Evening star., 1909-08-31
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Probably Fatal Fire on Wilkes
Street This Morning.
five BUILDINGS BURNED
Grave Injuries Sustained by Essie
Ross.
PLANS FOR ELKS' NEW HOME
James Dorsey, One Of the Negroes
Convicted Of the Schultz Murder,
Asserts His Innocence.
PLANS FOR ELKS' NEW HOME
Special Correspondence Of The Star

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, August 81. 1909.
Esse Ross colored, about twenty-four
years old. was probably fatally burned
and five frame houses on the north side of
| Wilkes street between Washington and
Columbus streets were gutted as a result
of fire at o'clock this morning. A
gasoline stove is said to have been respon-
sible for the fire. After an hours hard
work the firemen saved the houses from
total destruction.
The fire originated in the home of
George A. Ross. III Wilkes street. The
occupants were. 1t is said. cooking break
fast. The burned woman. daughter of
George Ross. was upstairs at the time and
was aroused by the explosion of the stove.
She ran downstairs and attempted to ex-
tinguish the fire and was burned prac-
tically from head to foot. An alarm was
| turned in by Policeman Ferguson and the
burned woman was taken to the hospital
in a wagon by Policeman Roland, where
her injuries were dressed by DR.. Powell.
The houses were occupied as follows:
III Wilkes, George A. Ross: 713. Moses
Benson: rs, Ernest Contee: III, James
Byrd; 10. Charles Williams.
Three OF the houses, I'll, 713, 719. were
owned by James B. Hughes. while 7l5
and I'll were owned by Mrs. Emma
Spencer The total loss on the houses
will probably be about $1,000. covered by
insurance. The house mostly damaged
was that occupied by Ross. where the
fire originated.
The occupants of the houses will lose
most of the contents, which were badly
damaged by water As a result of the
fire the five families were compelled to
seek other living quarters.
New Home for the Elks.
The plans of Wagner and Hamilton, the
former of Washington and the latter of
Alexandria. were adopted by the build
ing committee of Alexandra Lodge or
Elks yesterday afternoon for a new home
for the local lodge of Elks. There were
four competitors The plans include
two-story brick structure with rath-
skeller: the latter will be partially above
and beneath the ground. The building
will cost approximately $25.ONO. The COM
mittee will at once nave speclncatloils
drawn and hopes to have the WORK OF
construction begun about October l next
On the first floor will be a reception
room, hall. library. ladies' parior. secre-
tary's office and auditorium, with stage
settings, the latter arranged Tor the az az
cOmmOdatlOn or ABOUT fon pcopiC AAS
lodgeroom will occupy the entire second
1oor- The building will be located on the
south side. of Prince street between Royal
and Fairfax streets, adjoining the pres
ent Elks home.
Dorsey Asserts His Innocence.
James Dorsey one Of the three negroes
convicted of the murder of Walter F.
Schultz. has written letter from the
state prison at Richmond, Va, to City
seret r. H. Cox, in which he says he is
nraving day and night. Among other
things he says: please tell all your
friends not to hold that crime against
me. for God knows / am an innocent.
moor boy. l will tell you from my heart
I don't know anything about that crime
I hope you will find out some day that l
am telling the TRUTH" He thanks Mr.:
Cox and Warden Candler, the latter or
the city jail for the kind treatment given
him during his incarceration in the city
Jail here.
Leg Crushed by Locomotive.
Ellis Hollins, colored. residing on Wolfe
street between Columbus and Alfred
streets. while attempting to jump on the
locomotive of moving westbound local
freight train at the intersection of Co.
llmbus and Wilkes streets this morning
had his left leg almost completely sew
1t is said and preferred to ride. As he
jumped he missed his footing. and be-
fore the train could be brought to q stop