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U.S. NEWS Thursday 7 November 2019

Blade of glory: The mystery around a late president's sword

By DAN SEWELL 175th anniversary of the
Associated Press founding of the Village of
CINCINNATI (AP) — An Cleves, part of the large
Ohio sheriff wearing white swath of land where John
gloves displayed a sword Cleves Symmes was a pio-
wielded in the American neering landowner.
Revolution and by a fu- "So we have been looking
ture U.S. president in the for the sword since 1993
War of 1812, and pledged and we think we've found
Wednesday an exhaustive it," said Bev Meyers, the
investigation to determine foundation's president.
whether it's the one that Like the missing sword, Cin-
disappeared from Cincin- cinnati authorities say this
nati four decades ago. one was made by Jacob
It's believed the sword Hurd around 1776 and is in-
Hamilton County Sheriff Jim scribed with the names of
Neil held up was carried in six Symmes family members
battle by President William and Harrison. Kochan said
Henry Harrison and before a modern jeweler could
him, Continental Army Col. engrave the names on an-
John Cleves Symmes, Har- other sword.
rison's future father-in-law. Hamilton County Probate
Police in Connecticut Judge Ted Winkler, who
seized the sword last A sword, wielded in the American Revolution and the War of 1812, is handled by Hamilton said the sword should be
month, just before it was to County Sheriff Jim Neil during a news conference to update the investigation into its ownership, on public display as part
be auctioned. Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, in Cincinnati. of local history, said Ko-
Members of the Harrison- Associated Press chan's suggestion is "not a
Symmes Memorial Foun- ity as a peace officer ... to benefit his Mars & Neptune the Harrison-Symmes foun- very strong argument in my
dation, some 15 miles (24 make sure this is in fact the Trust, dedicated to the dation his sword was au- opinion."
kilometers) west of Cincin- sword in question that was preservation of American thentic and his to sell. He Police said Kochan, a Mi-
nati, are confident it is a stolen from the Cincinnati military and naval history, reluctantly turned it over to ami University alumnus,
historical sword that disap- Historical Society 40 years sites and artifacts from be- police. has been cooperative and
peared 40 years ago from ago," Neil said. fore 1850. It's now in custody in Hamil- seems genuinely surprised
the Cincinnati Historical But Kochan says he still be- However, Dave Sunberg, a ton County, where the Har- by the claims about the
Society. But would-be seller lieves he has rights to the Roman Catholic priest and rison-Symmes foundation sword. He said Wednesday
James Kochan, of Wiscas- weapon. a member of the Harrison- historians say the Symmes he's "looking into my op-
set, Maine, said he thinks "The fact is, nothing has Symmes foundation who family donated it to Ham- tions" to regain the sword.
the missing Cincinnati been established yet," Ko- searches for memorabilia ilton County Probate Court It seems likely the investi-
sword was a copy. chan said by phone. "I to add to its museum, spot- in 1922. Documents show gation will last longer than
Neil agreed with the foun- have legal title to the sword ted the sword online the the court loaned the sword Harrison's presidency. The
dation members that the they have." day before the auction to the Cincinnati Historical ninth president developed
probability is high the sword Kochan said he is veteran and emailed another foun- Society, which used it in a pneumonia and died on
he held is the real deal, and historian, curator and col- dation member. 1976 Bicentennial display. his 32nd day in office.q
belongs back in Cincinnati. lector who bought the Soon, word spread that Sometime within the next
But he said his detectives, sword in 2015 from a col- they had apparently found few years, it disappeared
probate court investiga- lection being sold by Chris- the sword they believed from storage in a Cincin-
tors, the county coroner's tie's auction house in New had been stolen in Cincin- nati museum.
analysts and historians will York. nati some 40 years ago. The Harrison-Symmes foun-
study documents, photos, He was offering it Oct. 19 Windsor, Connecticut, po- dation said the historical
old letters and do inter- as part of an auction of ar- lice officers showed up at society didn't publicize the
views to verify that in what's tifacts from the American the auction house less than alleged theft, and they be-
expected to be a lengthy Revolution, the War of 1812 two hours before the sword came aware when they
effort. and the Napoleonic Wars. was to go up for auction. asked for it to display for
"I still have a responsibil- He said the sale would Kochan said he had told a 1993 celebration of the