Nikola Tesla FBI Files - Page 34

T arrived in Belgrade (where Tesla's property was to be installed in a special Tesla Museum) and was there opened by Mr. Kosanović. According to his former secretary, both the bunch of keys and the medal were missing. The keys were later found in a tin box outside the safe; the medal was never found. I learned of the disappearance of the medal only by accident. Mr. Kosanović had asked his former secretary to get permission from the American Institute of Electrica. Engineers (who gave Tesla the Medal) to have it duplicated This was given, but the cost, it turned out, would be about four hundred dollars. In the meantime, the Tesla Museum, in Yugoslavia, is quietly trying to raise the money to pay for it. The irony of this situation is more disturbing than the money involved. By giving us a system which made electric power universally available, Tesla---probably more than any other one man--- -helped put America on top of the world. At the time he died, his gold Edison Medal was the only material evidence left of this country's appreciation. That this last token should have disappeared --to have to be replaced by his materially poor countrymer overseas for whom he had done nothing---seems a tragic denouement. "TEXindical B by cities lik John Neill, in his biography of Tesía, states that the FBI broke into Tesla's safe on the day he died, and an article in the current (June) Coronet repeats this. know this isn't true. I did hear, however, that the FBI somehow lent a hand to the Alien Property Custodian during I the latter's search in the warehouse. If that is so, I thought that perhaps some of your men might remember the conditions under which the search was made and therefore might have a suggestion as to what coul have happened to the medal. After this long time, I have no hope that the medal can actually be restored, and I am already trying to interest Americans in making a replaceme But future biographers might be spared a lot of wild guess: and wrong blaming if some hint could be obtained as to whether the original got lost, strayed, or stolen---and whe might have been responsible. With best regards and sincere appreciation for any help you can give, Sincerely, meth поблизин NY K ezey Kenneth MSweze P.S.: I am enclosing an editorial' from last month's POWER magazine which outlines Tesla's contribution to the electri power industry. K.M.S. 34