The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
THE MAMMALIAN HERCULES
IMexico Correspondence New York Graphic.l

Mexico Correspondence New York Graphic
 Congratulate the art world A long lost or hidden treasure has just been found It happened in this wise: The Rev. Juan Graeco, chaplain of the church of San Diego in Tacubaya, ever ready to help the afflicted, accompanied one of his friends to the city for the purpose of aiding him to redeem certain effects which he had pawned, and while that friend was talking to the pawnbroker Padre Graeco, carelessly glancing at the motley heaps of goods carclessly piled up ill the inner "store-r0om, observed a diminutive, dust-covered statue and asked permission to examine it.
 The pawnbroker dragged the statue copper wiped it off with bit of car peting, and ,aid grumblingly, That thing seems fated to stick to me twelve years ago I Was fool enough to loan a man S36 on 1t, believing that it was val uabie, but l have never been able to sell it. l still believe 1t has some merit and will let you have it for $25.
 Padre Graeoo, who is cultivated man -a connoisseur-said, 1t is really a valuable work of art. l will mention it to some of my parishioners and may possibly be able to send you purchaser. The sole difficulty is my fear that it is stolen property, else l would take it now
 Perhaps it did not belong to the in dividual who pledged it, responded the pawnbroker. but had it for years in the outer shop, and had any search been made, there it was for the owner to reclaim. l advanced the man (whom l believed to be the owner) $36; he never appeared to redeem it, therefore it be- came mine legitimately by the lapse of time"
 The padre still felt some scruples and refused to take the coveted statue but subsequently, having consulted some friends, among whom was distinguished lawyer he decided to buy and resell it i'll order to pay off a certain lien upon the new chapel which has just been ad- ded to the old church of san Diego.
 The statue is Hercules of Jasper three feet high and the workmanship is exquisite.
 When the good Padre Juan Graeco exhibited his art treasure, several Impe- rialists at once recognized it as one of Maximilian especial gems \ Mexi- can gentleman who had lived in the i'm perial court says: That Hercules was found in Pompeii and presented to the Emperor MaXimilian mother by member of the royal family of Naples, and she gave it to her son years before he came to Mexico"
 This account may be true and is a thousand times more probable than the ridiculous story ahoat to the effect that the statue is the work of Phidias. and has belonged to the House of Hapsbure for centuries. Had the Romans brought this Hercules from Greece to adorn the Eternal City, and had it ever found its way to Austria, the art world would long ago have been cognizant of the fact The probabilities are that it was found i'll Pompeii.
 General Jesus Lalanne, governor of state, offered Padre Juan $4 000 for the statue; the offer has been declined. There may yet arise some question as to ownership, for it is quite probable that confusion which prevailed immediately after the execution of the unfortunate emperor. On the other hand Maxi milan may have given this jasper statue to some faithful friend or officer, who becoming poor, was obliged to pawn it, and either had not means to redeem it at the proper time, or perhaps died.
 Just before his execution, the empe- TOT gave several valuable articles to of ticials who had served him well. Your correspondent has seen three of these souvenirs
 The mystery connected with the long hidden Hercules will doubtless soon be explained