The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-16
DAvENPORT'S CARTOON
KEPT DEWEY At HOME
AT the Time He was Being Cen
sured He Was About Ready to
Quit the Country.
ARTIST WELL RECEIVED
He Delights a Large Audience at
Propyleum with Words
and Drawings.

Homer Davenport. the noted Eastern car
toonist, who has a clever and delightful
way of telling Of his work, appeared before
the Contemporary Club at the Propylaeum
last night. and the frequent applause that
interrupted him showed that the large
audience was greatly interested in his lee
ture on Cartoons"
Alfred +. Potts. president of the club, in
introducing Mr.. Davenport, said that every
age and race since The time of the building
OF the pyramids have known some form Of
~caricature, but the caricatures of the pres
ent day are a great Improvement over the
grotesque productions of the past. w
all like stories" said Mr.. Potts, "but the
stories we ike best are those which are
told by pictures. The drawing of pictures
is an art. and we have with us this evening
the master OF that art, Homer Davenport"
Mr.. Davenport. as a preface to his talk,
said it had been said Of many cartoonists
that they could draw cartoons for years and
never make enemies of those they car
TONED, but in his case he had found it very
difficult TO make caricatures without max
ing enemies.
PICTURE OF "A RAINY.
To show how an enemy could be easily
made he told OF a trip TO San francisco
to get a picture Of Sam Rainy. the polit-
zeal boss Of that city. Mr.. Davenport knew
that Rainy was always opposed to having
his picture taken and would fight to pre-
vent anyone taking a snap shot. Mr.. Dan
export went to the boss's headquarters in a
livery stable and after being knocked
against the wall twice by Rainy the car
toonist succeeded in getting a good study
of his subject and going back to the Of
R4o 1-our eha carfaan wrhInh nnnqoran in
the San Francisco the next
morning. Rainy was so delighted with the
caricature that he sent for Mr.. Davenport
and they have since remained the warmest
of friends.
In speaking further Of the art of cartoon
ing. the speaker said that in order to make
a successful cartoon, the artist must be IL
the proper frame OF mind. If the picture
Is TO be a funny one the cartoOnist must
be smiling when at work. II me cartoon Is
meant to draw tears, the cartOOnist must
shed tears. Mr.. Davenport spoke of a trip
he made to a geological garden for the pur-
pose of drawing some mOnkeys When he
got home and looked in a glass he found
that his forehead was contracted in such a
way that it resembled that Of a monkey,
SO intent had he been upon his work.
STUDY OF FACES.
Mr.. Davenport next directed his remarks
to the study of faces and said that some
have the receding chin and protruding
forehead and vice versa, but that the most
evenly balanced face he had ever studied
was that of the late William Z. Gladstone.
He spoke Of a trip he made to Chester,
England. in order to study the face of 1.-The
grand old man." Mr.. Davenport said that
as he drove I'D to the home of Mr.. Glad
stone that distinguished gentleman was
just returning from his daily walk. accom-
panied by his little black dog. In the short
conversation which the two gentlemen held
on the front steps of Mr.. Gladstone's home,
the noted cartoOnist was able TO make a
close study of his subjects face. Mr..
Davenport then gave a lightning sketch
with crayon OF the grand old man as he
had appeared to him.
Mr.. Davenport spoke with great pride OF
s the picture Be drew Of Admiral Dewey al
the time the whole country was censuring
him for deciding TO his wife the house given
him by the American citizens for his great
victory IN Manila bay. The cartoon repre-
as he leaned from the bridge Of the Olym-
pia- Underneath the cartoon was printed
Lest We Forget" Shortly after the car
t0On appeared Mr.. Davenport was in Wash
ington and he heard that Admiral Dewey
wished TO see him.
ADMIRAL BROKE DOWN.
Mr.. Davenport said: Il went up to see
the admiral. and when I entered the house
he came up as if to speak, but broke down
and cried. and Mrs. Dewey explained tc
me that her husband wished to thank me
for the cartoon. She said that the adj
miral had intended to leave this country
and never return, but since the cartoon ap-
peared over LOO letters, each one contain
ing one Of the cartoons, had come to the
house, and across the faces of these was
written something to this effect: Admiral
don't you go away; we want you to stay.
The original cartoon was bought by z
friend of mine and sent To the admiral and
il now hangs on the wall in the Dewey
home"
Mr.. Davenport was born i'm Oregon. five
miles from Silverton, about forty years ago
and the scene OF his early labOrs was II
California. He was the cartOOnist on thu
New York Journal and the San Francisco
Examiner for & number of years. He is now
living at Morris Plains, y. j., and is raisine
wood ducks and other kinds OF wild game
Mr.. Davenport is a cousin OF Claude Bow
ers, cartoOnist on the News.