The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-07-21

Stark Obtnined Loan Of Ten Thou
 sand Dollars Upon Valuable CoIIee-
 tion-ForecIosure Reveals Value.
 Amid the prosaic and gloomy sur roundings of a storage warehouse in the national capital there has been made one Of the most important art finds of recent years, says the Wash ington Post.
 In connection with this discovery is unfolded story of a connoisseru's de- votion to collecting paintings by the worlds masters with brush and pal- cite. Pathetic indeed is the history of those canyases now piled together be- heath the roof of the storehouse. They represent years of patient, plodding re- search; of indifference to discouraging criticism, and sels-denial at times bordering on the heroic. Not only are the dust-covered perks parts of an in- teresting ramance, but over them hangs the shadow of tragedy, the principals in which are new resting in the tomb.
 Half century ago two men, warm friends. and about on an equal footing in point of worldly possessions. age and opportunity for advancement, watched the first steps toward forming the col- lection, steps which ended only with the death of one of the friends. The latter was successful only in following his darling hobby. He lived to a great extent in dream-world of art. He contemplated enriching his native state by presenting to it the paintings which to him represented years of earnest toll and sacrifice. The world did not deal any too kindly with the aged connois- seur; in material things he was sorely disappointed; in fact, his closing years were marked by stern necessity and a condition almost amounting to penury.
 BUTLER GETS A MORTGAGE.
 His companion Of fifty years ago prospered like one of the chosen people. He obtained high rank in the army of the north during the civil war. He was powerful in political conflicts. He was honored by his state, became it's chief executive, served several times in congress, and at one time was can didate of a faction of a great party for president of the United States. A gi- ant among lawyers, he anassed wealth in his profession. A keen business man, he made millions in commercial pursuits.
 This man, for whom life spelled grat- flied ambition and worldly success, was General Benjamin F. Butuer of Massa- chusetts. His. less fortunate friend, at one time associated with him in the practice of law, was Colonel William Penn Clark, who died in Washington in February, 1903. Colonel Clark earned his title by bearing arms for his coun- try, and after the civil war and subse- quent to his association with Zen Butler he became clerk in one of the government departments. When the inroads of age unfitted him for his du- ties he had to face the world with bare Ivy sufficient for his modest wants. In fact, he was seriously embarrassed in 1s91 It seemed absolute ly necessary for him to raise several thousand dollars What more natural than an appeal to his old-time friend, Butler, who owned factories, store houses, interest-b bearing bonds, bank stock and yachts?
 General Butler rarr1ptly advanced the required sum, which to him was a mere bagatelIe. The colonel, feeling rich in the possession of his prized paintings, insisted that General Butler should secure himself by taking a mortgage on the collection, which then filled the walls of a roony old house on Ninth street.
 BUTBER'S HARD BARGAIN.
 In business matters, as rule, Butler drove hard bargain, but it is known that his affection for Clark led him to regard the mortgage as a mere matter .of form, and he fully intended that by no act of his would his friend and for mer associate be put to any stress.
 Death, the great leveler, took the man Hof millions first, and in closing his es- tate his executors found a mortgage covering about one hundred paintings of debatable value Sentiment might very properly have ruled in the rela- tions between Butler and Clark, but to ltlG Il6Il WtlO TSptSSttlltu bultSl . heirs there was but one course open. Clark must either pay the amount nom- mated in the bond or yield his dearest possessions through the process of fore closure.
 When Clark died his indebtedness to the Butler estate, including principal and interest amounted to more than twelve thousand dollars. This sum he would have been unable to pay on de mand, but death spared him the pain of seeing his treasures torn from the walls and placed under the hammer. FORECLOSURE. REVEALS VALUE.
 By the terms of the will Colonel Clark, who was eighty-five years of age when he passed away provided that sufficient number of the paint ings should be sold to pay off the But Ter mortgage after which the remain der were to be turned over to his na- tive state of Iowa as nucleus for an art gallery in the capital city of Des Moines He died childless, but left sev- eral heirs at law, including a niece, with whom he lived in his declining years It is said that another will is in existence. by which the Clark collection as a whole is bequeathed to nephew of the testator by marriage.
 Upon application by the representa- tives of the. Butler estate, the courts ordered foreclosure of the mortgage.