The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-26
GEORGE wAsHINGToN's WILL.
The Document Kept in an Iron Safe
I'm the Fairfax County Court House.

I'm the Fairfax County Court House.
Washington, Nov. 17.-At Fairfax Court
House, Va, about twenty miles from
Washington, in the custody of the pres
emit clerk of the county, is the will of
George Washington, penned in his own
firm and legible handwriting, and just as
wen preserved to-day as on the day it
was drawn up. Under law of the state,
the will belongs to the descendants of
Washington, and the clerk of Fairfax
county is the only person who can re-
tain II in custody. OF all the writings
and correspondence of Washington, none
is more interesting and unique than his
will, and none is guarded more closely
or is more liable TO injury or THEFT than
this document. The state department
has made no attempt to secure II, proDa-
bly, because of the early laws of Virginia,
which direct that it must remain at Fair
fax. Washington's other writings have
been gathered and compiled, and are now
stored away in the archives of the de-
partment. No unusual care has ever been
taken to preserve the wiz, and twice 1t
has come near being destroyed, once by
the old court house catching fire, and
again when some relic hunter came
within an ace of stealing it. Efforts were
made at the time of the Philadelphia
centennial and previous to the world S
fair to secure the paper for exhibition,
but the clerk declined TO allow 1t 10 go
out of his possession
Fairfax Court House is a small village
Of $50 inhabitants, and since the days
when Mount Vernon came into Washing
tons hands 1t has remained the county
seat of Fairfax county. The old court
house and the clerks Office are upward Of
100 years old and have all the character
istics of buildings of that period. An or
binary iron safe holds the will, and any
Interested person can see IL who applies
to the obliging clerk A few years ago a
wooden box, twelve inches square, of
walnut with the top fitted with a glass
pane was made, and in this the win was
deposited. No one has ever opened it
since then, and no one Will be allowed to
by the present clerk. The will years ago,
was torn practically in two but every
piece is retained and pasted carefully to-
gether Washingtons hand is as bold in
his viii as in other of his early papers,
and the ink is as black as though it were
used a month ago.
The document consists of about one
dozen pages, the size of legal cap of the
present day, exclusive of appendices in
which Washington gives a detailed state
ment of every article he possessed, down
to calves and sheep. His entire personal
estate at the time of his Will was made
is put down at about $3.50, 600, which prob-
ably made him the richest man in the
state at that time. His belongings con-
sisted of bonds, stocks, tobacco, large
numbers of cattle, sheep and horses to-
gether with his vast estate, practically
all of which he willed to Mrs Washing
ton. The present clerk of the county saws
that few people ask TO see this will, as
they believe it is in Washington city.
Not only the will, but other rare papers
papers of Washington, deeds, tax receipts
and state papers, are also held by The
clerk. One great folio alone contains en-
tries regarding Washington's transac-
tiOns with the county officers. many Of
hogsheads of tobacco in payment of GER
tain taxes.