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My guess is that the tune is in E, the recording not being pitch corrected.  We do hear a low B in addition.  In fact, it we now know that George Dudley, the harp guitarist, played his sub-basses on every recording.

"St. Louis Tickle" was well-known in its day by a number of different titles, including "The Funky Butt."

The following information is from Fine Fretted Stringed Instruments:

Vess L. Ossman was rightly called The Banjo King-he would play theaters in New York for 20 weeks straight. At this time virtuosos like Ossman used gut strings-no twang here-more like a pizzicato, but a little brighter.

Sylvester “Vess” Louis Ossman was born on August 21, 1868 in Hudson, New York. In 1880 he began to study the banjo. After a couple of teachers, in 1886 he met with E. M. Hall who was a renowned banjoist,and together they engaged in professional work. Ossman said to Walter Jacobs, the publisher of the Cadenza magazine, that 1888 was his peak year. By the 1890’s he became the best selling maker of banjo records. In the 1896 Columbia catalog of cylinder recordings there were 15 of his songs listed.

Ossman had the honor of appearing before President Theodore Roosevelt, with whom he scored a big hit with “Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight”. In 1903 or 1904 he entertained King Edward VII in two command performances. While in England he played at the Palace, Tivoli & Alhambra theaters as well as other famous music halls.

In the course of his career he performed with other celebrated banjoists such as Parke Hunter (Jack Tar March on this CD), then William “Bill” Farmer. In 1904 he formed his “Ossman Banjo Trio” with Hunter & Farmer.

In 1906 the Ossman-Dudley Trio (banjo, mandolin and harp-guitar)
was formed and they recorded dozens of titles for Columbia & Victor records.

Vess Ossman was a friend of Clifford Essex and in his studio they were joined by other English luminaries such as Charlie Rogers, Joe Morley & Burt Earle. In an interview published at the time, Vess said: “I’m addicted to grace notes & appoggiaturas and like to play them on the 5th string, because it is so taut”.
It appears that the 1893 photo shows Vess playing a Morrison, 22 fret banjo. Thomas E. Gylnn was another of the many banjoists, with whom Ossman collaborated.

Vess L. Ossman died on December 8, 1923, one week after appearing for a charity at a theater in Minneapolis, where he had taken ill. The fame which Ossman enjoyed, at times got him bookings in theaters for a length of 20 weeks (McGown’s Pass, Central Park, New York-Cadenza magazine Sept. 1908).