Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-20
cHIt0REN'S PENNIES WASTED
Mystery surrounding the Fund Con-
trib by school Children for
Lafayette statue.

More than seven years ago the school
children of the United States contributed
their pennies TO a fund amounting to
100000 TO erect an equestrian statue OF the
marquis de Lafayette in the court yard OF
the Louvre In Paris, the art center OF the
art capital OF the world. The statue was
to be an enduring monument to the memory
OF the hero and a perpetual emblem Of
international felicity. The project was
especially OF local interest. inasmuch as
the lenders OF the commission intrusted
with the expenditure of the children's pen-
MES we're prominent Chicagoans, among
them Alexander II. Reveli, Ferdinand w
Peck ana Robert J. Thompson.
Today In the Place du Carrousel. perhans
the most cherished site for a work OF art In
the French capital, stands an unsiKhtIy
Image OF staff which was dedicated with inn
posing ceremony In 1900 as a statue OF la
fayette. Cracks have opened in the sur
face OF the figure and the neck of the horse
has assumed u grotesque twist az the result
OF the action Of the weather
few months ago one Of Lafayette's
boots dropped on and Sculptor Paul Bartlett,
glued II on again and applied a thick coat
OF bronze paint. The paint IL now peelinR
on and the gift" Of the American school
children has become horror that the
French authorities threaten to remove.
Such, in brief, Is the visible result TO date
OF the expenditure OF the school ohildrep's
pennies.
or the $4,000 contributed with patr4o,io
enthusiasm, nSoOO has beea paid the scuIp-
tor, who is now, as heretofore, reported 10
De getting ready 20 cast a permanent
bronze statue TO be put In place either this
scnlptor's contract Is for 81, oOo as the FUN
price Of his work. The sun, OF 10000 has
been expended for pedestal for the statue
that annually has been herslded as almost
ready approximately $4,000 wo.th IL. $50
pennies were used In 1900 TO carry Secretary
r. ]. Thompson Of the Lafayette memorial
commission and his retinue 81 Distinguished
Americans and patrons % International art
to the dedicatory ceremonies at the stan
statue OF Lafayette.
According to Secretary Thompson about
Soo'OoO remains oa deposit ir ina American
trust and Savings bank OF ChscSgo
IL the school children-thoss OF them VINO
still are young enough TO have states and
pencils-do little ciphering they will nnd
that even at the figures given, some So 900
remains unaecounted for II they figure the
interest on $4,000 az per cent for ~.
years they win discover that al the expira-
tioh Of the period the original $4,000 would
have grown Al simple interest 10 as. 100
This suppOsitious case has entered into the
eiphering OF some Of the critics OF the
statue commission.
Only a few days ago word came from
Paris 10 the enect that among American.
resident there has arisen the question:
What has beer done with the money!
R. J. Thompson accounted for some o. II
yesterday when he told Of the compars-
lively small amount that has been paid 10
the sculptor, the cost OF the pedestal and
the cost Of the trip Of himself ana his
retinue 10 the ceremonies in 1900, when the
stan image that since has become an OBJ
jet o. shame to Americans abroad was
erected. More OF the money vas used 10