The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-07
WAsulNGT on, June 5, ISL

Tbt Case Of General Kos. iuSko in Court.
For several days past, there has been pending be-
fore the Circuit Court of this District the case OF
Hppolitus Estko and others, heirs of General Thad-
deus Kosciusko, persus Koseusko Armstrong, lega-
tee, and Lewis Johnson, administrator dc 6onts non
of the estate of kosciusko For the plaintiffs, Hon.
Reverdy Johnson and Major Gaspard Tochman; for
he lsgatee, Richard s. Coke, Esq.
The issue tried is, s'whether the writing pro-
duced by Armstrong in the Orphans Court, and
admitted to probate on the 10Th day of November,
1898, is the last will and testament Of General Kos
cusko This paper is dated June Is, 1906. twas
executed in Paris and revoked all former wills and
codicls. The case, altogether, is complicated.
The first will Of hosciusko was made on the 9TH
of May, l7es, covering principal of some $4,000,
the whole Of which was appropriated to the educa-
ton of negroes, under the of Thomas Jefferson,
as administrator. The second is the will or paper
of 1906, which appropriates specifically so ne 81, 10i
to kosciusko Armstrong, son OF General John Arm
strong then Minister of the nited states to France
Third, at Soleurc. in Switzerland, another will was
made, by which kosciusko, to sundry persons in
Europe disposed of about 100000 francs, directing
that the legacies be paid out Of his most unncum-
bered property, wherever it may be found, and re-
voking all " former wills and codcils lie exc
cuted, also, at Soleure on the 18th October, lsl7,
another will paper making disposition of certain
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the will of 1916 with its revoking clause, in full
effect They also claim the property not dis
posed Of by the wills of 1916 and 1917, the resi-
due left to them under the statute of distribution.
And in the suit pending, their object is to get
rid of the will of 1906 and the bequest of - 400 to
Armstrong, which they believe was revoked in 1916.
kosciusko died at Solcure, in Switzerland, in
1917 From Mr. jefferson, his funds in the United
States were transferred to other administrators,
and the last that have heard of them is that
they were in the custody OF Col. Bomtord lately
residing Washington, but since deceased.
For several years past the litigations upon this
case have been exceedingly tedious. Mr. Bodi.co
the Russian Minister. for some time. was involved
in the case. He the servant of his Imperial
Majesty the Emperor, whose subjects are under his
absolute dominion The heirs 81 kosciusko, in
Poland, were subjects of the Emperor; their pro-
perty was his property, AMI as such, Mr.. Bodlsco
claimed the administration of it, Our courts, how
/ ever, have decided that the property Of koscinsko
4 in the United States does not revert to the I'm
pcror of Russia; consequently, Mr.. Bodsco and his
counsel have been displaced at the instance of the
/ heirs, and Mcssrs. Revcrly Johnson and Major
! Iochman have been appointed.
The main trial for the recovery of the property,
now amounting TO some 10000, will come on inn
mediatcly after the closing of this preliminary
issue. Several of the heirs of kosciusko, under
stand are in this city, and in very reduced
I circumstances