Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-01-15
Unless Instrument is Re-
turned a Suit VIII be
Filed by State.
SENATE REFERS BILL.
Growing Interest in Recovery of
Priceless Document Stolen From
Fairfax Court House.

Richmond, Jan. l5.--The fight For
the recovery of the will Of Martha
Washington, now in the possession of
John Pierpont Morgan. of New York
was carried to the General Assembly
OF Virginia yesterday by Senator
Thornton, OF Fairfax county, who IN
troduced bill directing the Alto,
ney- General to institute suit in the
Supreme Court Of the United State,
to effect its recovery.
The bill follows in full:
Whereas the original last will Of
Martha Washington of Mount Ver-
non, t..e widow of George Washing
ton, Gated September 2, 1900, was
duly proven before the County Sourt
Of Fairfax county, in the State of
Virginia, on June y, 1902, and was
ordered to be recorded therein, and
thereupon was deposited among the
archives Of the County Court of Fair
fax county, whereby it became a pub
hc record and document of the State
Of Virginia, and remained thereafter
in its possession among the archives
of FairfaX county until it was stolen
from among Jhe same at some time
curing the war between the States on
day and by 4 person unknown, and
Whereas the said document is OF
great historic, literary and pecuniary
value, apprt from its value as mani
pient of title to the large real and
personal estate within the State Of
Virginia disposed of under IT'S prov'is-
on, md should. therefore, be restored
to its legal and proper custoEy, and
''WhereaS, it has recently been AS
certained that the said original docu-
ment so stolen AS aforesaid is now In
the custody and control of one John
Picrpont Morgan, a citizen of the
State of New York, who has declined
to restore the same to the archives Of
the said County Of Fairfax although
he has been informed Of the c:rcunl>
stance Of its removal therefrom. and
has been requested to restore the
same.
".Now, therefore, be it enacted by
the Genera. Assembly OF the Com
monwealth Of Virginia.:
First, that the Governor OF TINS
be, and he hereby Is,
and directed TO cause t"r-
NAL demand to be made upon the SAID
J. Pierpout Morgan for the return oi
the said last will and testament OF
Martha Washington to the State "
Virginia.
Second that in the event the salo
be not complied with within d
rea sonabIe time, the Attorney-Geno-
,.a] Of this Commonwealth is HEREBY
authorized and directed to institute
in the Supreme Court Of the onl'e"
States of America, and prosecute 10
a final conclusion in the name OF inc
of Virginia, such suit
or suits at law or in equity a@aI''S'
the said John Pierpont Morgan, Ms
y ON. a.. assigns, and such other per-
son ~. persons. as may be proper, IN
order to enforce the right OF the
Of Virginia to the
,,ssassion and custody Of said aocu-
mert and the At1oney-Generai Is
bereby authorized to associate with
him the commemorative attorney
Of Fairfax county, Virginia, and SUCH
other attorney or attorneys as the
Board of Supervisors of Fai1aH
county may request to be associated
with him, provided that che compeh-
sation. if any. of such associate at
torneys. shal! he provided for by The
said Board q Supervisors Of fair-
fax county.
Third, upon the recovery Of the
nossession of the said documelt, 1t
shall be delivered to the clerk OF the
Circuit Court Of Fairfax county, Va,
for deposit and, safekeeping aiming
the archives Of Fairfax county.
"Iaourth, an emergency EXISTING,
making It necessary that this act
should become at once effective, it
shall De effective from its passage"