The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-31
LEES PATRIMONY.
He SON OF THE CONFEDERATE cHIEFTArN
TRYING TO RECOVER ARLINGTON

He SON OF THE CONFEDERATE cHIEFTAN
TRYING TO RECOVER ARLINGTON
WASHINGTON, May 30, 1877
Sixteen years ago Robert T.. Lee resigned his COM
mission the United States army and left his mag
nldcont homo al Arlington TO take command OF tho
armies OF the Coniederacy. He returned the
beautiful mansion on the Potomac. shortly after his
departure the estate covered with the white fonts
OF the soldiers OF tho North, and hundreds of tho
gigantic oaks and naples that beautled the grounds
cut down make for batteries and fortin-
cations to defend tho Capitol The mad scarcely
begun when Edwin N. Stanton, with spirit when by
some has been termed malignant and indicative to q
degree, whou. parallel only in tho Crom wellian or
Elizabethan periods Of English history, or In the
plundering Of the first French revolution. decr
mined that Lee should again be the proprietor
OF the ole estate. He resolved that the home Of tho
military leader OF tho reb eion should tell forever the
story OF his treason that the broad OF Airing
.on so nseparabIy associated with the OF WASH
ington and his descendants, should receive q
and fresher the last resting place OF
those who fell the battle lighting against the
disloyaity Of Arlington's master
SUIT GUST THs GOVERNMENT.
The conversion OF the property, large portion Of
It, to the purposes OF national cemetery entirely
Stanton's idea He argued that II tho doad Of the
North would forever keep their rest unbroken
OF the Leo name would become
possessed OF tho property which held many unpeas-
ant reminders OF the in which they staked and
lost much. But Mr. Stanton was mistaken. Nearly
seventeen years have passed. away, Stanton and Lee
dead and suit is now pending In ono OF the vr-
gina courts for the recovery Of the estate. It is
brought by George Washington GUSTS tor tho pur-
pose Of ejectng the government and will be tried at
the present term OF The court Alexandria sounty,
Virginia The notice was served about . month ago
upon Lieutenant r. Y. Strong commanding Fort
whippe. Frederick Kaufman, superintendent Of the
National Cemetery, and 162 colored persons who
living on the estate.
CoMPLAHT.
1t reads as ioliows:-
State Of Virginia. Alexandria county. to uTt--I the
Circuit Court OF said county o. W. c. Lee, plaintiff,
complains Of Frederick Kaufman K r Strong there
follow the OF l62 coored persons residing the
estatel dctondants, tor this -
For that therefore, to w.t. the 9th day Of january,
1873 The said plaintiff was possessed Of certain tract
OF land IN the county OF Alexandria and State OF Virg
MIA, called Arlington and bounded and described as
follows viz ;-Boginn!ng at maple standing on thc
west side Of = small branch and whore It runs
into the Potomac kvor At where the original
srantoc Rober. Howsen lor six thoua.pa acres, BY
patent dated the 2lst vi October 1862 thence down the
meaniers OF the Potomac River, including an inlet Of
nine covered with wnter and acres IN Gravey
creek, TO maple standing over large spring issuing
Oh high bank or hil corner OF the division be-
tween Gerard Alexander and the heirs OF Philip Aexa-
der thence with the line Of division between SAID par
south % deg 45 min. west AS poles 10 corner
where the said division line ntersects tho west line Of
saic Howsen's patent; thence northwardly with the
line OF said howscn's patent 10 point where the
same Is broken in upon by the south line oil Chapman's
ference eastwsrdiy and northwardly 10 the point
where the meet the line oil said patent and
Themes northwardly with SAID west line Of SAID patent
to plc Of stones, aud several sapngs, bazed III the
said limo on the south SIDE Of stony MI; thence
north "a deg. 30 min. east 3ls poles TO the point 81
beginning, containing eleven hundred acres OF Iand,
more less being the same property which formerly
belonged to George Washington Pafke Gusts, de-
ceased which said premises the plaintiff claims 10 oe1
And the plaintiff being SO possessed thereof the
dcfendans. aterward to wit. on the 9th day Of Jam
uary, 1870, entered into tho SAID premises aud
elected the said plaintiff therefrom and unlaw
fully withhold from the plaintiff the posses
| son thereof TO the damage OF the pialntin
4 $4,000. And tho said plaintiff further AYERS
thai heretofore, to the 10th day OF January,
1870 he, the said plaintiff, was possessed OF certain
other tract OF laud called anu known by the name or
"Arngton," situate In the county OF Alexandra and
State .; Virginia, containing eleven hundred acres,
more less, bounded the cast by the Potomac
River, on the south by the lands OF Horace ,. Johns
ton, j. X Johnston, g. Henry and W. Perkins; on tho
| west by the lands OF Lot W. Crockcr, William Elliott
John Causine Septimus Brown, b. W. Hunter, Fendali
| Alexander and II. H. H. Vinhon, and On the north by
the lands oil U. Birch and H. ), McComb, said tract,
called Arlington, being formerly the property, OF
George Washington Parkc Gusts, deceased, ana Of
winch he died sclzed which said premises the said
plaintiff claims In Ice Aud the said painiin being 80
possessed thercoi the said defendants aiterward TO
won the 9th cay OF January, 1873, entered into the
said premises and elected tho said plantG thererom,
| ana unlawiuiy withhold from the said plaintiff the
possession thereof TO the damage OF the plantin Of
100000
Ana the said plaintiff further complains OF the said
decentralization thvt, whereas the said plaintiff on
the 9th day Of January in the year OF Lord 1875
was possessed If tract OF land situated Ia The
county OF Alexandria, III the State VI virginia TO wit
Arlington, on the Georgetown road, northwest rom
the Court House miles, and bounded an follows ::
On tho north by the land OF William IL Ross; eas