Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-11-28

| hlNGS, PRINCES AND POTENTATFs
HOLDERS IN 4 REvoL UTIoNARl
HERO's GREAT SCHEME-INTER
EsT1NG TALE OF GEN ERAL JAMES
SWAMI, HIS VISIT TO FRANCE
IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH.
The most important land suit ever
tried in the Federal Court i'm West
Virginia Is the one now before Judge
j. j. Jackson. The suit involves di.
rectly, 500, 900 acres of land in Mingo,
wyoming and Mcdowell counties.
West Virginia; Pike county, Ken.
lucky; and Buchanan and Tazewell
counties, Virginia.
The title of the case is Henry C.
King vs., in a series of suits, AltiZer
ct al; Johnson, Mullen, Mounts,
Hilton, The Com missioner of School
Lands of Logan county, the Hat
fields, timber and lumbermen, etc.
The history out of which this case
grew is one Of intense interest and
vast importance.
1t has also sentimental and ro-
mantle story connected with it, in
which kings, princes, maiquises,
counts, countesses and lesser nota-
bilities galore were prominent char
acters.
The origin of this and other suits
OF like characters and importance,
now before the courts of Virginia,
West Virginia and Kentucky, dates
back to to the War of Independence
and the principal character in the
romance was Gen. James Swami, of
Boston, Mass.
James Swami was q merchant i'm
Boston when the war was declared
against England, and before the bat
tie of Lexington he had taken sides
with the patriots. AS a soldier,
Swami proved to be a man pecu-
liarly fitted as leader, and before
many months elapsed he became a
favorite with Washington. Lafay-
ette also was struck with the ability
Of young Swami and often aided
him with advice and help. Swann's
ability soon advanced him from the
lowly position of subaltern to a CAP
taincy. His advancement was 80
rapid that in less than three years
he was commissioned brigadier, and
at the the close of the war he held a
major-genera's COMMISSION. A
wealthy man for that period, at the
beginning Of hostilities, the patriot
Swami, by his own voluntary act,
became poor. His country was In
urgent need Of money, and In order
to assist in relieving her necessities
as far as possible, Swami sold all his
property and turned every dollar
over to his country.
Long prior to the conclusion of
hostilities the commonwealth of
Virginia adopted the brave aad gen.
erous Swami as protege, and then
her adopted son, battle-scarred. and
worn with strife, became again a
plain citizen, poor in everything ex-
cePt an immense tract Of wild land
west of tho Alleghanies, then the
outskirts of civilization, which land
Swami had purchased for mere song
from Robert Morris, of Philadel-
phia, and others. The house of
Burgesses Of Virginia granted him
an additional territory, making in
all, 1t is claimed, $500, 900 acres of
land.
General Swami was man of an
unusually romantic and sentimental
character, and upon the requirement
of this extensive territory he con-
ceived the idea of creating an Uto-
pia in the wilderness.
He had many ex-army friends in
France, among the nobility and lead
ing men Of that day, and felt assured
that with their aid he could build up
an immense colony on the empire
granted him by his generous foster
mother, the Common wealth Of Vir.
ginia. So entranced was he with
the scheme that he hastily arranged
his affairs and departed for France.
Swami was received with oper
arms by his old friends of the army
and readily gained entrance into the
most influential circles, and his plar
OF colonization was enthusiastically ly
received by his French friends
Unfortunately for General Swami
this occurred at time when the his
tory Of France became ident fec
with Napoleon l., who had returned
from the East and established him
self As First Consul. After months
in which the days and nights wer
spent in the dIssipitions of that time
Gen. Swami one morning awoke t.
the fact that he was a penniless bank
rnpt, with a debt of 4, 200, 900 franc
staring him in the face. Franc
, had been thrown into confusion b.
3 the Unsuitable ambition Of Napoleon
money became scarce and could no
be borrowed, as the financiers an
D monied men foresaw the impendin
] calamity that soon followed. Tn
colonization scheme IDS lost SIKH
ofin the whirl of national aud indivit
ual trouble. His creditors ds
manded payment either In cash q