United States Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

January 29, 2007                                                                                                      FBI INDIANAPOLIS

Immediate Release

For Immediate Release:

Keith L. Lourdeau, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Indianapolis Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the recovery of the 25 th Indiana Volunteer Regimental Battle Flag which has been missing from the Indiana War Memorial Museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Today, SAC Lourdeau officially returned the flag to General Stuart Goodwin, Executive Director for the Indiana War Memorials Commission, during a 10:30 a.m. ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial, 431 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana.

On or about September 8, 2006, the FBI Rapid Deployment Art Crime Team was notified that the 25 th Indiana Volunteer Regimental Battle Flag was located by American Heritage Collector, Incorporated of Angola, Indiana, a holding company, which was liquidating a company’s assets when they discovered the flag. C. Wesley Cowan, founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Incorporated, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, was contacted in an effort to authenticate the flag. Mr. Cowan contacted the Indiana War Memorial Museum and determined the flag was missing from the museum’s collection. Upon being advised that the flag was the battle flag missing from the museum’s collection, David Morrison, President of the American Heritage Collector, Incorporated, immediately agreed to turn the flag over to the FBI for return to Indiana War Memorial Museum.

The criminal investigation is on-going.

Contact: Special Agent Wendy A. Osborne, FBI Indianapolis, (317) 639-3301.

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