The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-19
THE GODS WERE OLD.
A Jeweler Who Did Not Want
Shop-Worn Buddhas.
JAPANESE POINTER ON ANTIQUES
An Amusing Court Episode - Several
Big Damage suits-New Sufte
FiIed-The B1ctter.

The superior court of King county prob
ably never before had q case on trial in
which one of the pieces Of personal prop
erty in dispute was 700 years old, but that
Il what 1t has now. The articles that.
after seven centuries Of existence are now
in litigation, are two Buddha gods. and
they formerly belonged to the stock of w.
c. Reichenecker, the jeweler, who failed
about q year ago.
Mr.. Reichenecker does not appear to
have appreciated the value of the Ruddha
gods which he had for sale, for he wrote to
the Japanese importer, Ichi Ban. az San
Francisco, complaining of the gods being
old, and he received letter in return that
was offered in evidence yesterday during
the progress OF the trial. 1t made the
judges and the attorneys no little amuse-
ment Speaking Of the gods the letter
says:
You speak Of the Bhuddas being old and
shopworn. That 10 exactly what gives them
their value-as pieces of work made perhaps
GO or 700 years ago. None have been made In
the last isy year. ns ana these being very old and
some old Buddhist temple through ten genera
They are as perfect as any tina. might be
found They were made by divine command
before the present dynasty came into power in
Japan, some $40 years ago And let me tell Won
that there are but few Buddhas left there now,
- the inner and older ones have been bought IN
and carried to Europe as curios.
II the two pieces you have now were in
Yokohama they would dou 1tless bring twice
what we charged you for them, az we bought
them several years ago. having Compulsory
gutted two or three temples.
You will find an occasional visitor who
knows something of them, and should they
have money will quickly purchase.
Judpe I.ichfenhoro saya that h~ = ~o;..-
to get one of the gods and put it up in the
courtroom between the two windows in
the back end Of the room.
The suit against Reichenecker is one of
the most complicated on the calendar.
The jewelers. troubles first commenced
with two suits brought against him by
creditors. To meet their demands he was
arranging to consign back to the whole
sale firms lot of his goods which he was
unable to pay for. He was to receive
credit upon account for the goods sent
back, and was to sell them ont as he could
for the wholesalers. Before he could per-
feet this arrangement one creditor attached
him in the United States court and then
two other attachments and execu-
tons were issued from the su-
perior court. While the goods were
in the possession of the marshal Mr..
Reichenecker gave mortgage on the stock
to Mrs. N. J. Bartlett. The United States
court attachment was dissolved and the
mortgages took possession, and soon after
wards the sheriff got possession. Mrs.
Bartlett then commenced an action for
foreclosure Of mortgage and had q receiver
appointed, who sold the goods.
There are thirteen intervenors and nine
OF them claim the goods mortgaged were
only held by Reichenecker on consign-
ment. The other intervenors are creditors
who contend against the validity of the
mortgage.