Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-01-31
TITLE TO 500, 900 ACRES.
A West Virginia Land Case With Ro
nance and History In II.

nance and History In II.
One of the most important and ro-
mantle cases ever brought before the
u. S. Circuit Court of this district
came up before U. S. Judge j: j.
Jackson last week. 1t was a motion
for the appointment of a new trus-
tee in the celebrated case of Dumas
agt. Due de Monseignon ct al, To-
contre agt. Randall ct al, and Ran
dali agt. Dressler ct al. The new
trustee is John R. Reed, U. S. Dis
trict Attorney of the Western Dis
trict of Pennsylvania. He is auth
orized to sell all the interests, legal
and equitable, in 100000 acres of
land in West Virginia, formerly be-
longing to Gen. James Swami.
The romantic story of Gen. Swami
as brought out through the old
French letters, manuscripts and
documents found among the old
court achives and used in evidence
read more like page out of fable
than practical experience of actual
life. When the war of the Revolu-
ton began it found James Swami,
the hero of the story, merchant at
Boston, Massachusetts. Swami was
young, patriotic and volatile. He
entered into the American army
among the first, and by his brave
actions in the field, his ability as a
soldier and unfinching patriotism he
attracted the attention of Washing
ton and Lafayette. BY them he
was raised to the command ola COM
pany, and still later on was given
commission as Colonel, and the end
of the war found him with Major
Generals commission. After the
war the country became impoverish-
and suffered from the great expenses
it had incurred in the conflict with
Great Britain. Swann's patriotism
caused him to give his whole fortune
to his country to assist in relieving
it from its poverty and he himself in
the course f few years became
poor and needy. Virginia, whose
adopted son Gen. Swami was learn
ed of the sad condition of her fav.
orite, and on June 8, 1895, the House
of Burgess granted him a great
scope of land in what is now Kentuc-
ky, West Virginia, and Southwest
Virginia. This great tract consisted
of.something like 100000 acres of
territory, covering many miles of
hills and valleys, mountains and
plains, interspersed with hundreds
of creeks, rivers, and streams. The
country was then in it's primitive
condition, the woods covered with
game, the creeks and other streams
alive with fish of all kinds.
Gen. Swami, after acquainting him
self with the wealth and beauty of
his vast possessions, became enamor-
ed of the idea of forming a Utopia
in the wilderness. He thought of
his many friends in the French allied
army, and determined to go to Paris
and lay his plans before them. He
had scarcely conceived his great
scheme before he put it into opera
tion. He soon embarked for France
arriving at Paris after a long voyage
and travel. Swami was received
with open arms by his old French
comrades, who introduced him at
court. Entranced with the extraya-
gancies of the French court Swami
entered into its designations and
spent many weeks in its enjoyment.
He found no difficulty in inducing
many of the leading mobiles, dukes,
marquises and other mobiles by the
hundred in takingpart in his schemes.
Money flowed into his hands as the
shares of the mobiles, but unfortunate
ly it was about this time when Ma
poleon entered Paris from the East
as First Consul, and his unconquer-
able ambition threw Paris and
France into confusion.
Money matters became stringent,
and Swami having spent all he had
received and borrowed, amounting
it is said, to 100000 francs, be-
came hard pushed by his creditors.
1t was impossible to raise money
anywhere, and the creditors demand
ed either money or mortgages ON the
American possessions. TO the last
Swami refused the latter. Finally
he was arrested and put in prison,
where, in accord with the then pre-
vailing law of France, his creditors
kept him. His quarters were mag.
nificently upholstered and beautifed
and his cuisine was furnished, as re-
quired by law, from the best restur
ant in the city. In fact, he lived as
he had lived before his incarceration
like prince of the realm. He had