Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-22
'a(ilCk Henry Mansion 10 Be Burn,
ed 10 XIII Pest.
PEOPLE DRIVEN FROM THE HOUSE
War Of Poison and Clubs Proved
frultless In an Effort to Extermin.
ate the Invaders of "Montville,r in
King William County.

AYLBTT. VA. April 2i--Montville.
ono OF The most famous and historic
places In Virginia. is 10 be burned to
The ground by lis owners. the great
grandchildren of Patrick Henry. be.
cause IL Is ovcrrun with bats.
Since Tho warm weather began
hero there Is no living In or near the
place. Bats by tho thousands hang
about The grand parlors and spacious
bed rooms OF the colossal mansion
Attempts to oxtcrmlnnlc them ny POI.
son and with clubs have failed They
are In every room. They hang In
strings, rs is their habit. from the
furniture, from the ceiling. from the
wallis. ana they are In such numbers
that they form curtains before The
windows. darkenlng the house during
tho day.
Air Thick With Bats.
AZ nightIall they loosen themselves
| from each other ana dart TO the yards
In such numbers that they strike each
other In thoir Night
Only recently Phillip Aylott. one of
Tho owners of the place and an cngl.
Moor of reputation In Richmond came
mere and attempted TO make tho
house bat proof" Every crack,
every door. every chimney was stop
ped up. but tho bats found n way TO
| enter. They could get through cracks
which would hardly admit n roach.
Montville was built about tho time
mo Americans drove the English out
OF inc country. aud its woodwork is
| oid ana brittle. Tho workmcn were
| hardly through with the Job when tho
| bats took possession. They seemed
| 10 be able to get into alright rooms
| rherc wns no Keeping them out.
| MontVllle Is now owned by the six
children of tho late William Aylett.
| Ihey inherited the home from their
iather who had Inherited it from his
grandmother Elizabeth Henry. who
mad married an Aylctt.
/ After tho death OF William Aylett.
ialf dozen years ago, his sons and
daughters married. and moved away
and Montv!lle was rented for tho first
time since II was decided In 1870 10
tha first Ayiett who came to Americu
by Charles H.
Driven Out by Bats.
From the day the lease was signed
pats began to invade the place. The
lessee tried living In the mansion with
MS family, but II was Impossible
| During the day there were strings of
pats yards long. The first OF the
@rewsomo creatures would cling TO a
piece OF woodwork. to the wall. tho
! "lhdow sill. or to Il stick of furniture.
| ana MS fellows would cling TO him,
FORMING string of squeakine. renul.
sive objects. The moment tho sun
SCI the string would dissolve and the
nats would seek the open, squeezing
through the cracks of windows or
doors and through the floors and
walls.
me lessee aud his family tool,
quarters In cottage | 900 yards away
ana the mansion was abandoned.
Tho Aylctt children offered prizes
TO The negroes who would kin the
most bats. a child stood in tho front
uoor one afternoon and with a tennis
racquet Knocked down 200 bats. The
, negroes for time came from every
direction, hoping to win Tho "hat
prize but after thousands and tho,.
sands OF ine creatures had been put
10 death there was no apprcciable
"'i'.''"Niu". EulSOn Who then placed
| IN every part of tho house, hut the
BATS only seemed TO thrive on 1t.
Pest OF Nelshborhood.
This spring the bats have become.
pest to the noighbcrhood. and the
owners of the old mansion have dc.
tcrmined TO burn IL to It's foundation.
Tho bats can be got rid of In no other
way
i. u
Montviilo is ono OF the last of tho
Revolutionary homes In King William
County. During The life of William
Aylott It was the most hospItablo
home IN that section OF the state.
There tho bellies and bcaux OF Virei,
MIA were accustomed TO gather and
The great parlors and broad halls, now
given up to bats, were tho scenes OF
some OF the most noted social gather.
ings Virginia has known since tho
Revolution. Tho original Montyilic
was lTrned down by the British dur,
ing the Revolutionary war. Tho
present house was built almost i'm.
mediatciy afterward