Vandals try to take Seward monument

Florida—William Henry Seward’s bronze bust is facing straight forward once again, after an apparent attempt by vandals to swipe the statue that has sat on Main Street for over 75 years. Village of Florida Police Officer James Coleman said those involved tried to push the statue off its granite base, either to take it or to smash it. The statue is attached—and very heavy—and instead, just turned a bit to the left. Police believe the vandals are most likely kids pulling a prank. This time, they destroyed one of the granite benches that sits in front of the statue and flipped another one. Coleman said the incident was not caught on surveillance tape from any nearby business. The dollar amount of damage done was unknown. Seward was born in Florida on May 16, 1801. He was a lawyer and co-founder of the Albany Evening Journal newspaper. He became a New York state senator, governor of New York, U.S. aenator, and a one-time candidate for the Republican nomination for president. He served as Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state. Florida’s middle and high school, S.S. Seward Institute, is named for William Henry Seward’s father, Samuel Swazy Seward. The monument sits on school district property, in front of Seward Institute, and is maintained by the Florida Historical Society. The Florida Chamber of Commerce is offering a $500 reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the vandals. Anyone with information should contact the Florida Police Department at 651-7800.