The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-29
Mr.. M'KINLEY'S DEATH MASK.
THE CAST NOW DEPOSITED IN
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
Considered . Fine Portrait Of the Dead
President Marked Resemblance be
tween II and the Features OF Napoleon
Tho Expression Of the Face Pcacefui.

The Expression Of the Face Peaceful.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2s.-The Mckinley
death mask, which has just been deposited
In the United States National Museum for
safekeeping, u said to be the most artistic
cast Of the kind ever moulded upon the feat-
ures OF a public man. Many who have
had the privilege OF viewing 1t have re-
marked the striking resemblance between
its features and those Of the statue OF Ma
poleon In the Corcoran Art Gallery.
Immediately upon learning Of President
McKinley's death on Saturday, Sept. H.
+. L. A. Pausch, a New York sculptor, teie-
graphed Secretary Cortelyou for permission
to perpetuate Mr.. McKinley's face in plaster
Mr.. Pauch being the first sculptor to mako
the proposition, his request was imrne-
diately granted over the wire.
Packing his appliances. he took the next
train for Buffalo, arriving there at Q +. M.
on the day Of the Presidents death. lie
made the mask at the Milburn residence
at 7 o'clock the next morning, the Presi-
dent having been dead twenty-nine hours.
The negative cast was removed the sans
morning, the positive was Immediately
| moulded from II and the finished produces
was locked carefully away In a safe de-
post vault In Buffalo. No photographs
Of 1t we're allowed.
On Tuesday Mr.. Pausch personally DO
llvered 1t TO Secretary Cortelyou at the
White House. Bearing a note dlctateo
by Mr.. Cortelyou, the sculptor delivered
his work at the office OF Secretary Lanngisy
of the Smithsonian Institution at D r. M
on the same day.
The head Is slightly inclined forward, as
IL reposing upon a pillow. Framing the ace
and forehead, but exposing part OF the
throat, is the cast of a moulded piaPerSt
| the texture and even the embroidery OF
which are reproduced. The left ear Is
| entirely exposed, but only the lobe oil 'hs
| right ear h visible. -
A number of hairs from Mr.. McKinley's
head adhere to the right temple o' thss
| cast. One of his eyelashes rests upon tne
| right cheek.
The features are calm and peaceful
The prominent brow Is smooth ana Iur-
rowless. Two irregular vertical lines Pc
tween the bushy brows are the only rencs
of care imprinted above the features proper.
The closed eyelids, with their long iasnes,
hear the soft imprint OF spirituality. Inc
cheeks are more sunken than in life, but
less so than during the lying IN state IN
the rotunda of the Capitol' Inc tracss
Of a peaceful, benevolent smile remain
about the lips and above the prominent
The sharp Napoleonic profile IL the most
striking view which can be obtained. As
the sun changes, the shadows PLAYING over
the features bring out the beauty oil eh-
preston when the view Is full-iace or unree-
quarters. .o ~
velvet, upholstered TO the ebony base OF
the containing case. 1he slices any VcP
of the latter are Of bevelled Plate glass a
half inch thick and are secuieu 'oBe'"''
by nickel bolts.
This cast is the only one taken from. tho
mould made upon the dead President 8 iace'
The mould was destroyed III Bun alo'
As an aid to sculptors designng statues
of President Mckinley, Mr.. Pausch mas
compiled a chart giving all OF the ahgiee Oh
the profile, its exact measurements from
the centre line. the p~erpendicuiar ana ho''-
zontal measurements OF the fuli race
These data were obtained by applying
calipers 10 the mask. They Will make
II unnecessary 10 remove the case from the
cast and expose It to injury incIden'ai 10
future measurements. ~
Sculptors who Use this chart as a pSss
for future work will, Of course, give greater
rutundity TO their sketches OF the face.
II their purpose be TO portray the dead
President as he appeared IN the vigor OF
life. Such alterations will probably be
based upon the numerous photographs
of President Mckinley.
But. as a matter Of fact. the late Presi-
dent was too sensitive To the camera
ever to obtain a perfect Photographic Ike
ness. A Washington photographer. VINO
perhaps took more pictures OF Mr.. Mchm-
ley than any one else, says he was the most
difficult to pose Of all public men with
whom he had had experience.
The Mckinley death mask was made by
application of the most modern methods
known 10 the sculptor's art. The features
Of the dead President were creased. this
treatment extending 20 all parts OF the head
selected for reproduction
What h known 90 SCulptors as a dam
was then made by draping an embroidered
towel about the forehead and face. The
ends Of this were crossed beneath the
throat. Plaster Of paris, mixed TO almost
liquid form, wac then applied directly "a
the fac" with a spoon.
Colored plaster was first poured on,
merely enough 90 supply a thin film The
cavities 81 the ewes, nostrilS, mouth aud
ears were then covered with the first coat.
ing 81 white plaster Thir Wa- 10 avoid
the possibility 81 an entrance - air beneath
the m,uld
The entire feature were next covered
with a coating 81 the Whit" material WIN
M n lali-h,uf after th" 49, mold VA Pat
On IL had hardened sufficiently To- removal
MLau taken - b. .loN,d livery line. angle
and curyo - 'hc rigiuul feature
Thus wH- obtained m" mould ~ negative
from which the mask proper was cast
Ttis mould having tturuughlN hardened, ths
puf~st 81 Sltt" plaster - Pane vac poured
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