Evening journal., 1898-01-19
OVERTHE SILVER STATUE
Montana's Exhibit at tho Worlds
Fair Causes Trouble.
The Expensive FiEuFe Is Now
stored Away 10 Await the Courts
Action on Its Final
Disposition.

The Ada Rehan statue of Justice.
about which there has been, and is like
ly to be, much expensive litigation. car
ries an interesting story. Romance and
fact are most strangely woven in its
history ard the end is not yet.
The expensive piece Of statuary is now
put away in the store of S. Barnum &
Co.. awaiting the final action of the
court as to its disposition. The statue
is the working out oNan idea advanced
by wealthy Montana man. Judge
Bickford, of Helena. This gentleman
was the chief promoter Of the enter
prise and is the president Of the COM
pany.
As is well known. the statue was
shown at the worlds fair as a Montana
exhibit. The figure is considered as
near the ideal representation of the
figure Of justice as it is possible to
make.
II is popularly supposed that Ada
Rehan posed for the figure, but this
story is open TO all sorts of argument.
One version which finds many believers
is to the effect that an Illinois girl
posed for the figure. Whether or not
the praises she received for her entranc-
ing beauty and superb figure had the
effect of turning her head is not en-.
tirely clear. At any rate, the story
goes. that the misguided girl strayed
from the path of rectitude and forsook
all her friends until such a time as she
was forsaken by them. No matter
whether this story is true or not, it
sounds we'll and lends an added, if un-
healthy, charm to a discussion Of the
famous work of art.
The statue is owned by the Montana
Silver Statue company. It stands nine
feet high and its weight approximates
two tons. 1t is made almost entirely
Of Montana silver. with as much alloy
added rs will Insure lasting qualities.
The cast was made in Chicago The
FIRST experiment was a lamentable fail
ure. the surface of the figure being full
of little holes and not at all smooth.
Then an expert was brought all the
way from Paris. and he was successful
with the casting. The figure stood out
a perfect likeness fits beautiful model.
It is impossible to place even con-
servative estimate upon thevalue Of the
statue. The amount of silver ii con-
tains. rcckoned az bullion rates. is con
siderable. of course. but its chief value
is as a work Of art. A representative
of the stockholders Of the comrany de-
clares that 100000 is not by any means
too high an estimate Of its worth.
When the worlds fair had closed the
owners of the statue cast about for some
plan to make it q paying investment.
They decided, after due deliberation.
to display il in show windows Of large
stores over the country for q proper
consideration. The plan proved a great
success, and but for the unfortunate
fact that the stockholders got TO quar-
reling among themselves would be fol.
lowed to-day.
There were two factions among the
stockholders. One. led by f. D. Hlg.
by. had charge CT the exhibits. The
other faction claimed. whether Justly
or not is matter for the courts to de-
termine, that Mr.. Highly was not acting
in good faith and did not make proper
returns of business done. The contro.
versy reached a climax in December
1896, at the time the statue was being
exhibited in the show window oil
Crosby Bros, of Topeka.
The secretary Of the company. who
represented the faction opposed to Hig
by, arrived in Topeka tho evening be-
/ fore the statue was to be moved to the
next advertised point. That evening he
went to work quietly and took the nee
essaTy legal steps for the detention OF
the statue. When Mr. Highly appeared
next morning to proceed with the bust
ness of moving it he was confronted
by Samuel Barnum, of Topeka, who hat
been appointed as receiver, and who i'm
mediately took possession Of the statu,
in the name of the law.
This, in brief, is the history of tn,
famous work of art. What the final out
come of it all will be is merely conjec
ture. 1t is likely. however, that th'
difficulty viii be settled soon. It il
stated that Mr.. Highly has a few cred
itors who are yet TO be satisfied This
it is thought, will soon be done, ant
then the company will be reorganize'
on a new basis and the business of ex
hibiting the statue will be resumed.
The statue was borrowed by the Sant'
Fe people for their silver anniversar,
and was used on one of the floats in tn
big parade.-Topeka Capital.