The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-26
MORGAN'S OFFERS
BOTH REJECTED
Governor Stuart Negotiating for
Return of Stolen Will of
Martha Washington.
WOULD GIVE 1T TO MT. VERNON
Document Regarded as Part Of
Official Records of Fair
fax County.

luh (oolIlJ
Tho correspondence which Governor
Stuart entered into with j. Z. Morgan,
OF New York. by direction Of the Gen.
oral Assembly. TO secure the return to
tho Fairfax County Courthouse OF tho
stolen will OF Martha washington was
made public yesterday by Mrs. William
Cummings storey at tho congress Of
the Daughters OF the American Revolt
ton In Washington.
Judging from the correspondence. the
negotiations arc far from completed.
IN response to tho Governors request
for tho return Of the Will. Mr.. Morgan
made two propositions: FIRST. to place
Martha Washingtons VIII on perma-
Eeut exhibition at Mount Vernon. pro-
vided Virginia loaned the will OF
George Washington 10 the Mount Ver-
non associations for an indefinite period
10 be exhibited also: second. 10 pre-
sent the Martha Washington will 10
the Library Of Congress on condition
that Virginia make the same disposi-
ton OF tho will OF George washington
Morgnn's Offers Rejected.
The Governor rejected both PROPOSE
lions after conference with the Fair
fax County authorities and the Daugh-
IOio W the iCdH lte!olullOn lie
assured Mr.. Morgan. In tho last letter
written. that the Fairfax County Court
house Is the loyal repository Of tho
Martha Washington will, that tho
building is OF brick. with freproof
vaults. and thoroughly safe place
In which to preserve the documents
Tho will of George Washington Is in
keeping there now. No further pro-
posal has come from Mr. Morgan
Tho Governor n
suggesting the return Of the will UNI
der tho resolutions passed by the Cen
cral Assembly. authorizing the Governor
TO bring suit against ]. p Morgan for
the recovery Of the stolen document
in case IT could not be recovered by
diplomacy. The will which Is the sub
tcct OF the controversy is a part of
the court records of Fairfax County
and was stolen from the courthouse
during or just after tho war. 1t be-
came known recently that 1t had been
purchased by the late j. Pierpont
Morgan and added TO his collection of
The correspondence which has been
American manuscripts.
exchanged between Governor Stuart
and Mr.. Morgan follows:
The Governors Letter.
Executive Chamber.
Richmond. March Is, 1914
My Dear Sir,-Rcalizing that you are
ton In Virginia on the question of the
Martha Washington will and the va
rious proceedings IN relation thereto, I
feel that II is unnecessary to present
10 you any detailed statement on the
subject.
Coming into the govcrnorship OF the
State on February LIST OF this year,
and looking carefully into the whole
situation Of affairs rs then presented.
II occurred TO me that II would be
proper TO take tho matter UP with you
through representative Virginian
living IN New York.
Acting on this idea, I requested Mr.
Walter L. McCorkle. president OF the
New York Southern Society. to call
on you and state my desire that some
line Of action might be taken which
would be deemed mutually agreeable.
This he has done as my friend and rep
resentativc.
In accordance with his suggestion.
now write to you personally on the
subject to express the nope that some
happy adjustment OF the matter may
have occurred to you. which VIII be
satisfactory to all parties concerned.
Awaiting your suggestions. which
trust will be responsive. Mt least In
spirit 10 the respectful and courteous
consideration which controls my own
action, 1 am.
Very truly yours.
(Stgned) IL. C. STUART,
Governor.
Mr.. ]. P. Morgan. New York.
Mr.. Morgnn's Reply.
To this letter Mr.. Morgan replied
March IT, 1914.
Honorable II. c. Stuart Governor OF
Virginia. Richmond. Va:
My Dear Sir,-I am very pleased In
deed to receive your letter of March
Washington, which is now In my pos
session. l may mention that the visit
of Mr. Walter L. McCorkle. to which
you refer, and your very agreeable let
ter. constitute the only official word
have had upon this subject.
In regard to tho will. l have only
one desire, which Is that the docu-
ment should be where 1t can be best
preserved and of most use to tho pco-
pie OF the United States. l am sure
that this is also the desire of your
self and OF the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia. I, therefore. venture to make
the following suggestions:
The Fairfax County Courthouse,
from what I am informed, Is not fire.
proof, nor are documents there kept
in such a way as 10 make them avail
able to any large number OF people. /
also understand that the original will
of George Washington is at present
therefore, that the Commonwealth of
Virginia, or Fairfax County, should
direSt the keeper of the documents in
the courthouse to place the original
viii OF George Washington on exhibit
ton Mt Mount Vernon, for an indefinite
period. where 1t would be available for
the instruction of n large number of
people. and where IL would have the
benefit or the great car and protection
against fire now given to Mount Yer
non. If this were done, l should be
glad to present the will OF Martha
Washington TO the Mount Vernon
Ladies Association for permanent OK.
hibiton there. BY this arrangement the
two documents would be together at
the place where they were made and
where great number OF people will
have the satisfaction OF seeing them.
Should the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia not be willing to do this because
of tho well-known fact that Mount
Vernon Itself 1t not hreproof, though
such excellent care is taken to prevent
accidents. then / propose that the Com
monwealth should present the Will OF
George Washington to the Library Of
Congress. to DO forever kent with tho