool:

[Merlot]

This all smacks of that guy earlier this winter, who had his dog stolen, and flew back from Florida to post a reward, then when someone came forward to collect the rewards, turns out they were involved in the theft of the dog and ended up bding charged.

Hope this is not the case (pun intended) this time! :cool:

Never thought of that. Maybe. Now he will have to produce the bag lady!:rofl: