The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-14
THE STATUE OF JUSTICE.
An Official Statement From the Men
at the Head of the En-
terprise.
1t Is q Money Making Scheme In
Which Sentiment Does not
Enter.
If Harvey a. Higbo Can Got Money Enough
They WIN Turn Ont Additional
Silver Statues.


Silver Statues
Eastern papers that arrived in Helena
yesterday contained columns devoted to
the Montana silver statue OF justice. Tho
announcement in yesterdays INDEPENDENT
contained in Chicago dispatch that Miss
Rehan had been definitely selected to pose
for the statue WAS not received with tho
greatest favor by those who have taken an
in the matter. It had been supposed all
the time that the Montana board of World 8
fair managers would have some voice in
the matter. but this appears to have been a
mistake. The Salt Lake Tribune of Mon
day last has dispatch from Chicago to
the effect that the projectors of the silver
statue enterprise have issued an official
statement. The dispatch says: 1t is now,
once and for all time settled that the he
roic figure in silver shall be made from the
model nature gave to Miss Ada Rehan.
Friends of Mrs. Catherine Beach may ex-
perience some disappointment, but when
they learn that two Chicago business men,
and not the state from which Mrs. Beach
comes, are the originators and movers of
this special exhibit, they may cease to
mourn. Col. j. o. Harvey, resident man
ager of book concern, and Maj. Frank d.
Higbo. of A. II. Andrews q Co., are push
ing the scheme. Both of these gentlemen
are pursuing the nimble dollar, and while
they are playing long shot they are con-
tident of winning pot OF money to repay
them for all their trouble. Both Maj. HG-
bo and Col. Harvey say they expect to get
their reward by exhibiting the statue
throughout this country and Europe after
the Worlds fair gates have been closed.
Worlds Fair Commissioner Bickford. of
Montana. is in Chicago and has issued
to the press statement. wherein he says
that as soon as Messrs. Higbo and Harvey's
scheme ha d been accepted by himself, in
whose power it lies to select the ex-
hibits for the state, negotiations were
entered into with prominent mining men
in the state for the loan OF a sufficient
amount of silver. estimated to be $65000
worth. out of which to make the statue. In
the pr preliminary arrangements Sculptor Il.
H. Park. of Florence, Italy, now of Chicago,
was consulted and the design which was
finally adopted was presented by Mr.. Park.
II is figure of 'Justice'' standing upon a
globe with eyes open. At one time il was
thought best to select Montana woman as
the model for the silver statue, and this
would have been very pleasing TO the peo-
pie of Montana, but after taking into con-
sideration the fact that the study of q
model must be made in person by the
sculptor. and the fact that the sculptor Ie-
sided some 1900 miles from Montana, it
was thought impractcable to have the
statue made from a Montana womsn as
model. So Miss Rehan, of New York, was
selected as the model.
Relative to Mrs. Beach's candidacy, Mr..
Bickford says the lady's beauty was greatly
would have been glad to have her pose. but
Montana people had nothing to say about
who should be the model. Col Harvey and
Maj. Higbo attended to that detail. Both
promoters declare that all the statements
to the effect that they have demanded
money fiom Miss Rehan or any one else to
pose for Montana's statue are false. In
explaining away all rumors Col. Harvey
and Maj. Higbo got down to business and
told q reporter some interesting details.
''Did you ask Cora Tanner or her hus-
band, Col. Sim, to put up any sums of
money providing the actress should be Sc
lected to pose for the statue?" asked le-
porter.
"We did not" declared Maj. Higbo.
Last summer l met Miss Tanner on q
train and outlined my scheme to her. She
said she would like to pose for it, and that
she would pay for it. A short time after
ward she sent me photograph showing
herself in a graceful pose as Justice
That's all there is in the Tanner story"
How about Miss Russell, who Gays you
wanted her to pose providing she would pay
So. 600 for the priviiuge?"
ITS absolutely untrue"
mo proposition WAS made to her, then,
of which a money consideration was u
part?"
I'VE might as we'll let YOU in," replied
Col. Harvey. 1--WE did make a proposition
to Miss Russell. but not for the Montana
statue. We may work our scheme in other
states than Montana-in other words. put
no gold md silver statues for other com
monwealths. December 1st last Mss Rus
sell went down to Sculptor Parks studio to
see Miss Rehan III clay. she raved over
Mr.. Parks work and walked around the
model several times eXo!aiming: My God,
why didn't they choose me for their model?'
She grew most enthusiastic, and finally
said: i would give $4,000 to pose for such
u statue"
MIR. Park, his assistant. and his niece
heard Miss Russell say tins. did not hear
of her enthusiastic utterances until few
DAYS ago. On Dec. 8 l wrote Miss Russell u
letter. In it informed Miss Russell that
| and my associates were considering the
project of putting the silver scheme through
tor another state, and that If she wished to
SO 900, and IN return she would receive the
honor of being selected to do the posing
and reap the reward of as much advertising
NJ Miss Rehan had ioceived from her con-
neotion with the Montana statue. Miss
Russell did not send her check"
"Will Miss Rehan or anybody else pay
you So, 800 for selecting her as n modelY'
"No; we absolutely deny that we receive
one penny from her or any one else. We
chose Miss Rehan because we may want to
exhibit the statue after the Worlds fair i'll
Europe, and she is we'll known there
A dispatch from New York says that
1000 600 miniatures of Ada Rehan, who
poses for the Montana silver statue, nre to-
be made and sold at tho Wotld's fair. A
large number of the statuettes will be in
bronze. A ltelonG banker is reported to
have ordered u dozen executed i'll solid
silver for the oruRmoutatiop of his bank
ing house. I he orders iii silver from
Montana are expected to exceed one hun
dred
luE INDEPENDENT yesterday received the
following telegram, dated Chicago, but
with no signature:
"Your silver should be withheld unless u
Montana woman Id chosen; otherwise your
statue is disgrace to your women, to
American womon and TO your state"
May Last Two seasons
CutrAGu Dec ia-'rhe directors NJ tho