Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-10-05
LOOKED LIKE LOBSTER.
Pacific Coast Artists Painting of a
crawfsh Failed to Satisfy.


Crawfish Failed to Satisfy.
Portland observation-disclosures the
picture he painted of George Washing
ton bore strong marks of resemblance
TO William Tell and his likeness of a
crawfish looked more like a lobster.
r. G. Berger, a sign painter. was not
able TO collect the full amount of his
bill, and brought suit for the amour,
in Justice Reds courL. The case was
heard yesterday, but no decision VIII
be given until to-day. The evidence Of
the witnesses was conflicting. am
Judge Reid insisted that he must first
visit the scene of the dispute and see
fer himself if the father of his country
wore German features and if the cIaw-
fish was OF the wrong species. The
suit was against ]. L. Mitchell. repre-
senting the Order of Washington. The
sign had been painted on the inside of
the fence on the baseball grounds IF
the National league The order hau
decided that their lodge needed advar-
tisement and that they would make an
appeal TO the people who visited the
baseball grounds. Berger was called
and instructed to procure an apprOpri-
ate sign to advertise the Order of
Washington. Now, upon the literature
of the lodge Is a likeness of the ma
tons great character. and the only
specification as to the sign to be paint
ed was that it was To have a large pic
ture of the head of Ratchet fame.
The sign was painted and the mem
bers of the committee visited the
grounds. Some of them had not really
gone TO see the game. but they were
willing to pay the price of admission,
in order to view with pride the hand
some sign, and tell their neigbbors
that they were members of the Order
of Washington. But their pride was
stung as they sat, and listened to the
comments.
who is that?" people asked on
every side.
Washington? That does not. look
like Washington" The matter would
then be discussed and each time the
conclusion was reached that it really
did look like some great character and
that William Tell was the most likely
subject TO apply the likeness TO.
When the painter went around to
collect his bill he did rot meet a very
warm reception. His price was SIS.
OF which he had collected about $50.
and the members vowed they would
not pay the remaining SIS, for they
were not satisfied with the work. In
fact. they were not willing for the
picture To be on the fence at all, and
insisted that the painter must smear
the likeness over with cOlored paint
and make a design of a different sort
A new design was made of red. white
and blue colors, and no statesman now
adorns the fence. but still the lodge
members are not willing to pay the
bin.
What did the picture look like"
asked Mr.. Lord. in his effort TO show
that there might be a mistake. Did II
look like Judge Klaemer?" The Judge
has red hair. and the witness smiled
as he remarked that there was red,
'-A@t~ ~AAA& A%NAN OAA AAAC HANAWAC.
An effort was made TO prove that
the workmanship of the painter was
generally poor. and the proprietor OF
the Quelle restaurant was called.
Il employed him to paint a sign for
me- SAID the baron. as he took the
witness stand. Il told him to paint
picture of a crawfish and when he got
through with it il looked much more
like a lobster than it did a crawfsh."
Witnesses were called by 10th sides
who had seen the pictures. Among
some OF them the opinion prevailed
that Washington picture could not
have been mistaken, and as for the
crawfsh on the fence. it looked natu-
raj enough to eat. Others were of the
opinion that the pictures were all
wrong, and that the painter had TO
business to ask for pay under the con-
ditions. Washington's portrait is gone
and the judge will not be able to see
whether or not the painter did justice
to the theme, but the fish is still
cleaning on the fence and Judge Reid
will to-day decide the case, influenced
greatly by his opinion as TO whether
the likeness is of a lobster or not.