Historic Art Controversy at Glencairn Museum | Vending Machine Theft in L.M.

Author

Jamie Buck
January 27, 2024

In Today’s Huntingdon Valley Insider:

📅 Saturday, January 27, 2024
🖼️ Historic Art Controversy at Glencairn Museum
🚨Vending Machine Theft in Lower Moreland
🔥 FOLLOWUP: Former Employee Charged with Arson
🤔 Town Trivia: How well do you know H.V.?
⛅️ Weather + 🎭 Events + 🏈 Sports
🎖️ Local Business Directory + 💁‍♂️ Feature your Business

👀 for best viewing, Read Online

Accusations Fly Against Glencairn Museum for Displaying Allegedly Stolen Art

The Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn, along with two other prominent museums, is currently under scrutiny for allegedly displaying medieval stained glass windows originally from the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen in Rouen, France. This claim was highlighted in a recent report by Boston and further detailed by the French publication Ouest France.

A Parisian association has filed a legal complaint against the Glencairn Museum, the Worcester Art Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The controversy revolves around panels from the Legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acknowledged that their collection includes 11 panels from around 1200 AD, initially part of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame.

Philippe Machicote, the president of the accusing association, stated that these stained glass panels were stolen from the Rouen Cathedral in the late 19th century and early 20th century, eventually finding their way into American collections through the Parisian market.

The Glencairn Museum, in a YouTube video discussing the panels, claims that their collection houses the only known stained-glass depiction of the legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, dating back to the time of Edward the Confessor. The panels at Glencairn were reportedly acquired by Raymond Pitcairn, who previously owned the property now housing the museum, at a 1921 auction of medieval stained glass owned by Henry C. Lawrence, former governor of the New York Stock Exchange.

More on the panels, in this VIDEO.

Search Underway for Vending Machine Theft Suspects in Lower Moreland

The Lower Moreland Police Department is on the lookout for two male suspects involved in an attempted theft from a vending machine in Huntingdon Valley. The incident, which occurred on January 12 at around 12:43 am, also resulted in damage to the vending machine.

Key to the investigation is a Dodge van, captured in the area at the time of the attempted theft. The van bore the Pennsylvania registration LBD4066, which, upon further investigation, was found to be expired and actually registered to a Nissan, not a Dodge.

The police are urging the public for assistance in this case. Detective Daniel at the Lower Moreland Police Department is the point of contact for any information regarding the identity or whereabouts of these individuals. He can be reached at 215-947-3132.

FOLLOWUP: Former Employee Charged with Arson of Willow Grove Auto Shop and Huntingdon Valley Shed

IMontgomery County authorities have charged a former employee with starting two fires last month, one that devastated a Willow Grove auto mechanic shop and another that damaged a shed in Huntingdon Valley. The accused, Sean Gahagan, 56, from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, reportedly admitted to setting the fires at JG Transmissions, where he previously worked, and at a nearby shed.

The first incident occurred at 8:45 p.m. at JG Transmissions, a longstanding auto shop since 1994, located at 616 Davis Road. Upon arrival, firefighters found the building fully engulfed in flames. A second fire was reported 15 minutes earlier at a shed in Huntingdon Valley, which was extinguished using a fire extinguisher. Both fires are believed to have been intentionally set.

Earlier on the day of the fires, Gahagan had visited JG Transmissions seeking work, but was turned away. Surveillance footage captured a red 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, driven by Gahagan, parked near the auto shop shortly before the fire broke out. He was also seen wearing a hooded camouflage jacket, consistent with his attire when arrested three days later in Lebanon for an unrelated trespassing offense at a church.

Investigators discovered that Gahagan had stolen a small amount of cash from JG Transmissions before igniting the fire. At the shed, authorities found flammable liquids linked to JG Transmissions. The motivation behind the shed fire appears personal, as Gahagan expressed feeling "cheated" in a 20-year-old case related to the property, for which he was ordered to pay $80,000.

Following the incidents, Gahagan attempted to disguise his vehicle by painting it grey. He has a history of arson, with a conviction in 2004 for a similar offense in Huntingdon Valley. Charged with multiple counts of arson, burglary, and other offenses, Gahagan is currently held at Montgomery County Correctional Facility, awaiting a bail review and a preliminary hearing.

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

What significant change occurred to Huntingdon Valley's transportation system on January 14, 1983?

The correct answer is the end of regular passenger train service. On January 14, 1983, Huntingdon Valley's regular passenger train service via SEPTA's Fox Chase-Newtown Rapid Transit Line ceased operation due to failing diesel train equipment and low ridership​​.

The majority got it right:

🦅 For the 2024 season, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will be adjusting to changes in his coaching staff. Alex Tanney, the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles, is reportedly exploring other coaching opportunities.

🏀 As the February 8 NBA trade deadline approaches, speculation about potential moves by the Philadelphia 76ers continues to grow. While there have been some blockbuster trades in the league, the Sixers have remained relatively quiet. However, credible reports have linked them with interest in players like Zach LaVine from the Bulls and Dejounte Murray from the Hawks.

⚾️ The Philadelphia Phillies are in a pivotal phase of their offseason, having already achieved a significant goal. The team successfully secured the return of Aaron Nola, maintaining the strength of their pitching rotation. This move is crucial, as the roster that reached the National League Championship Series in consecutive seasons is largely intact and well-positioned for another strong run.

🏒 Flyers News. 1. On January 23, Carter Hart, widely regarded as the team's "franchise goalie," announced an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. 2. News emerged just over a day later that five individuals linked to the Hockey Canada sexual assault lawsuit filed in 2022 were instructed to surrender to Ontario police. Hart's name had been mentioned in relation to this lawsuit.

Lower Moreland High School girls' basketball team hosted a "Coaches vs. Cancer" game against Cheltenham last night. This fundraising event supported the American Cancer Society, focusing on cancer research, patient support, and advocacy.

Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered over six million Jews in an event known as the Holocaust or the Shoah. This was part of their "Final Solution" to eliminate the Jewish population under their control, resulting in the death of about two-thirds of Europe's Jewish community. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day to commemorate this genocide and ensure such atrocities are never repeated.

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