The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07
PICTURES STOLEN
FROM THE CAPITOL.

detective was shown the pictures in
possession of the Smithsonian, and
among them was crayon copy of the
Rice Gatherers" from the Woodcut
mat was made for Schoolcraft's his
tory. This had been made from the
original water color of 1889. 1t gave the
detective an idea of the missing pic
ture' but 1t was a blind clue
A. few days following this discovery
an old retainer of the Capitol who had
been employed there for many years
and remembered great many out-or-
the-Way occurrences was given oppor-
tunlty, over a mellowing series of
drinks, to unloose the floodgates of his
memory, and was adroitly guided
around to the subject of paintings in
general, and the Eastman pictures In
particular. He emembered the Rice
Gatherers," and had seen it five years
ago in the home of a prominent New
York citizen whose name is well known
in political circles throughout the coun-
try. The detective carefully guarded
the information thus obtained, and the
old employe had not the slightest idea
that he had been pumped of important
information which would most proba-
bly, lead to the recovery of the miss
ing painting.
Further inquiry brought out the fact
sion of the picture had on one occa-
sion while at the Capitol expressed adj
miration for the Rice Gatherers." An
employe of the House, now dead, sup
posed the picture. was one that had
been left, at the Capitol to be sold TO
the government, and, as the artist was
dead and no one had made claim to
the picture, he thought he might Just as
we'll hand it over to his friend At
any rate, that is what he did IA let
ter was sent to the possessors of the
picture by an intimate friend, giving
full account of the ownership and
disappearance of the picture, together
with an explanation Of the misappre-
hension under which it had been COW
veyed. 1t was assumed that the old
employe had given the picture to his in
fiuential friend as sop Is assist in
retaining him in position AROUND the
been practically stolen from the gov row.
eminent. 1t was suggested that 1t be
returned without making any Nrecord
OF the conveyance in order to- avoid
talk and scandal. The New Yorker
placed great value on the picture and
disliked very much to part with II. He
was of course surprised and mortified
to discover that the painting in his
possession had been practically stolen
from the Capitol, but recognized that
it was his duty to return it.
Accordingly acting upon the SUCCESS
ton to return the picture in an anony-
nous sort of way. he had the Rice
CATERERS" carefully packed, and IL
was brought TO Washington by one of
the express companies without any
marks to indicate from whom or
whence 1t came. 1t has been restored
to its former place in the room of the
Committee on Indian affairs, and here
after will be one of the objects of
special interest that will occupy the
attention of Capitol guides
The picture itself is more than or
dinarily interesting. 1t shows three
Sioux women in canoe, one with a
paddle holding the canoe up against
the tall clumps of wild rice, while the
other two bend the rice over the canoe
ana beat off the grain with short pad
dies. In the distance is another
canoe whose occupants are also en-
gagged in gathering the grain. The
foreground is filled with lily pads and
waving reeds and rice
Eastman understood Indian charac-
ter thoroughly, and he drew Siouan
physiognomy faithfully. For many
years he was on duty with his regi-
ment on the frontier, and was well and
favorably known to the Indians He
married Sioux woman, by whom he
had several children. who, of course,
bore his name. Some of them distin-
guished themselves in literature and
the professions. Col Eastman was
I placed on the retired list Dec. 8. 1863
with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
He was brevetted for faithful and dis
tinguished services and given the rank
of Brigadier General. His last years
were passed in Washington.