New-York tribune., 1906-08-04
ART STUDENTS ANGRY.
DECRY COMSTOCK R4ID.
Reformer Hanged IN Effgy at Stu
dents League Building.


Art Students League at No. 215 West 57th
street on Thursday created a great stir yesterday
among the members of the league and their
friends. An indication of the feeling aroused
was the hanging of Mr.. Comstock in eff1gy at
window on the third floor of the art school
building. An obese figure, with the face Orna-
mented with red sidewhiskers dangled from a
rope. and was decorated with sign bearing the
significant number "23. Students who
at the building also drew cartoons of Mr.. Com
stock some with angel wings and halos, and
all grotesque caricatures.
Miss Robinson the bookSeeper of the league.
who was arrested by Mr. Comstock and paroled
in the custody of E. c. Crowley, the leagues
counsel. was not at the building during the day.
Mr.. Crowley went to the building late in the
afternoon to meet Arthur N. Fuller. president
of the league. who had been summoned in haste
from Boston They had a meeting there last
evening with Robert H Nisbit. one of the vice
presidents; Stephen Condct the treasurer, and
a few members of the board of trustees, and
later Mr.. Fuller gave out the following state
ment:
In view of the unprecedented and absurd ac-
tion of Mr.. Comstock in relation to the Art
Students League catalogues. a few facts con-
cerning the league may be of interest. The Art
head of the art schools of the country. Its list
OF instructors contains names OF artists OF
marked character and distinction 1t has main
tanned high standard OF instruction and gov
ernment. Nearly all the professional artists OF
the country are it's graduates
That a school of this character should be
subjected to the sensational attack of Mr.. Com
stock is outrageous The league had not the
slightest intimation that its publications could
be considered objectionable until Comstock's
sudden arrest of an entirely innocent and un-
protected girl employe.
Concerning the pamphlets themselves. copies
of them were transmitted through the mails
with the full knowledge and consent of the
postal authorities This attack is not ON the
league alone. but on all artists, and 1T is need
less to say that the league will push the fight
vigorously.
Mr.. Crowley said in the afternoon that be had
consented TO an adjournment of the examina-
ton OF Miss Robinson the charge OF giving
away obscene literature until September IA.
Mr.. Comstock wanted TO begin a months va
cation to-day. he said, and Magistrate Mayo
who had the case in the police court also want
ed 10 go on vacation. In the mean time Miss
Robinson would be on parole If the complaint
against her should be dismissed, Mr.. Crowley
said, proceedings would be begun Immediately
to punish Mr.. Comstock for an unjustif1able ar
rest and for the recovery Of the leagues cata-
logues which had been seized by Mr.. Comstock
Inasmuch Mr.. ComstOck had proceeded under
the form of law. however, the league would have
TO await the decision of the courts in the case
OF Miss Robinson before beginning any pro-
COnStOck
do you consider that Mr.. Comstock had the
authority to seize the entire issue of the
Leagues catalogues" Mr.. Crowley was asked
He acted under the authority OF a search
warrant issued by a magistrate" Mr.. Crowley
replied we do not concede that the cata-
logues contained any obscene pictures. If we
can satisfy the courts that the drawings in the
nude to which Comstock objects are artistic and
not obscene, we shall be able to free Miss Rob-
inson from the charge against her and also TO
prevent the destruction of the catalogues. which
are to remain in the custody of the District At
torney pending the decision OF the case"
Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, director of the Met
ropolitan Museum of Art. expressed astonisH-
ment yesterday when he heard of the latest
Comstock raid He said he could not under
stand it, and asked to be informed about Mr..
'Comstock and his society.
Il trust" he said, lit does not mean that the
liberty of the art schools shall be taken away
All art schools employ models in the nude
nude figure is not indecent unless it is made
nude for the purpose of offending the morals"
Did you ever hear of such action in England
or France?" he was asked.
Never in my life Really, cannot under
stand it, I wonder if the man is serious or il
he is joking
Everett Shinn an artist of the city, said to
reporters that Mr.. Constock's action was scan
dalous and evidently meant as a sensational at
tack on artists.
r. Hinton Perry said the raid on the Art Stu
dents League another bad break by Com
stock" To artist, he said the drawings in
the nude in the catalogues OF the school were
not obscene however much they might appear
so to Mr.. Comstock Besides, they were not
meant for the eye of the general public but for
artists and art students.
H. B. Wechsler said he thought there was
possible indiscretion'' in the use of drawings
in the nude in the leagues catalogues but it
was certain that no offence against morals could
have been intended. and no artist or art student
would consider the drawings indecent. For that
reason. he said. Mr.. Comstock's action was in
the nature OF a scandal
Mr. Comstock was in his office in the city a
few hours yesterday. before starting on his
summer vacation. and he defended his action
declaring that some of the drawings in the cata-
logues OF the Art Students League were posi-
lively indecent.
I'VE are justified by dozen court decisions in
sezing the catalogues" he said. $50 long as
they keep their nude pictures in the studios.
where they belong, we shall not molest them
Such work Of art shut up in a salon or studio
is one thing. but such work OF art prowling
around in the public street or in the home. where
1t may suggest impure thoughts. IS another
thing Wild animals are all right IN their
cages. but when they break out they must be