The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-14
NOTED PAINTER
IS IN WICHITA
F. [. Van Ness Who Painted
$500 Portrait
OF DENNIS J. SWENlE
And Sketched Only Likeness of
Celebrated Murderer.

F. l. Van Ness. one Of the country's
most celebrated and Wei known portrait
painters of Chicago. is a Wichita visitor.
He arrived in the city yesterday morning
and is stopping at the Hotel Carey. He
win leave this morning for Guthrie.
He is at present on a 1900 mile trip
on business in his capacity of painter for
the Frisco system. Mr.. Van Ness IS the
only painter in the employ or any rail-
road in the United States for which he
receives an annual salary Of several thou
SANDS of dollars. In addition 10 thai.
work he paints other portraits, which
are sold in Chicago often for as high as
5000.
His trip TO Wichita i for the purpose Of
re-touching q large picture valued at $50
belonging to the Frisco railroad that oc-
cupics a position on The walls OF the
Hotel Carey reading room.
All told. the Frisco has GO Of the pic
lures which are Oh paintings and produc-
tons by MI. Van Ness. The Frisco has
one in the different larger cities Of nearly
every state in the country. Mr. Van Ness
VIII compe his trip and return TO his
home in Chicago about December J.
Several years ago Ar. Van Ness. who
is treasurer Of the international Artists
association. received a cash prize Of $3.50
for painting life size portrait of Dennis
Swenie, who was fo~ years chief of the
Chicago fire department. He is row dead.
5. W. Cooper of this city has q large
picture which was painted by Mr.. Van
Ness il Chicago Its title is "A Study
in the Nude" and is 4 life SIZE picture
OF a dressed chicken. Mr. Cooper search
ed Europe in quest or a painting for his
dining room. lie finally decided on the
picture painted by Mr.. Van Ness and
bought il from an art store in Chicago
Mr. Van Ness was the guest Of Mr.
Cooper for u short time during his stay
in Wichita
The painter also bears the distinction
Of being the first artist to make a po--
trait of the murderer K. p. Brooks alias
Maxwell, in the famous MaxweIl-Prel-
Ter case at ST Louis some years ago.
The case was that of Preller. a ST. Louis
travelling salesman. whose body was
found cut TO pieces in a drunk at tbs
Southern Hotel OF st. Louis. The police
had Maxwell. who was an Engiishman,
ard his real name f. p Brooks, arrested.
but failed to establish his identity for a
long time. As he had never before been
convicted OF q crime, the police We're
unable TO legally either take a photo
graph or have a sketch made OF the ac-
of intervie wing Brooks for a New YORK
daily paper. made . disconnected sketch
of the mans face while taking short
hand notes. Afterward he put the notes
together. which formed the first sketch
of the man Brooks ever made. 1t was
through that sketch that Il was found
Brooks home was in England II also
led to the police being bic TO find where
he first met Preller, whom he murdered.
Brooks was later hanged. Up until five
years ago no one ever knew who was
the author OF the sketch pubii-h by
the New York paper at that time.
In appearances. Ny. Van Ness Is a
typical artist he wears Van Dyke
beard and has dark hair and eyes. He
is q descendant from Holland stock.
Both his mother and father and their
relatives We're born and grew up in that
country The first variance in the family
tree was made when Mr. Van Ness mar
ried an Irish girl.