The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-20
A MUCa-ABUsSD EFFIaY.
The Curious History OF Statue OF
Aaryland's War Governor.
From the Netu York Sun

The curious History OF a Statue OF
Aaryland's War Governor.
From, the Neto YORK Sun.
BALTIMORE, June 14.-Any collector de-
string good statue of Gov. Hicks, the war
governor of Maryland. can be accommo-
dated here. A number of estlmable gentle
men of this city, known collectively as tine
German Lincoln Republican Club, have on
hand Hicks statue in fairly good repair,
and they don't know what to do with it.
Some Is years ago two German citizens
OF Baltimore were discussing the war. One
OF them was u. Becker, who ran a German
paper. The other was J. Rost, who ran a
fine brewery. They sat in the cool beer
garden attached to the brewery. Mr..
Becker was drinking some of Mr.. Rost's
beer, and Mr.. Rost was reading copy Of
Mr.. Becker's paper Mr.. Becker had writ
ten glowing account Of Gov. Hicks SER
vices in keeping Maryland among the loyal
states, and this so impressed the brewer
that in burst of enthusiasm he ex-
claimed, THAT man ought to nave a monu-
ment" Then moment later ne said: HE
SHALL have one IL it costs me 1000"
Gov. Hicks got monument, for Mr..
Rost, as good as his word, expended 81 900
for q fairly good bronze bust. He set up
the statue in his beer garden.
Improved Jonah, however. for Rost's
patrons cordially detested the memory of
Gov. Hicks, and business fell off. By and
by Mr. Rost was compelled to sell his gar
den. The new owner made him pull up the
statue. By this time Mr.. Rost's enthusiasm
for the war governors bust had died out.
He asked his friends of the local Seduction
Verein, whose park was opposite his garden,
for permission 60 set up the statue the re
temporarily. To oblige him they consented,
and so one fine day Mr.. Rost loaded his Gov.
Hicks on one Of bis brewery wagons
hauled him over to the Schuetzsn park, and
set him up.
Mr.. Rost's idea of Temporary" was In
definite, and soon the German Schuetzsn
began TO complain of the hated atue Mr.
Rost declined to take several strong hints.
| but one day, on the occasion of the annual
Schuetzenfest, SOMEBODY put somethin into
the big cannon that fired the salute, and
that something hit the statue, knocking it
| off its pedestal, and cracked its head.
Mr.. Rost thought it was time TO take
the statue away, so the next day he loaded
| his statue on one of his brewery wagons
again and brought back home, and dumped
1t in the back yard of the
| brewery, aud there for years
the bronze Gov. Hicks lay in ignoble
oblivion, surrounded by beer kegs and
cast off rubbish.
Mr.. Rost died one day, and everybody
the governor, Mr.. Rost got only a very
modest tombstone.
About week ago some one ran across
the dilapidated Mr.. Hicks in the old brew
| cry yard. 1t looked as bust night look
which had been lying over twenty years
| among beer barrels aud rubbish. It was
washed UP, somebody contributed coat of
| paint, the local German Newspaper printed
| paragraph about the curious find, and
| then some OF Rost's old friends remembered
| that this must be Gov. Hicks statue.
For some reasons which none of the osher
Germans in the city can understand the
Lincoln German Republican Club came to
to the statues aid. They determined to set
| it up somen here, and selected the pretty
park in Broadway. just in front of the Johns
| Hopkins hospital. A programme was
arranged, and one day they drove over to
the spot, bringing the statue along in a
| wagon. They we're about to erect 1t, and
made appropriate speeches, when
an, unteeling. policeman interviewed
and explained that it was against
the law 70 set up statues of gentlemen, how
| ever well deserving of such testimonials
| HeSadded that it would take an ordinance
| passed by both branches of the city council
and signed by the mayor. But the city
council has adjourned aud Mayor Davidson
has tntimated very plainly that he doesn't
think the statue should be set up again.
Meanwhile the gentlemen Of the Lincoln
| German Republican Club are wondering
| what on earth 70 do with toe statue OF the
war governor of Maryland.