Lennon Sparks Tribute, Lawsuit

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/25/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

News of the late John Lennon has surfaced at opposite ends of the globe. On Thursday, Elton John performed in Liverpool, England, for his first show there in 18 years, and he dedicated his performance to native son Lennon. Elton's "Empty Garden" was written for the Beatle (who was killed in 1980), and the performer told the crowd of 3,500: "I have played this song in New York and Hamburg, but the most fitting place and the only place to play it is here in Liverpool." Meanwhile, in a Tokyo courtroom Thursday, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono sued a subway operator in that city for selling a rapid transit ticket with an image of Lennon on it. The Teito Rapid Transit Authority responded by saying that the image of John -- as painted by Andy Warhol -- was provided by a local art museum in conjunction with a Warhol exhibit. Ono is seeking $130,000, according to Japanese news reports.