Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-25

Nf Gus document. the Original
w Of the last viii and tesla.
ment of Martha Washington. the
Mother ct her Country: Foolish
question? OF course; Martha WASH
ington's country owns il. Where is
the proper and lawful repository Of
that will? y question not quite 50
foolish, but still easily answered:
The County Court OF Fairfax
County. in the Commonwea I'll of Nir-
Sinia. Where Martha Washington's
last will and testament was admitted
to probate. For that * the law Of
the land.
Would YOU expect the sovereign
State OF Virginia, ana the county of
Fairfax. where Martha Washington
lived and held nearly all Of her
property. 10 let that law be success.
fully dctied by receiver Of stolen
goods? To let Martha Wa shington's
last will and testament remain
permanently in the possession Of II
multimillionai collector OF precious
documents:
Wouldn't You expect the Attorney
Genera Of the sovereign state of
-
refusal to restore the priceless relic
TO its proper legal repository. to in
woke The aid of the United States
Supreme Court To compel him 10
do so:
Well. that is exactly what John
Garland Pollard. Attorney General of
Virginia, has done. This IS the title
OF the suit which he has fled with
the clerk Of the United States SUI
preme Court:
commonwealth Of Virginia, com
nlainant. versus John Pierpont Nor
gan. defendant"
In his petition 10 the chief Justice
and the Associate Justices of the SUI
preme Court Of the United States At
torney-Gcncral Pollard SAYS:
That on June II. 1902 the last
will and testament OF Martha Wash
ington. deceased, the wife of the first
president of the United States of
America, dated September =. 1900
was duly admitte!l 10 probate ana
record before The County Court of
Fairfax County. in the Common
wealth of Virginia; that. in accord.
ancc with the terms Of the statute in
such cases made and provided. said
Will and testament was left and re-
manned in the Clerks office Of the
County Court of Fairfax County. in
The wealth Of Virginia; that
said Will and testament thereby be-
came and now is the property OF the
Commonweal OF Virginia and
public record thereof. and a dozen
ment belonging IL the Commonwealth
Of Virginia that said will and tesla
ment is q cnattel which has such
special. extraordinary. uncommon
and unique value that il cannot he
replaced by means Of money. and is
not susceptible Of being compensated
Tor by any practicable or certain
measure OF damages: that said last
will and testament is a imminent Of
title under which large ana valuable
real and personal esratct located
within the Commonwealth of Viz
ginla have been disposed Of: that
said last Will and testament. left rs
aforesaid in said clerks office. was
in the possession OF the Common
wealth OF Virginia at the time 1t was
illegally distracted as hereinafter
set forth. that said las, will and
testament was wrongful!y ana IL
legally distracted from the posses
sion end control Of the Common
"coitl VI !S!H4I ana mas come III TO
the possession ana under the control
or the said defendant. and that as
against your OratriX. who is the la W.
ful owner OF the said last will and
testament the said defendant has not
acquired, either at law or in equity.
any right, title or interest in and to
the said last Will and testament
The petition further states that
p1thoOph the co IA "a
duly requested so 10 do. he has failed
and refused, and still doth refuse TO
deliver to your Oratriy the said docu.
ment"
At least one OF these refusa's !s \
remarkable document IN itself. Re
membering that Martha Washing.
tons will was purloined from the
archives of Fairfax County during
the Civil War, and remained in tho
hands OF its purloiner and his heir
X