Evening star., 1933-06-30
Evicted Sculptor, in Rage Smashes Masterpieces;
Yields Hammer on Busts and Statues of NOtables
Prof. Ernest Durig
Stirred to Wrath
by "MOve Men,"
''Enemy" Cause of
His Persecution.
Says Swiss.
IL the masterpieces Of Prof. e

A IL the masterpieces Of Prof Er-
~ nest Durig-or, at least all that
"A the Swiss sculptor didn't smash
1 \ to pieces-were carried out OF
his $150.a-month studio at 1886
Connecticut avenue and placed on the
sidewalk by deputy United States mar
shals today because he was five months
behind In his rent.
As move men," working under the
direction Of the marshals, toted marble,
plaster and clay models of Mrs. Hoover,
President and Mrs. Roosevelt, Cardinal
Fumisoni-Bi and other notables out
of the second-f1oor studio, Prof. Durig
went into action with a sledge hammer,
smashing as many of the sculptures as
he could reach.
Then, after the busts and statues had
been placed on the sidewalk, the artist
discarded his hammer and attacked
them bare handed, either raising them
high above his head and throwing them
to the pavement or else kicking them
against the wall.
The marshaS arrived while Prof.
Durig was in the midst of a confer
ence with a Star reporter. who had
been assigned to interview him re-
garding his unexplained disappearance
last May 23
The sculptor was explaining he had
gone away because he had been unable
to dispose of his latest creations. and he
had become too discouraged to stand
it any longer" He refused to reveal
where he had been, declaring he would
explain all" in letter he was writ
ing to President Roosevelt. He had
just launched on an account Of what
he termed his persecution" at the
hands of a powerful political enemy
when the marshals walked in.
They were armed with copy Of q
suit filed in Municipal Court against
Prof. Durig and August A. Bretsch,
charging them with non-payment Of
rent from February to June.
Its a shame!" the artist cried after
he had glanced at the PAGERS handed
to him by one of the marshals. "A
shame for society-not for mel"
As the move men" began gathering
up the models Prof. Durig suddenly
leaped from the couch on which he had
been sitting and darted into a closet.
He emerged a moment later with the
hammer and swung at small plaster
head on a pedestal directly behind
the reporters chair.
There was a crash, and the reporter
quickly retired to the far corner Of the
large, high-ceilinged room, followed by
the marshals.
Fixes" Sol Bloom.
While fragments Of the head we're
still sliding across the polished floor,
Prof Durigs eye fell on q bust he had
made Of Representative Sol Bloom.
"I'll fix him." he shouted, dashing
across the room. Il made the bust, and
he didn't buy it."
He swung the hammer again. and
Representative Blooms head fell to the
floor, smashed into thousand pieces.
I've spent thousands Of dollars for
material to make statues Of people and
then they didn't buy them" he called
back over his shoulder, as he ran down
the wide, heavily -carpeted stairs and
out upon the sidewalk. There he dis
carded his hammer and went to work
with his hands and feet on the models,
which his wife had just finished lining
up in a more orderly maner than that
achieved by the move men,"
A crowd began to form as the men
carted out likenesses Of Mrs. Hoover.
the Roosevelts, Cardinal Fumisont-
Biondi, former papal delegate to the
United States; Mussolini, Henry
Dunant. founder OF the International
Red Cross: Faik Konitza, Albanian
Minister; Pola Negri. st. John, st.
Francis and numerous other pieces IN
marble. plaster and clay.