The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-15
FAMOUS ONCE. NOW A sor.
Inompson, the Great Sculptor.
sent to Blackwell's Island.
New York Wo,,a

"A
Launt Thompson, the Great sculrter.
sent to Blsckwell's Island.
New York World.
Laune thompson, the sculptor and
Academician, stood yesterday in the ner ~
the Jefferson market police conrt (,n.
would hardly have singled him ont Az All.
iereht IN any way from his companions n
misery. His unshaven face was adorned
with moustache and long. thin imner;al
ms ciothing was Of common quality, and
he wore soiled flannel shirt. Vet h;s
artistic hand has chiseiled MANY famous
pieces of sculpture.
Mr. Thompson had a room in the anar.-
ments OF John Snedecor. who ;s aixo !.
sculptor, at No. 178 Fifth avenue for
number OF years. He had been drint;uv
with more than usual abandon for tbe LAT
TWO or three weeks, and on Tuesday night
nau an attack OF delirium tremens. He
declared he would kill Mr.. Snedecor. and.
after smashing things up pretty gcner-
ally, was seized with the idea that he was
being pursued by fiends, and barricaded
ms door to keep them out. A policcman,s
aid was invoked, the door was broken
open ana the sculptor was found in bed.
ne sala ne had not been smashing the
furniture, and in proof thereof said
there was nofurniture In the room 10 break
his argument did not hold good. for there
IS some very beautiful furniture there. and
thompson was marched off to the Jefferson
market police station, where he was locked
up for the night. Mr.. Snedecor appeared
against him yesterday morning and re-
guested Justice German TO send him TO the
isiand for month. He said that Thomp-
for{fx <<rl 4. M
judge granted his request and ThompxoI,
was committed for month, ut the expira-
ton OF which time he win be examined as
to his sanity
II have known Thompson since 1854.
said Mr.. Snedecor to World reporter yes
terday, land am about the only friend he
has left. It's another case of man of gem
ius sacrificing friends, fame and fortune to
drink. Thompson Is connected with some
of the best people in New York. He has
been drinking 20 excess for fifteen years.
His wife, who is sister of Bishop Potter.
still sticks to him, although they have not
lived together since 1851.
"Launt Thompson was an Irish lad, who
came to this country when very young.
He studied anatomy in the Albany Medi-
cal college in 1855, and later studied scuip-
ture with Palmer at the same place. He
remained with him for nine years. after
ing n member IF the Acada,,,v ~ 49,.
here. He was elected an Acasiem;c;ar 81
afterwards yice-presidenf of the arnder'v
He went to Florence, Italy, in 1870 taking
his wife and their two children. His life
there was an odd one. He kept aloof from
other artists and sculptors, but was very
intimate with Louis Lang, the Oldest resi-
dent American artist in italy. IA wos,la
20 on sprees desn;fe tho mosf .arncs+
efforts az b}s w;fa - 49,
went him. Another child Hi
1es horn in Florence He had marv -,
4 80 from American patrons while there
ri AegIected his work. This was narfiv
fI3HSs ~ drink and nartlv hocanae "a M.
E2i - - Observation-Disclosures I $500 ,s,., -
kl15 - I'D six or eight ~ yer :
srnSf( Mat he couh ems 81 II
two, ~ - ..,rr :, - 2seSs sse96.
he ain ~ u r II
Thev r. - F.
over ia e S.5{75
ucatine ffa 81 6ed4 ||1|I 81
some income r own. SheS Mini
regularlv everv1I1ek and II s ~
Ills II viii he 4 bIn~ n i her ~ ma
inr--weil everything fhnt bas 6s65@ ~
s9Tbomnson was very Intimate wifh *
elder Rennett ~ the Hercd and m.sae Z
hust of Elaine 4 character IN Tnnnvso,,s~
sTdvls of tbe Zinc far Iamea Gordon RS,,-
nett who has II in his house II Paris nav.
The stafue of NaDoleon now in the Mafrx,-
nolitan Mnsenm IF Art IL bia work NJ siso
E the head az William 1niien Rrvsnt im
~ sa,,'a ,,,aca parhars NJ grsat:ss ~. r,,,
= no tha enppestr;,n statne cf General nnrs,-
side e II Z Thirteen feet feet sir inches hieh
snS l. nrano,,nced nv exoerfs to is ane a
the mopt ercellent pieces 81 eo,IestrIan stsf-
nary ever produced by an American scallt-
tor s n vas made car the state If Rhode
island and II stands in Providence IN
front of the CITY hall. He was not pro-
ll ;Sc h !" ' h;s wort was ~ the kind thaf
iInu, 9us ne h;r~ fssno,,s r. ne had ,,of
t w9a,a 20 dr;pL He BEGAN his carsc rec, ~
eassn W aa,nnas ~ sbaiIs ,nedalI;ons
ou. ..;. h, a ana .,ch e wart and nro.
p orIfd' . bsl hv aten 10 larger n;eces
oeu stsr rh ap made he stat,,e of BurnsisIe--
that was in f856-he told me he w'alld do
no more work. He had some NOR cy then