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A brilliant youth, he
began serious practice of the law in 1865 with his brother J Davis Reid. In
1870, he joined in a practice with Richard Apperson, Jr. After Apperson's death,
Reid joined Henry L Stone. In 1882, he was elected judge on the new Superior
Court of the state and in the brief two years that he served, he won a wide
reputation for his legal knowledge and ability. In 1884, he entered the contest
for the vacant Court of Appeals seat, and it was during this campaign that
tragedy struck. For reasons unrelated to the campaign, Reid was attacked by a
fellow Mt Sterling attorney, John Jay Cornelison, who beat him severely with a
cane and a whip.
Cornelison was furious over what he regarded as Reid's part in a court suit,
which had discredited Cornelison, he attacked him. He hit the unsuspecting and
defenseless Reid a number of times with a heavy cane. As Reid stumbled away and
out into the street, Cornelison pursued and attacked-in order to humiliate Reid
with a bullwhip, continuing to hit him until people in John Bean's store
separated them. Although Reid was urged by many to take revenge on Cornelison,
he refused to do so and attempted to carry on his election campaign.
The combined effect of the physical injury from the attack and the rather severe
criticism of those who felt Reid had not lived up to the "code of honor" put
Reid under a great strain. On May 15, 1884, he went home for dinner and his wife
put a revolver by his plate, saying, “Go do what you have to do."
He went out and shot himself to death in the backyard.
Of course, her words could have had two meanings and he may have misread what
she meant.
For when he was buried, she had his stone likeness built, erected and placed
with its back to the town, to express his contempt.
Richard Reid Monument), (sculpture)
Artist: Unknown, sculptor.
Title: (Richard Reid Monument), (sculpture).
Medium: Figure: bronze; Base: granite.
Dimensions: Figure: approx. H. 6 ft.; Base: approx. 12 x 10 x 10 ft.
Inscription: (Back of base:) Richard Reid/Oct. 3, 1838,/May 15, 1884./A martyr
to law and religion/Erected by his wife who/has given to the world the/history
of his noble life,/cruel betrayal and tragic death. unsigned
Description: Richard Reid stands with his proper right foot extended, a pen in
his proper right hand and a notebook in his proper left hand. On the front of
the base is a bronze plaque depicting a blindfolded, winged figure of Justice
holding a broken sword in her proper right hand and a scale in her raised proper
left hand. A snake is entwined around her feet. The bottom corners of the base
once had other items that have been removed.
Subject: Portrait male -- Reid, Richard -- Full length
Occupation -- Law -- Lawyer
Figure female -- Full length
Object -- Tool -- Scale
Allegory -- Quality -- Justice
Animal -- Reptile -- Snake
Object -- Weapon -- Sword
Object Type: Outdoor Sculpture -- Kentucky -- Mt. Sterling
Gravestone Sculpture
Owner: Machpelah Cemetery, 600 East Locust Street, Mt. Sterling, Kentucky 40353
Remarks: Commemorates Richard Reid, a distinguished Mt. Sterling attorney who
ran for reelection in 1884 to the second highest court in the state. However, he
suffered an altercation that April with another attorney, John J. Corneilison,
over what Corneilison regarded as an effort by Reid to discredit him. Reid was
physically injured and, under mental strain, shot himself on May 15, 1884. IAS
files contain related information from Carl B. Boyd Jr.'s and Hazel Mason's
"History of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky," 1984, pg. 64, which discusses the event.
Condition: Surveyed 1994 July. Treatment urgent.
References: Save Outdoor Sculpture, Kentucky survey, 1994.
Note: The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the
Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture
database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks
by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.
Repository: Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American
Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Control Number: IAS KY000182
Item information
Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum
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