The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-05
VANDALISM IN
The CAPITOL.
quitting Of Battle Of Lake Eri3"
Recalls Other Acts.
|AINT'NG COST $4,000.

lsappearsnee Some Years Ago Of an
Indian Picture Which Was Afterward
Found In the Home Of Prominent
Representative.
A vandal bent on destruction cut a
rip Of canvas thirty inches long and
hree inches wide from the frame of
The Battle of Lake Erie" one Of the
rgest and most valuable paintings
hat hang In the senate wing Of the
nited States capitol The painting
as defaced near the left hand corner,
hereby marring the water scene.
The Battle Of Lake Erie" by Pow
5N, is one of the most popular works OF
4 in the capitol. The canvas is thir-
five feet long and twenty-five feet
gh. The picture represents Commo-
pre- Oliver Hazard Perry in the midst
the battle as he leaves the disabled
lgship Lawrence in the foreground to
ansfer his battle flag to the Niagara
the right in order to renew the
Eht.
The mutilation of THE Battle of
hke Erie" is regarded as the worst
t of vandalism in the history of the
pitol. The authorities are frequently
orried by souvenir hunters, but rare
has an effort been made to destroy
the capitol or other public buildings
Washington merely for the purpose
destroying. In this case the vandal
topped the piece Of canvas cut from
e frame on the grand stair leading to
e painting. A sharp knife was used
the work. The cut was a clean one.
1t apparently was not accomplished
thout difficulty. An examination of
G picture showed that the vandal
d made two unsuccessful efforts to
hsh his knife or other sharp instru-
ent through the canvas before he
hde an opening.
Various theories have been advanced
to the reasons that prompted the
ntilation of the painting. Some are
clined to believe the canvas was cut
a disgruntled or discharged en-
pyee 1t is suggested also that the
may have been committed by a
lssian sympathizer, who thus gave
mt to his resentment over the at
cks made on the Russian govern
ent In the debates on the resolution
opposing the abrogatiOn of the treaty
1882. The police have no substan.
ton of this theory.
The cutting Of THE Battle of Lake
lie" has recalled many acts of de-
ruction and defacements of works Of
in the capitol Something of n sen
ton was kicked up a decade back
ben it was discovered that one Of II.
eat toes of the Greenough statue or
Forge Washington, which stood I'm
plaza facing the east front of the
pitol, was missing. Search for the
and the person responsible for its
appearance was made, but without
Fult. The toe was replaced.
The bronze doors at the east front
the capitol were defaced at the
he OF the Spanish war. Parts of the
s-relief depicting soldiers at war
ere knocked off and carried away by
uvenir hunters.
another offense charged against SOU
mir hunters was the damage done to
Bible used in swearing in presi-
nts Of the United States. An effort
Ps made also a few years ago to
bike away with the hands on the
bck In the senate marble room. The
nds were bent out Of shape, as II
effort had been made to remove
em.
A party Of prominent women was
ken to a committee room Of the can
about ten years ago to view an
dian painting. The picture could
be found. While the capitol au-
Xprities have declined to make any
mment on this particular case, It iI
own that the painting was located !
the home OF New York congress
IN. How IT got there was never sat. !
[actorily explained to those who
re apprised Of the disappearance OF |
4 painting, nor would the capitol Of |
ials make any comment on It's re-
Hn 10 the capitol. This particular |
ident created sensation at the
PIE. but the name of the statesman |
Folved was never published.
The Battle Of Lake Erie" was paint.
by william II. Powell upon an or
r OF congress. Under the terms OF |
: oint resolution passed March 2, 1865 |
joint committee on library was di |
fted to enter into a contract with |
F. Powell "to paint picture for the
lited States TO be placed at the head
one OF the grand staircases in the
&pitol Illustrative Of some naval vie
fy, the particular subject to be agreed
by the committee and the artist"
e government paid $4,000 for the
6inting.