For nearly 90 years “General” Harrison Gray Otis' statue has glowered down from its pedestal at the changing human landscape of MacArthur Park. Otis, a Civil War veteran, took over the Los Angeles Times in the 1880s, became rich, broke strikes and declared from his editorial pulpit that “Los Angeles wants no dudes, loafers and paupers” — along with doctors, lawyers and “failures.” Created by Paul Troubetskoy when the surrounding acreage was known as Westlake Park, the replica of Otis seemingly points to his former home, once located on Park View Street, while a lesser bronze in the form of a newsboy hawks the Times.

Mr. Otis Regrets: Statue that Stopped Car

Early Sunday, however, his statue was involved in a freak tragedy when it stopped an out-of-control car that had been speeding down Wilshire Boulevard. One woman, identified by law logo2x bCBS2.com as Khaliunaa Dranov, 23, of Los Angeles, was killed in the collision, and three other women critically injured, according to the L.A. Times. The women's car, a Toyota Scion, was heading eastbound when it leapt the curbed and slammed into the statue. According to USC Digital Archives, a third statue once accompanied Otis and the newsboy, but was removed, ironically, after a car hit it.

Capitalist Realism: Original trio
of bronze figures/USC

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