The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-13
MAYOR PISKE BUYS PICTURES.
GETS 4 COLLECTION or OLD
MASTERS DOG CHEAP.
Suspicion That He May Have Been
Feoled Leads Him TO Cause the Arrest
Of simon Leopoid-Mr. Leopold DE-
ciares That the Pictures Are Old Masters

Fe0led Leads Him TO Cause the Arrest
Of simon Leopoid-Mr. Leopold De.
ciares That the Pictures Are Old Masters
MOUNT VERNON, n. Y, Dec. i2.--Msyor
Edwin W Fiske Of this city caused the arrest
last night Of Simon Leopold. a picture
broker, on a charge Of having swindled
him out Of 81 sos by selling him paintings
which he represented TO be by old masters.
but which, the Mayor says. he has good
reason to believe ara not originals. but
copies. There are forty nine Of the paint
ings and they depict historical scenes rang
ing from the handing down Of the tablets
by Moses to the toilet of Venus. They
are now stored in the Mount Vernon City
Hall pending an investigation. The pid =
ure broker was arrested by Detective
zach az the Grand Union Hotel in New
York. The detective ant his prisoner
arrived here at o'clock this morning
When the case came up in the & IS Court
to-day an al journment was taken TO Dec. 20.
and Leopold was released in custody OF
Detective Lynch. The arrest has caused
surprise in Mount Vernon. Mayor Fiske
has been in the plumbing business and of
late has been engaged in exploiting oil
so,k. His friends can hardly ere lit the
report that any one has been clever enough
To separate him from any part Of his roll
The MAYOR when seen tonight concern
ing the alleged swindle. was very reticent
He was engaged in a military inspection.
and would not discuss the details OF the
case except To say that he had caused tie
art dealer arrest becauss,d he had believed
he had been buncoed.
Leopold asserts that the paintings are
genuine" said he. And we assert that
they are not. | am in hopes that Leopold
will settle the matter by refunding the
money. fine does this. the charges against
him will probably be withdrawn
Associated with the Mayor in the pur-
chase Of the collection is Harry !. Nathans
a wealthy book auctioneer who lives in
Mount Vernon. Mr.. Nathans invested
about 5000 in the paintings which he is
now endeavoring 10 get back
Leopold was few years ago reputed
TO he worth half million OF dollars. He
lived in a fashionable section of Chester
Hill in luxurious style. The picture broker
according to a story ne told TO Mayor ri X =
and Mr.. Nathans, was once identified with
the late Gov. Roswell p. Flower in a fifteen
milion.dollar picture deal by which they
expected to corner all Of the original paint
,ngs OF the old masters both in the markets
Of this country and of Europe.
The deal. Leopold says, was just being
closed at the time the Ex-Governor died
suddenly in Brooklyn Leopold was 10
have received $4,000 in stock in IN.
scheme Since the death Of his wife about
a year ago Leopold has been living at the
Grand Union Hotel
Mr. Nathans said tonight that Leopold
went to Mayor Fiske about two months ago
and said that he had collection Of paintings
worth about 10000 in pawn in Brooklyn
which he would like to sell TO him.
Leopold told the Mayor continued
Nathans, that as he had b'frlended him in
Mount Vernon he would rather let him
have the paintings al a great sacrifice than
to have them go TO the pawnbrokers.
Leopold said that the pictures were by some
Of the best masters of Europe and this
country. He finally Persuaded the Mayor
to put UP 81 $50 for twenty nine of them.
Then the Mayor induced me to go into the
scheme and put up 81 900 for twenty more
of the paintings The paintings wcr IN
the storehou-es Of three pawnbrokers IN
BROOKLYN and ! wont over there and re-
deemed them and brought them To Mount
Vernon where We put them in IN" Guy nan.
The three largest paintings were the ones
representing Moss banding down IN.
Coach Hors,s.- bv Jean Smith. There are
also a lot of Dutch scenes.
we were led To believe that the paint
ings were several hundred wears old and
we thought We had struck II rich.
sWe gave Mount Vernon artist 500
10 brush the dust of the paintings and clean
them up, Leopold agreed to furnish us
cal alog,ie and as -oon a. he did 40 went
down to New York to arrange to sell the
collect ion at some of the auction houses.
I called on Mr.. Kirby, president Of the
New York Art ASSOCIATION, and when ne
looked at our catalogue he smiled. Why,
Mr. Nathan, said he, II some OF these pct
ures are genuine Won have fortune. They
are absolutely priceless. The picture oi
Moses handing down the tablet Is worth
fortune alone, il II Is genuine. but | fear
that they are only copies and If this IL the
case vol, have been imposed upon This
WAS the first time that suspicion was aroused
that the pictures might he only copies of
III" originals. -,
Kirby had said he consulted his counsel
and Mr. IeOpold's arrest has followed
Next Sunday we intend to have a connoissaur
come ND from New York and take look
a. the collection. The question at issue
is Mr. Leopold's veracity. He may be right,
but ] am afraid he L. not and that we are
up against a .winding game"
The Leopold collection has been in the
Mount Vernon Civ Hall for several months
aud has nearly filed the Mayors private
Office. Scores Of city officers, Aldermen
ana prominent tiI n ms nav iUSp*7'ei INC
works Of tho old Masters" and marvelled al
the Mayors wonderful rise from plumb
and steam filter to an art Connoi' : 'lr. The
Mayor has taken great pride IN the collec-
tion and has frequently assured his friends
that il was worth n fortune
Mayor Fiske has never been known AZ
"welcher," but he is very indignant over
the Encouraging reports he has received
from the New York art dealers and IL he
has been deceived he declares that he will
make trouble for Mr.. Leopold. Neither
Leopold nor his attorneys could be found
Tonight II was learned, however, that
he maintains that the paintings are a.
,.a.ro.an.od LIZ him md has nfernd q holm