The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-18
STATE W|[L.F|LE SUIT
AGAINST J.P. MORGAN
Commonwealth Making Determined
Fight for Restoration OF VIII
Of Martha Washington.
STOLEN FROM COURT RECORDS
Present Owner Has Refused to Res
turn Document, Although Proved
to Have Been Part Of Official
Records Of County of Fairfax.

inc commonwealth of Virginia will
make a determined fight In court to
recover from j. Picrpont Morgan tho
last will and testament of Martha
Washington, which was stolen during
the War Between the states from tho
archives OF the County Court of Fair
fax County.
The movement towards restoring this
document. which is highly pfized for
us historical and sentimental value
70 the Commonwealth OF Virginia, its
rishtful owner, was launched durirHG
the sessions of the last General AS
sembly by Senator Thornton. of Alex
andria. 1t had been discovered by the
Daughters of the Revolution in the
possession OF Mr.. Morgan.
On January 80 an act OF the General
Assembly was approved, authorizing
and directing the Governor to cause
formal demand to he made on the
said John Pierpont Morgan for the re-
turn of the last Will and testament OF
Martha Washington to the State of
Virginia" and further providing that,
IN the event the said demand be not
complied with within reasonable
time. the Acknowledgement of the Com
monwcalth is hereby authorized and
directed to institute in the Supreme
Court OF the United States OF America,
and to prosecute tol n final conclusion,
III Tic VI tie commonwealth,
such suit or suits at law or In equity
against the said John Pierpont Nor
gan. his heirs or assigns, and suci,
otner person or persons as may be
proper. in order TO enforce the right
or the Commonwealth of Virginia to
the possession and custody of said
document"
MORGAN HAS REFUSED
TO RETURN STOLEN PAPER
nor Stuarts stan. subsequently had sew
eral interYtsws with Mr.. Morgan in
New York on the subject The multi
millionaire finally refused to accede to
the demand made by the State. This
put the matter up to Attorney General
Pollard. who has since been giving
his attention TO 1t. He announced yes
terday that he had received all the
papers necessary to begin the prosecu-
ton OF the case. and he will proceed
rs speedily as practicable with the
first formality of filing an action in
detinue. which is the legal designa-
ton of a. process to recover property
unlawfully held.
John S. Barbour has been employed
by the Board of Supervisors OF Fairfax
! County 10 assist the Attorney General
In the case. Mr. Pollard said vest erday
that lie would begin Immediately pre-
pairing the declaration in the suit.
( The identity OF the thief who pur-
; Joined the Martha Washington will
from the court records In Fairfax was
never discovered, but 1t was assumed
| that the theft was committed by a
Federal soldier. who kept IT hidden
for some years. 1t la supposed to have
passed through several hands before
!tt fwns offered for sale TO- Mr. Morgan
During the occupancyso of Richmond by
1.-The Federals a great many documents
Of value were stolen from the State
Library. Nearly all OF these. however,
have been recovered, with little trouble
and small expense In many instances
the holders OF the documents surren-
dered them to the State when they
learned that the papers were stolen
goods.
While Mr.. Morgan fatty refused TO
surrender the will TO Virginia, lie has
stated that he would be. willing to
present 1t to the Congressional Library
ut Washington, to be held in trust
there as the property Of the whole
people OF the United States.