Evening star., 1943-10-26

Lass, which cost $4,000; Carnation,
Istar, costing $4,000; Stefan the
Great, Grenadier, Houdini, Runan-
tell, which he presented to the Polo
Association of America: Duettiste,
Philosopher, Neap Tide, Naturalist
Refine des Peches. which cost $30, 900;
Curate, Mr.. Sponge, Kiev, Levin
chaud and Arc Light.
In 1928 Mr.. Widener won 20 races
on French tracks alone. In 1926 he
issued list of rs horses which were
to carry his colors that season. In
1925 he ordered the sale in Kentucky
of 81 horses he had bought from the
stud farm of August Belmont. The
sale attracted buyers from all parts
of his counry and Europe. Included
in the sale were both parents of Man
o. War. greatest race horse of his
time. These were Fair Play, 2O-year-
old sire, and Mahubah, the dam
Mr.. Widener bought in Fair Play.
paying 100000. The sale realized a
total of s782 900.
Sued by Russian Prince.
Mr.. Widener was defendant in
1924 in an unusual suit which
attracted international attention.
Prince Felix Youssoupof OF Russia
said to have been one OF the richest
men under the Czarist regime and
figure in the killing of the mystic
monk Rasputin, brought suit in this
country, claiming he had pledged
two Rembrandt paintings with Mr..
Widener as security for a loan of
$500 900 made in 1921, and that Mr..
Widener declined to let him redeem
them.
Mr.. Widener denied the paintings
had been pledged for loan, but
said he had acquired them by out
right sale. Trial of the case was
started in Philadelphia, but it was
moved to New York. The litigation
ended in victory for Mr.. Widener,
leaving him in possession of the pic
lures.
The will Of P. A. 3. Widener, who
acquired his fortune in traction de-
velopments in Philadelphia and New
York, left the disposition of the
great Widener art collection at
Lynnewood Hall to the wishes of his
son Joseph. The will gave him au-
thority to present the collection as a
public gift to Philadelphia, New
York, or Washington, and empow-
cred him. If he deemed it desirable
to speid S1O.00O,000 from the estate
for a public gallery if he desired to
house the collection in Philadelphia
Many Sources Sought Art.
Mr.. Widener for long time con-
fessed himself unable to make up
his mind on the disposition of the
treasures and. meantime, continued
to add to the collection. He was
beSought from many sources to di-
vide the gift between Philadelphia
and Washington.
A secondary hobby was floricul-
ture. The Widener gardens were
productive Of blossoms which took
prizes at numerous public exhibi-
tions.
Mr.. Widener was born in Phila-
delphia August 10, 1872, and was
educated in private schools and at
the University Of Pennsylvania and
Harvard. In early youth he supple
mented formal education by travel
abroad.
He married Mrs William Heber-
ton of Philadelphia. She was the
former Miss Ella H. Pancoast. Sar-
geant's portrait of Mrs. Widener
was considered one Of his most
striking works. Mrs. Widener died
in May, 1929
Mr.. Widener was a director of the
Baltimore & Ohio and Reading rail-
roads, numerous other corporate tions,
and trustee of the University of
Pennsylvania.
David E. Finley. director of the
National Gallery of Art, authorized
the following statement:
Il am deeply distressed to hear of
Mr.. Widener's death. The National
Gallery of art has lost friend who,
as a trustee and the donor of the
great Widener collection, has had a
vital part in building up this insti-
tuition during its formative years.
The gallery and the public, both
now and in years to come, will owe
Mr.. Widener lasting debt of graf
itude for his generosity and for
the faultless taste and discrimina-
ton which he showed in his choice
OF the objects of ar in the Widener
collection.
Though splendid works of art
were left him by his father, in whose
memory he gave the collection, it
was his choice, his selective in
stinct which raised the collection to
the standard of quality which so
distinguishes. his great gift to the
Nation and insures for him a lasting
memorial as one OF the great con-
noisseurs of our time"
!