Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13
COULDN'T DIE BY 1T.
REASON WHY FORMER RICHMOND
ARTISTS WORK DIDN'T SUIT.
ARTIST COX WAS THG DEFENDANT.
An Albanian objected to n Portrait
which Did Not show His Arms md
Pedal Extremities-Tbe Jury sus-
tanned Him.
tanned Him.

Cox, the artist, and the plalnuI III the
case, IS well known in Richmond, he
having resided here some time and pant
ed the portraits Of several persons. Inc
Journal says:
The trial OF the famous Oox-smitn
picture case was begun before jury III
Judge Orrs court this morning
The picture was in the corner pelo'o
the Jury, and beside it was set hle-siNe
pastel picture of Mr.. smith Which nao
been painted by another artist inns
picture was said TO be the kino INA. MI.
Smith had expected to get from Ar.,9'
Cox. 1t shows the full figure win MI.
Smith sitting in chair holding ms s,h
hat in one hand and his umbrella III tho
other. and no neckte to mar the w
wilderness OF the freshly-laundereo coiiai.
1t is the work Of Miss Thompson VI
New York, who has studio at the Ley
den house. This was produced III coui'
this morning so as to make a coIlpa, ison
between the painting Of Mr. Cox anu 'i's
work of the lady artist Mr.. sniith saiu
his purpose for showing the court t nin,
picture was to convince theih 'n"' P
ture of him could be MADE
Attorney John Clay Smith appeared LOT
MT. Smith and Mr.. FRANK DoiS'' 0r
peared for Artist Cox.
ARTIST cox TESTIFlES.
~ &c, uaa the first witness in the
case. -, ,roaa a few
nrolirninarV remarks in reference 10 Iia
Experience as an artist. ne sta - ta ,-as
he had been in the business slhGe ,,n m,e
g Gears of age, and had studied uhueI
eo1ne of the most gifted artists In tl9
| oo,,ntrv II am an American arust, anu
Dot a foreign one said he, eWdehtiy IN
deavoring to impress that fact on the
nl nHr coz said that he had been told by
| Friend of Mr. Smiths that ne Wisheu "
| have a life-siZe picture OF hlnselt pd isas
ed 81 went to Nj o sml1r ~ Inc cor Contract
FOR painting Mr.. Smiths picture
WANTED 1T CHEAP.
"ue told me" said Cox" that he want.
| al nicfure painted like the ones or
| George Washington and General Latayr
cite, which are hung IN the c4 OTIS ni %
tnre like that would be worth some Sly0
| or s5O0 He stated that he could not az
| ford to pay over so for the picture, anu
that if / would agree to paint MN one
for that II was all right l agreed 70
naint him a life-siZe bust picture - by 81
| Inches for that sum. He told me at the
| time that II / painted a good picture Oh
| himself that he would get me Jop az
painting two more pictures az " SUM
IT went to work on the picture, and
| worked diligently at 1t for nearly three
| weeks. When it was nearly cOmpleleu
| Mr. Smith began TO enter protests aSaiIlSt
| the WAY I was executing the WofL- he
| tnid me that [ was not using the right
| Kind of brushes, and that the pant was
not a suitable kind to be used on MS PIC
| ture. ~ ,oi. h,si-
moss said he, and throw them out of the
| window Then after finding all the 1auIl
he could with the material was using,
| he began to criticise the picture. lie sald
| that his nose was not split DOWN Lhat ne
| had no specks in his eyes, and that ne
| wanted the freckles / was putting on ms
face taken off. 1 explained to nm tnat
all this was necessary to bring OUT the
| likeness. When / had finished the PIC
| ture he refused TO pay for 1t, because
had omitted the legs and hands, and be-
cause L had put him on necktle' WHICH Sdd
he said he never wore. he pald me ~
! of the money, but refused TO pay me any
| more
JACK SMITH ON THE STAND.
Mr. Smith was the next witness placeu
| on the stand. He stated that ne mao gwen
| Mr. Cox a contract to paint picture OF
| himself like the ONES that adorn he walls
| of the court house, ana that ne hdu ho'
| mentioned the Capitol pictures 10 CoN.
He said he knew nothing OF the palhtins
of a picture. and that he did not realize
what Mr.. Cox was doing until he had
| nearly finished II. 60,
81 thought &c was painting me full
picture all the while. L tod MN that ne ne
had made a very bad job out or the WORK
| that | did not have any specks In my
| eyes, and that my face was not as reu DIS
"IIe had placed freckles all over my
face, and had added a necktie TO my pic,
ture. That was in July, gentlemen, ana
do not wear a necktie in the summer
time. and, in fact, l never wear one. nc
cap the climax, he had left off my hands
and feet.
WANTED PICTURE ITO DIE BY"
Il told him that the picture did no,
please me at all. / wanted picture ina
! / could die by, and for my children &c
look AT when / had left this earth. also
told him that | wanted a picture IRON
| which a monument could De carved am
placed at the head Of Jasper'S alley, &c
perpetuate the name of Jack Smith, Inc
builder of the House that Jack Built anC
the Bachelors Domain.
II explained TO Mr. Cox that he nae
put himself to a great deal OF trouDle
and that L would make him present Of
500 and let him keep the picture. Mr.. Coz
agreed to this, accepted the money, an.
went away. In few days he came bach
to my house and stood the picture IN th'
parlOr and left it,
DIR robertson was introduced, and ties
tilted as to the physical resemblance o
the picture to the original. Mr.. Gus Long
| the wholesale whiskey merchant, salC
that he did not consider the picture PANT
| ed by Mr. Cox a good one. lie sald M
was not an expert in matters OF nne art
but thought he knew a good picture whel
Colonel j. J.. C. Kerr said he though
! the picture was very poor.
You are used to looking at photograph
mostly, are you notY' asked Lawyer
| Dorsey.
mo: I'VE seen a few oil paintings in my
life. There are dozen or so at my mouse
| have been painted in oil, and so have
all my family"
HEAD TOO BIG.
He was asked what kind of picture HI
considered the pastel, and stated that l
was under life-size. ,,,.
How do you know 1t was under NE
siZe?'
'Why by looking at the picture and a
lack Smiths head. I'm not so old an
near-sighted that 1 can't tell the size
lack Smiths head when l see II.
| Artist j r. Fields was the next wit
ness and stated that he regarded III
picture as an excellent piece OF art. IL
| thought II was a good picture or Nj
smith. and the work was well done. IL
did not like the pastel.
Photographer 6 w. Notes SAID the 20
picture was good.
AN ARTIST TESTIFIES.
Artist Wilkinson, OF the Constitution
had never seen either Mr.. Smith or IN
nicfure before, but he thought IT goo
Your business is mostly with IN
making of pictures OF distinguished me
like Mark Hanna, isn't III! asked Law
yer Smith.
yes, / do work OF that sort"
"Did YOU ever make picture or MI
Smith," ,. a.,
Mr.. wilkinson did not remember ina
he had. He was asked II he made pic
lures for the Looking-Glass, and state