New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-28
KOSCIUSKO'S HEART.

A few DAYS ago the brief announcement WAS
made that the heart Of Koscilisko had Deeh ~
moved from its old resting place In private
chapel at Vezia near Lugano, and placed III 'ne
great Polish museum at Rapperswyn III WAS
small item In these days OF sensational news
nrobably noticed by few Yet 1t was rich IN
suggestion Of romance and Of pathos, Doth per-
sonal and national There are not many more
attractive figures IN modern history than that OF
Thoddeus Kosciusko. There are few peoples IN
tho world who's, later story Is more tragic than
that Of the Poles. They may well be remem-
bcrcl amid the woes Of Armenia and the atroci-
ties in China; people of rare genius and culture,
ovorborne by n less civilized Power and crushed
70 the earth by sheer brutality. The nation that
adorned the world with the art OF Mickiew'cz'
= Zolewski. n Chopin. a Modjcska, Paderewski,
Is not to be forgotten.
II will be remembered that the militant career
Of Kosclusko which opened In our own hevoiu'
ton. ended at Maclejowice. There he WIS
wounded and captured by the Russians bu'
neither there nor elsewhere did he ever utter the
wretched- indeed the infamous-"Flnls Polo-
n,oer which De Segllr attributed TO him. Years
ofterward after he had refused most tempting
brides to renouncc the Polish cause ana enter
the Russian service he was liberated from prison
and went 10 live in England In Ifaly, anu III
Paris In Paris he made the acquaintance Oh
the Swiss charge daffares, NJ de Zeltner' went
home with him TO SOleta, and spent the remain
dor Of his life there After his death his Dody
was buried at Cracow. by the side OF that or the
u1ustrious Sobieski VI. de Zeltner. however, IN
accord with desire once expressed by hoscius-
ko removed the heart from the body, emDaliheu
II and retained II as most precious possession
Years later NJ de Zeltncrs daughter ut whose
christening Koscilsbo had stood as her god
father. was married to a member OF the noDie
Norosjni family. and received the heart from her
father as n wedding gift.
The unioue relic has now been deposited IN
| what will doubtless be It's permanent resting
Mace. The museum at Rapperswyll was found
ed by Count Stanislaus Platter with such re-
mains of his fortune as he was able TO carry with
him into exile 1t IS in an ancient castle once a
seat Of the Hapsburgs overlooking the Lake OF
| Zrrich There Is in all the world no other such
collection OF mcmen.os OF a crushed and over
| horne nation lis 10000 volumes OF books It's
cases Of coins and medals. It's forest Of war
| worn banners, and thousands OF other oDJec's'
nrescnt 70 the visitor n tangible record Of six
| centuries Of Polish NATIONAL lie. III Uie "i'"''
| Of them all stands a monument procIaiming III
Polish. in Latin, In French and In German, mat
THE Spirit II Poland not bent by the secular
struggle, appeals. from the free soil OF Switzer-
land. TO the justice Of God and OF men. Ihat
Is a fitting place for the heart of koscl'sko to
rest In. II is also shrine which lovers OF lib
erty may probably visit; especially Americans,
with sentiments of gratitude 10 Kosciusko, OF
pty for Poland, ana Of hatred for all tyranny,
| Of which Russian tyranny Is the worst.