The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-10-15
A STUART IN A GARRETT
Curious Storyof FindingofLong
Forgotten Picture.
EARLY PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON

Torn, DisaEured and Dust Covered
1t Lay For Many Years In Ghrre
and Was Finally Discovered ant
Identified as One of Gilbert Stunrf'
Original Paintings.
A Baltimore dispatch to the Wash
1ngton Post says that the recent pub
LEGATION in that paper of the purchase
by Mr.. Henry Walters, the well known
patron of arts, of one Of Gilbert Stu
arts original portraits of George
washington brings to light a most GU
rious story of how another Stuart por.
trait of Washington was secured by
another Baltimorean.
DR.. William H. Grim, 413 West Fay
cite, surgeon and major in the Fifth
regiment, Maryland national guard, for
many years devoted time and money
to securing antique objects and deco
eating his home with them. When
ever the opportunity has presented it
self the doctor has purchased anything
that seems to have any value what
ever, and in his collection are many
pictures which he has gathered at
nominal cost without knowing the
identity of the artist and which have
subsequently proved to be very valu-
able. His luckiest find, probably, was
that of the original Stuart.
NUNS hotel stood on the present site of
the Equitable building and was one or
the most famous hostelries of pc south.
The value of the surrounding property
increased so rapidly that the hotel was
purchased and dismantled in order to
make room for the erection of mod
ern office building. During the process
of dismantling DR.. Grim was among
the hundreds of daily visitors in quest
of curiOs and antique furniture. In the
garnet he found large gilt frame, dis
colored by age and disfigured by rough
usage In the frame there hung in
tatters what appeared to be the rem
nants of an oil painting. Thinking that
the gilt frame would be of some value,
he purchased the frame and its tat
tered canvas for So 1t was his idea to
have the frame polished and restored
to its high luster so as to add splendor
TO some of his paintings, which were
at that time resting in simpler frames
The bedraggled frame and its shreds
of canvas were sent to Mr.. Volkmer
an artist friend, on Frederick street,
with a request that he examine the
picture and see whether it possessed
any value. A few days later Mr.. Volk
mer, who was an aged and portly Ger
man, rushed into DR.. Crim's house al
most breathless.
You have a real Stuartw he ex-
claimed.
Mr. Volkmer then explained that by
the aid of a process he had so patched
up the remnants of the canvas that he
had succeeded in securing a fair out
line of the figure of Washington. The
picture had been retouched, thus con-
cealing many of the original lines. By
patience Mr.. Volkmer erased what he
called "daubs'' and at length brought
forth the magnificent portrait of Wash
ingtOn in continental uniform.
The picture now hangs in the hall
way of DR.. Crim's home. For the work
which originally cost him 81 he has
subsequently been offered 81, 900, which
he refused. He considers the portrait
worth much more than this sum.
Mr.. Volkmer then set himself to work
to ascertain how the full sized portrait
found it's way to Barnum's hotel. He
learned that Zenas Barnum, the found
er of Barnums hotel, had conducted q
public inn or coffee house in Boston,
the home of Gilbert Stuart, before he
came to Baltimore. He also ascer-
tanned that Stuart was improvident
and that he was given to life in public
inns. The inference naturally was
1hat Mr.. Barnum had accepted the
picture in payment of debt and that
when he came to Baltimore he brought
the picture with him. Barnum's first
place of business was at the corner of
Baltimore and Hanover streets and
was known as the Indian Queen hotel.