The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-24
7HMPLEMAN 4 FRAUD.
Supposed Painter of Por-
traits of Three Gov
errors Exposed.
THE WAY He ROBBED POOR ARTISTS.
Portrait Painter AdoIph Michaelis
and Governor Wards Picture
Trouble in Getting His
Money.
snecfnl 10 The lsrssu Ctr Mems.

TRENTON. Oct. "a, 1893.-In the Execu-
tive Chamber of tbs State House there
hang a number of the portraits of the
dead Governors of the State. The most
recent to be placed there are those of
Governor Ward, Governors Mcclellan
and Randolph. These last three are con
sidered the best of the entire collection,
and bear thu name of the artist, Charles
B. Templeman, in n OF the corners,
marked with red, In a bold hand.
When these pictures were acquired 1t
was considered that New Jersey was
fortunate In securing paintings by a
portrait painter who had acquired such a
national reputation as Templeman.
It now leaks out that Templeman could
not paint a DOG houSs or even draw u
straight line. and that he ia the most
monumental fraud that ever imposed on
an unsuspect1ng public. He never painted
the three portraits that hang Ia the
Governors audience room, aud his name
has 40 right to be on the portraits. AS
they are only put there with red chalk
they could readily be erased. Temple
man n his tricks ave been exposed.
THE REAL PAINTER.
The real painter or these portraits vas
Adolph Michaelis, a portrait painter VINO
W d&1 SSALb - u VIZ AA Il
painted to keep body aud soul together.
He was engaged bv Templemau to paint
the portraits tor $50 each, ana TemDlsman
received $3.50 each for them. One day
Mlchaelis wandered into TemDleman's
studio. Broadway and Sixteenth street,
New York, and being pressed for funds,
gladly availed himself of the business
proposition that Templeman made. He
was given a portrait to paint.
1T is for a gentleman who lives In
Baltimore" said the owner Of tine studio.
He has sent me his photograph and he
all. | will pay you $50 for a large pastel
bust"
Michael!s wen to his own studio and
began making from the photograph a
pastel portrait nearly two aud one.half
feet square,. A week later, When the
portrait was nearly fnisGed, a friend
happened into the studio and saw the
portrait OIL the easel.
II suppose you know who that man is?'
SAID the friend. -.
"Oh, yey." replied the artist, "he is
q Baltimore gentleman" His caller
laughed.
THAT is ex-governor aud ex>Minister
Its funny you didn't know that"
When the friend had gone Mtchaelis
thought q good IDEAL over wha he had
heard. He remembered that when he
aud Templemau both had studios at No.
SO Fifth avenue, Templemap had been
harassed somewhat bv creditors, and 30
Michaelis, whenever he left his studio
after that, told his wife that no one must
take the picture away unless the price
was paid In cash.
T~EMPLEMANiS PREDICAMENT.
One day when Michaelis had gone out
Tempteman came TO the studio In u
hurry.
Let me have that picture at once"
the great artist said to Mrs. Michaelis.
The faithful wife repeated her husbands
instructions that the picture was not to
leave the studio until the $50 was paid.
"Then. as soon as your husband com es
home tell him to bring the picture to my
place at once" said Templeman at last
in Impotence and despair, aud he went
away. Half an hour later he returned.
He burst III upon Mrs. Michaelis ali out
OF breath from climbing the stairs and
from his fast walk. He tod her tnat it
was OF the utmost importance that the
! picture should not be brought to his
studio on that morning, aud charged her
/ that if her husband came home within
| an hour be must be cautious not to mo We
the picture from it's easel, aud ABOVE all
things not to cake 1t to Templemau.
On that very same day, and within a
few minutes after TemplemHn's first visit
to the studio of Michaelis. two young
| men named Ward. whose father was an
honored Governor Of New Jersey, entered
1empleman's reception room. The great
! artist was full Of smiles aud apologies.
The picture, he said. was in his work.
| room in the next block, aud he would go
and get it. While he was gone the visitors
| could interest themselves by examining
| the varicu works of art by Tsmpleman
aud other masters. which hung n the
studio walls.
1t would have been awkward, indeed.
had Michaelis, with his long htir aud
rolling collar and his general atmosphere
of Bohemia and the touch of paint on his
f1ugers, entered the studio ae that tins
carrying under his arm the portrait of the
late Ex-Governor Ward. L. was not
strange, therefore, that Tsmplsmaa was
out OF breath when he paid his second
visit that morning to the studio OF Nj
| chaelfs.
When Tempieman returned TO his visit
tors he was full of regret. A careless
~jauiror had double locked the door of his
work room aud the artist had raislaid his
own keys aud so he could not enter. 10
make matters worse, the ~Janiror had
taken 1t into his stupid head to go away
for the day and would NOT return until
dinner time. With u Thousand express.
sious of genuine sorrow 1emoleman in-
formed his patrons that they would have
to come again the next day, when the
| portrait would Do ready for their inspeo>
tion.
POLISHED Mr.. TEMPLEMAN.
The Two Mr.. Wards came the next day
aud found Templemau alone in the large
room. which served as studio and recep-
ton room both. He was standing, maui
stick aud pastel in hand. before the por-
trait of Ex-Governor Ward, an admirable
likeness. The visitors did not notice that
a door leading TO the adjoining apartment
was ajar. u they certainly did not