New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-27
THE. DESIGN HIS OWN.
ELIJAH p KENNEDY's ELOQUENT DE-
FENCE OF MACMONNIES

,,r prprrrs TO THE ATTACK ON THE sCULP-
TORS HONESTY IN CONNECTION WITH
THE DESIGN OF THE WORLDS
FAIR FOUNTAIN.
The friends Of the sculptor Frederick Mac
Monnies were st talking yesterday or the
tnderhand attack upon his honesty wnich APP
peared in the Stats Zeitung" on sunday morn
ing. Indignation was especially deep among the
members of the committee having In charge the
Woodward monument project. inquiry de-
veloped the fact that there was not one man
among them who believed that MacMonnies had
stolen his idea for the Worlds Fair Columbian
Fountain from the Munich sculptor, Ernest
Fuchs Elijah r. Kennedy. ex-Park Commits
sioner, one of Mr.. MacMopnles's stanchest
friends In Brooklyn. sent the following letter 10
The Tribune office on the subject yesterday:
In last Sundays "staats Ze,tung" there appeared
a story which | am Informed by gentleman con-
nected with that journal. was furnished BY man
MacMonn!es stole the design OF the Worlds FAR ar
fountain from designs made by said Fuchs and m
transla ton of the article OF the Stats Zeitung
made and pubshed in The o. Br9oyn Esg Gle t5 yes
tain which Frederick MacMonnies made for the Ex-
furher IT became "f known that 'M"cMore in
the fall OF 1891, had visited the sculptor Dodge. In
New-York. and told him that he was going to
therefore the idea OF the fountain cannot have pre-
namely shortly after Fuchs ' had given HE sketches
to Americans" referring, to certain Americans IN
London Interested In the Worlds FarD
The answer to this accusation is as gentleman nan
eminent for schoarship and culture remarked tn!s
model in question substantially completed in hiss udlo
In Paris In the middle OF the summer OF 1891 Further.
more, shortly after my return from Europe that
fall, | gave to my esteemed friend, William Berr.
publisher Of The Standard Union" a photograph
or the completed design. and the same was pub
i iinshed in The Standard Union" OF November 81.
L, there had been any stealing. It looks to
zetunS.,, The cut OF NJ MacMonnless fountain
some Of the essential parts entirely omitted on
the other hand; since the matter was furnished
traton OF his own work fairly presents it, 1t must
be confessed that there Is this point OF resemblance
LIE however hardly justliies the charge, Of pa-
saht or our he v T H, be psr man living In
think that fountains had nothing to do with water
cua }e Inv Ta douh ina IN are pc
ments always associated with fountains in the
that mqH Soh M eEar9
MI FUCHS indicated the use OF water in their de-
Second-There are mythical sea horses in both
neSlghs sue, use both in fountains; and in
suggest that Mr. MacMonnies borrowed the idea
Third-lt must be confessed also. that both de-
signs have barges. Here. again II is as Just for
Mr. Fuchs to suspect Mr.. MacMonnIes OF borrow
H. H. Richardson was guilty OF theft. because. in
some or his marvellous masterpiece OF architecture
he employed Romaneaquo features
:, WIN these three attributes all points If resem-
bIance cease. Mr.. Fuchss design f. either drunk or
seasick gale OF wind is evidently blowing at the
Stern the rament OF the hcmsman Is likely soon 10
.. totn 10 tatters ana his beard like PETERS
on the bow. however. a scantily dressed maiden
stands on one toe with great wings extended that
the Ehr VIII certainly carry her overheard the next
moment. only she is evidently becaimr1 How
would the suggestion OF storm IN Mr. Fuchs &c design
have looked H. the placid ia sin In which ~ daeIe
would have stood II I. had been set mn f., c,hi.,"
or would he. possibly. have had an aril6cal raIe n,
WIN, uisturnht the Water. az indicated in his draw
inki MI , uchss barge has mast badly located
Gnu san very poorly secured. and Hopping over
board IN an unseaman,ike manner. Mr. MacMon-
l'S d"slgn ms neither mas sail bu, In IL the
o"lhr - ptppeIItI by elgh' maiiens with oars The
central nsure OF Mr. MacMonn,es's design st. aiost
on P"d"Sti! r"p'cS niing Columbia the apotteogls
OF modern liberty. ana the rowcrS are on one sIIc
the arts and on the other science Tn1., 'e sart'
culture ana Commerce $50 49,
-. kn1T ,Frederick MacMonn!es through and
through He il the soul OF homer generous IN n
fault. and unlike many artists is ne CORE In b,s
business transactions as Browa Brothers a. ~, n.
is IS hcIn,bi" o, stealing an artis"s design az OF
designs Hts mind /. intensely onirk IN a. - o So
uohS ana u he had AL the arms OF Rriarelis M,
,tUn.I n", rNecu'e tne dc.gns which fash from h!s
Interested In tn" project for A monument Co..
mcmorating the hcrolsm ana sufcrngs OF tho mar
Yrs on IN" prison ships IN Brooklyn asked mo he
fer" vert 10 Europe last spring 10 confer ri,h ~,
MdcMOnnicH about design FOR Tho pronosed mem.
IlaaA, - spokr 10 him about the matter the
WhOe tihg WHY arose I'm his Imagination ia
W's Brooklyn schooiboy and H. knew m" s,dr'.
o a., re h"tyrs ne could hardly walt for me 10
ncrvously clutch'-s tho piiatl. ci nt h ne was
time he ha1 skec.' ii ont in Tho r,ugh 81 % sIior'
stantally. a he would have II finished an elehorato
we, ~. y. 49," u'kr 9nyth"K else In the world and
not steal designs '" MAN does