The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-20

Once Famous Artist Who Decorated Phdaddphias City Hall, Gave Up
Paris and a Life of Usefulness for the Sand Dunes of New Jersey.
vRrrrnv roR THE SUNDAY REruBtm

WRITTEN o THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
L. T. M~ennInger, q onoe famous sculptor.
died last week by his hand. alone and
forgotten after years OF voluntary exile n
q New Jersey forest His tragic death VIII
doubtless hide forever the secret Of his
mysterious exile. From the few vague hints
which It has been possible TO gather from
his meager effects, and from random re-
marks let fall to ~neishbOrs In years past
st would appear that the suicide was the
last sad chapter OF = curious omanoA
The scupltor-hermit lived In q spot the
most isolated conceivable near AtcO. N. J.
Other artists have sought lonely, secluded
places In which to live. but the last home OF
Menninger could be explained on no Euch
ground.
The setting OF the last scene OF this sad
romance and the tragedy which brought Il
TO a close was a mean little hut OF boards
hidden in the forest. The location was die
mai and remote past belief. The nearest
Glib were q mile distant and were
persons with whom Neuninger could have
had absolutely nothing in common BE had
long since given up his art his oookS svsn
his correspondence, the last link TO bind
him with his friendA
For years he had never called upon 4
friend or received one OF late years be
had dravn more and more Into himself.
rarely meeting or speaking with any one
ExceDt for the regular letters which brought
his remittaEce from his bankers ne hVeo
completely isolated from the world without.
Left the World and
His Wealth Behind.
The sculptor-hermit died at the age Of g.
He was q man OF education and much ex-
perience, had Travelled widely. had worked
long and successfully, and would be count
ed IN to the time OF his exile a man or
ripe experience. He was, as the saying goes,
well born, and his relatives to-day are
people Of wealth and refinement During all
his exile there was not the slightest sug-
gestion Of poverty. He "a believed to haze
possessed considerable property-nors than
enough to supply all his wants.
For such a msH TO forsaRe a life Of prom
inence. and successful andsavor, 20 give up
the gay life Of Paris and other art osntsrs
with which be wss familiar, for the barren
sand dunes OF New Jersey can Be explained
on no ordinary grouncA
Was this voluntary exila which closed
with the tragedy Of suicide an sxptAtionf
Was II dictated by remcTse or was u me
result OF an effort 70 utterly forget the
past In scenes as far removed as possible
from those OF his former activities and sue
cesses? What meager evidence remains
would point TO this last explanation.
While the sculptor-hermlt died alone ana
forgotten, much OF his work Is certain to
1.-Two and even rank high In his profession.
The younger generation Of sculptors has
forgotten Menntnger, but = generation ago
his work was famous. Ths greater part OF
It was done In Philadelphia Some years
ago. when the public building OF the Quaker
City was being designed. It was Menninger
who was selected and intrusted with the
modelling Of many of the most important
figures which now appear on Its great IA
cade- Philadelphians are proud Of their
City Hall, which they consider the finest in
the world