USA: Newark cabbie rewarded with musical performance for returning 4 million U.S. dollar violin

Record ID: 862330

  • Title: USA: Newark cabbie rewarded with musical performance for returning 4 million U.S. dollar violin
  • Date: 8th May 2008
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF VIOLINIST PHILIPPE QUINT AND GUITARIST MICHAEL BACON PERFORMING, COUPLE DANCING (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9N9G9TEC9SDMB815T7RCAOGGO
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  • Story Text: Grammy nominee Philippe Quint performs for Mohammed Khalil and other Newark taxi drivers in gratitude for returning his estimated 4 million U.S. dollar "Ex-Keisewetter" violin.
    Mohammed Khalil, a taxi driver in Newark, New Jersey, received a special performance Tuesday (May 6) from Grammy nominee Philippe Quint, all thanks to being an honest citizen.
    Quint, long hailed as a brilliant and admired violinist, wanted to thank the cab driver for returning his 4 million U.S. dollar violin, which he accidentally left in the back of Khalil's cab.
    "I certainly wasn't planning on leaving it in the cab," Quint said. " I was retrieving my bags from the trunk and I put them off the road. When I turned back I already saw the cab very much in the distance."
    Quint frantically called Newark's taxi department, and after 5 painstaking hours discovered that Mohammed had found the instrument. Khalil told reporters about Quint's reaction to retrieving the valuable instrument: "He told me, 'You know, Mohammed, I was thinking about if I didn't find it I have to commit suicide because nobody would believe that I lost it.
    They're gonna believe that I stole it.' Because he knows that it's very valuable, he knows that it means a lot, a lot of money."
    The violin, which is privately owned, is estimated at a worth of 4 million U.S. dollars. Created by craftsman Antonio Stradivari in 1723, the "Ex-Keisewetter" was crafted during Stradivari's "Golden Period," when the artist was known for creating his best stringed musical instruments because of their almost perfect shape and sound. There are estimated to be only a few of the "Golden Period" pieces left in existence.
    As a thanks to returning such a valuable item, Quint performed for Mohammed and his fellow cab drivers at Newark International Airport, the location where Quint had misplaced it. Fellow taxi drivers joined in clapping, and even dancing to the performance, which included a few songs with fellow musician Michael Bacon.
    Ebenezer Sarpeh, an eight-year veteran taxi driver originally from Ghana in West Africa, applauded Mohammed's honesty, citing his encouragement to other drivers.
    "Mohammed is very enticing and very encouraging. You know things like this encourage drivers to be honest as they do all the time, from time to time," he said.
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