Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-05
VANDAL'S ARREST
IS EXPECTED SOON
Detectives Leave in Auto to
Capture Destroyer
of Paintings
IS BELIEVED DEMENTED
Art Worth Thousands Ruined
in Academy of Fine Arts
Summer School
IS BELIEVED DEMENTED

Search Is being made today by the
police for the vandal who destroyed
paintings and statuary valued at several
thousand dollars at the summer school
OF the Pennsylvania Academy of the
Fine Arts II is located eight miles
west of Phoenixville
Roy Miller, superintendent of the
school, accompanied by two detectives,
left the ground in an automobile to run
down clue which it is believed will
lead to an arrest
The man under suspicion Is said to
be of unsound mind and Is described as
having bloodshot eyes
He Is about five feet four inch in
height, of slender build and well-dressed.
Considerable mystery surrounds the
| affairs. Mr.. Miller will not discuss the
case in the slightest way and told the
! Janitor of the place to lock the doors
and windows today when reporters and
photographers called to view the ruined
pictures,
He said all inquiries should be made
to John Frederick Lewis. president of
| the academy. Mr.. Lewis would not talk
of the matter.
Esndsl Used Sledge Hammer
Chief of Police Williams. of Phoenix
Vile said some of the marble statues
were smashed into small bits, showing
that the miscreant had evidently used
a sledge In his work or demolishment
Many of the paintings were slashed In a
dozen places.
Photographs of fngerprints on several
pieces of broken statuary were taken
this afternoon by Detective Klein. finger
print expert under captain of Detec-
tives Souder. this city, who is CO.
operating with the Phoenixville police
The fingers of the vandal are long and
slender and somewhat feminine in con-
tour.
Investigation shows that entrance was
gained to the place by means of a false
key. None Of the doors or windows
shows signs OF having been forced.
Suspect Seen ut station
The suspected vandal was seen in the
railroad station at Chester Springs last
saturday, IL is said. The stranger
bought ticket for PhoeniXvile and ap-
peared TO be suffering from great mental
strain. After he had left Miller arrived
at the station and asked Wayne Hess
the agent there. II he could identify a
man comparing with the description
given.
Among the pictures destroyed, It is
understood, were the famous Arundel
prints. presented to the academy by
Charles Hare Hutchinson. and the. yalu-
able private collection of early American
portraits, owned by Mr.. Lewis, president
of the academy -,
Virtually every picture in the build
ings was cut into shreds according to
the Phoenixville police. Entry was
gained during daylight last Thursday
in the absence of Mrs. Isaiah Fetter, the
caretaker.
The depreciation was not brought TO
the attention of the police. they de-
clare. until Monday. and every effort has
been made to keep the facts secret
In one building cupboard under the
stage. in which a number Of paintings
had been placed during the winter
months. was pried open and its contents
ruined. Another cupboard, which was
also locked but empty. was untouched.
Before beginning operations the vandal
destroyed the school switchboard, thus
cutting all telephone communication be-
tween the various buildings.
Police Suspect Stranger
The Arundel prints. the majority OF
which are believed to have been de-
stroyed, were published by the Arundel
Society of London. While the majority
of the prints are copies Of the works of
painters also are represented. In the
collection were copies of Michael An
gelo's prophets Ezekiel and jeremiah.
the originals OF which appear on the
walls of the Sistne Chapel in Rome
Michael Angeles Delphic Sibyl was
also included.
Copies of treasures from the brushes
of Italian painters from the pre- Raphael
and pre- Michael ANGLICAN schools were
numbered among the prints. Saint
Francis Preaching to the Birds" the
work of Giotto. one of the earliest Flor.
entine artists. also was included among
the prints, as were Raphaefs 'Justitia,"
Poetry" Theology" and philosophy"
other prints in the Arundel collection
included those OF the masterpieces of
the early German artists, Durer and
Holbein and the Dutch painters. Mem
ling and Jan Van Eyck