The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-13
AS TO MORTON'S STATUE
REGENTS WILL SUFFER NO INTER
FERENCE IN THE MATTER.
Copy of the Letters Being Sent to G.
A. II. POsts-ActiOn of Local
Organizations.

ing for information concerning the removal
of the Morton statue. Some of the inquir-
think the statue has been carted off to
the Statehouse or some other place, instead
of having been moved dozen feet to the
east, so as to be in conformity with the
statues of William Henry Harrison, James
Whitcomb and George Rogers Clark A
few days ago the Journal printed an inter-
view with Gen. Fred Knefler. president of
the board Of regents, giving the reasons for
the placing of those subsidiary statues,
and since that time it has received the fol-
lowing letter from Oliver T. Morton, of
Chicago:
Although have no taste for personal
controversy, / am moved to controvert
statement made by General Knefier. presi-
dent of the board of regents for the SOL
dierS and sailors monument, relating to the
removal by that board of the statue of my
father from its site facing Washington
street General knef1er says, in substance,
that the removal was made in ACCORDANCE
with the original design Of the architect,
Mr. Schmitz. The explanation is made
quate, and as a complete negative or the
assertion, 1 request the Journal to publish
and to subjoin herewith the petition adj
dressed by my mother to the board of re-
gents, and a supplemental letter written by
George j. Langsdale. eX-president OF the
first Board of Monument Commissioners.
Inasmuch as the board over which Mr..
Langsdale presided made the contract with
Mr. SchmitZ, Mr.. LangSdale is much bet
ter authority on the subject of the location
of my fathers statue than General Knef1er
The action of General Kneffer in this mat
ter is somewhat extraordinary, considering
that he wrote to me at the time the board
of regents was organized, stating that he
could not conceive circumstances which
would induce him, as member or the
board as Il private individual or as an In
diana soldier to consent to remove or
change the position of the statue of Gov
ernor Morton.
MRS. MORTON'S PETITION.
The following is Mrs. Lucinda Nj Nor
TOMS petition to the board of regents:
"Gentlemen-The removal of the statue of
of the soldiers monument at indianapolis
has caused me the keenest pain and distress.
feel assured that if you had been acquaint-
ed with the facts stated in a subjoined let
ter from George J. Langsdale president of
the former Board of Monument Commits
soners, you would not have taken this ac-
rance of the agreement made with me by the
former board and all the circumstances con-
nected with the placing of the statue of my
husband in front of the soldiers monument
you could follow the suggestion of the archi-
tect, Mr.. Schmitz, but Mr.. Schmitz has cho-
sen to forget that he was one of those who
suggested that the statue should be placed
on the site whence you recently removed it.
II respectfully petition that you will re-
place it, If 1t is not replaced, feel sure
that it is but a question of time until an
other statue will be placed in front of the
soldiers monument and that your recent
removal of the statue OF my husband Will
have no other effect than simply to make
place for the statue of another Doubt
less you do not intend this-may not have
foreseen it-but it happens that all my in
buttons with reference to the placing of
the statue of my husband have so far been
verified, as you will sec by reading MIR.
Langsdales letter." s
Mr.. LANGSDALE'S LETTER.
The letter from Mr.. Langsdale, to which
reference is made, is as follows:
During the visit % Bruno Schmitz the
supervising architect of the soldiers mon
ument, to Indianapolis, in 1888 the question
of getting possession of the Governors Cir
Gle as a site for the soldiers monument
came before the board. The Legislature had
appropriated the Circle for that purpose,
but as the monument of Governor Morton
already occupied the center of the grounds
it was felt that in view of his great services
to the State, it would not be proper to re-
move his memorial without the consent of
his family, and particularly of his widow.
After full consideration of the subject and
discussion with Mr.. Schmitz 1t was deter
mined to propose to Mrs Morton that her
husbands monument be removed to the
south side OF the park and placed facing
Meridian street, where it could be viewed
from Washington street, and a committee
was appointed to visit her. with Mr..
SchmitZ, for that purpose
1T was a delicate subject, and when the
time came the other members of the COM
mttee urged that It was not necessary for
them to go, and asked me to excuse them.
Accordingly, Mr. Schmitz and 1 went as
their representatives Mrs. Morton at that
time lived with her son Oliver in Woodruff
Place. We were received most courteously,
but it was at once evident that our duty
was to be a painful one. Mrs. Morton was
10th to have the transfer made. 1t seemed
to her like sacrilege to touch the statue
of this physical representative of her dead
husband. But she was not disposed to be
unreasonable, and when the advantages of
the new location were pointed out she
urged but one further objection, which was
that the monument might be moved again:
It was then that promised, on behalf, of
the commission, that the location then cho-
sen should be the permanent one. and that
no other removal should take place. She
suggested that others might come into au-
thority who would consent to such removal.
l answered that public opinion would not
permit it; that the agreement made with
her by our board would be held too sacred
by the people of Indiana for them to allow
any one to violate it. ] said, further, that
the monument was likely to remain in the
charge of soldiers while any OF them lived
to care for 1t, and not one among them
could be found who would think of permit
ting it to be removed contrary to the agree
ment with her.
Upon this assurance, and with this dis
tinct understanding. she consented to the
removal, Mr.. Schmitz having joined with
me in the statement that the Morton monu-
ment should be located as agreed, and that
it should not be again disturbed AT that
time the location chosen was entirely salts
factory to him. There was not the slight
est hint that it was otherwise 1t received
his unqualified approval When we returned
TO the ONCE OF the COMMISSIONERS III the
Statehouse, where the rest of the board
awaited u.s. / reported our action fully, and
it was approved without dissenting voice.
ut was this agreement with Mrs. Morton
that led me to oppose the removal of the
monument to the Statehouse grounds. as
subsequently provided for by an act of Leg
isature. When the facts became known to
the ensuing Legislature that body rescnded
the previous action by reappropriating the
1000 for new pedestal for the Morton
monument, now occupying place on the
south side of Circle Park, in the city of
Indianapolis and without the proviso re-
quiring its removal. The language quoted
is explicit. and would seem to fix the legal
status Of the monument so that it can only
this would be in violation of the moral OBJ
legation entered into by the commissioners
Il will say in this connection, that, be-
fore the subsidiary monuments were IN
place l was of opinion that it would be
better if they were located in the grass
plats at the sides, but, when they were
UP that opinion changed. They were in no
sense an obstruction to the view, as had
been feared. but seemed to be a part of the
main structure and added much strength to
it. This effect is much reduced when they
placed at the sides
But, ignoring all other considerations,
the removal of the Morton monument could
not be done without violating the agree
ment with Mrs. Morton. an agreement
which should be held inviolate, not only
a matter of honor, but also because her
husband was the great war Governor and
the soldiers friend. 1t certainly adds Moth
ing to the sentiment which the soldiers
monument Is supposed to represent for 1t
to be made the means of wounding the ten
derest feelings of his widow. Art does not
require it, and if it did, it would not be
worth the price"