The age-herald., 1897-11-11
SILVER STATUE STORED.
The Figure Which Montana Sent to the Worlds
 Fair Causes Syndicate Trouble.

From the Topeka Capital.
 The Ada Rehan statue Of just 'ce, about which there has been and is likely to be much expensive lhtiga tions carries an interesting story; Romance and fact are most strangely woven in its history and the end is mot yet.
 The expensive piece of statuary Is now put away in the store of $. Barnum ~ Go. awaiting the final action of the court as to its disposition. The statue is the working out of an bdea advanced by a wealthy Montana man, Judge BECK ford, of Helena. This gentleman was the chief promoter of the enterprise and is th:. president of the company.
 As $ well known,t the statue was shown alt the Worlds Fair as Montana ex- htbI.. The figure is considered as near the id. al representa- ton of the figure or justice as it is possible to make
 If is popularly supposed that Ada Re. han posed for the figure, but fhrs etoIy is o1een to all sorts of argument one version which finds many believers IS tor fine effect that an IldnodS girl pos.u flor line figure Whether or not the nraises she received for entrarcirg beau- ty and superb figure. had the eHSct ol turning her~head Is not enllrely yieaa. .a,o A,t any rate, the story goes that uhe misguided girl strayed away from the nath of rectitude and forsook aDi Ter friends until such tume as she Mas forsaken by them. No matter WhetheTr the story is true or not, It souiaols Wer vel, and lends an added, if unhea.thy, charm to a discussion of the famous Worh ol art. ,.,4o,,,, Silver Statue company. It stahoS n-in5 fset high and it's weight approXimates two tons. It Is made almost entirely or Nr. ci1 xprtb n1IHn allOy QQO- ed as will insure lasting qualities The cast was made i'm Chicago. The first ex- pertinent was a lamentable failure, the surface of the figure being full or Hptie holes and not at all smooth. Ihem an expert was broughla all the way rom Paris, and he was successful with the casting. The figure stood out a perfect likeness of it's baautlful model
 It is impossible to place even a con servative estimate on ilhe Valtue ol the statue. The amount of silver 1t contains, reekoned at bullion rates. is considerable of course, but ifs chief value Is as work of art A representative Of the stock- holders of the company declares that $60, ,000 is not by any means too hign an esltimalte of its worth.
 When in. Wo.rd's Fair had closed the owners of the statue cast about for some plan to make it paying inVeSumenH They decided, after due delfberation, 10 display it in show windows of large
  sideratlon. The plan proved great sue cess and but for the unfortunate tact that the stockholders get to ouareling among themeelves, would be followed to- day.
 There are two factions among the Stockholders. One, led by F. D. Hhgby, had charge of the exhibits. The other faction claimed, whether justly or not is a ,natter for the courts to determine. That Mir. Higby was not acting in good faith and did not make proper returns or the fblSinesis done. The controversy reached a climax in December, 1896, at the time the statue was being exhibited in the show window of Crosby Brothers, of this city.
 represented the faction opp -sed to H'g'oy, arrived in Topeka the evening before the statue was to be moved to the next ad- yentising point. That evening he went to work quietly and took the necessary legal steps for the detention of the statue When MT. H,giby app; ared next morning to proceed with the business of moving 1t he was confronted by Samuel Bar mum, of this city, who had been appoint- ed as receiver, and who immediately took possession of the sta tue in the name of the law.
 This, in brief is the history of the fa- moils work of art. What the final out come of 1t an will be is Cnere1y conject- ural. Tt is likely, however. that the diff that MT. Higby has a few creditors who are yet to be satisfied. This, it is thought, will soon be done, and then the company will be reorga nized on a new basis and the business of exhibiting the statue will be resumed.
 The statue was borrowed by the Santa