The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-15
HISTORY REVEALED
BY LEGAL RECORD
STORY OF HATFIELD MANSION, DE-
SIGNED ny GEORGE WASHING
TON, COMES To LIGHT.
ROMANTIC CAREER
SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS OF
VIRGINIA WILL REVIEW CASE
APPEALED FROM FAIR
FAX COURT.

Records in the case of Antonio Ger
rtgiio against II. NJ. Petit, which the
Supreme Court OF Appeals Of Virginia
on Monday consented to review, reveal
two stories which read like chapters
from novel of romance, one center
ing about famous old Colonial man
sion designed by George Washington
and the other a narrative Cf an Italian
who came to America from itaiy al
the age oil ilGteen, soiu newspapers ana
then bananas and gradually amdssets
big fortune, when enabled him To-
purchase one of the most valuable
and historic farms in Virginia
Covering several hundred pages of
typeWritins. these records COntAla tine
history OF long fought litigation in
volving Hayield farm, once d part OF
the Mount Vernon tract. ana only
about three miles from the beautiful
mansion on the banks of the Potomac,
where General Washington spent the
happiest years OF his life. In the tes-
timony in the records 1t IS set forth
that he dwelling now standing on
hayfleld farm Was designed by Cen
eral Washington ana built under has
direction, being for years the home or
a nephew OF the first President
Bricks in the Hayheld mansion are
said to have been brought over from;
England al the same time that a cor
signment Of rare and beautiful plants
We're shipped to General Washington
TO be used in adjoining the stretches
OF lawn about his mansion Boxnood
hedges now surrounding the old Hay
Held house, II Is stated were chosen
by Washington from among his plants
ana CIV en- 10 the nephew who made
MS home at Hayfeid. These state
ments are contained in tho sworn tes-
tlmony given in the case and there
seems TO tie little doubt of their Att
thenticity.
Started A. "Newsy"
Inc story OF Cerriglio. who is now
foremost among the Wholesale ana re-
tall fruit dealers Of Washington. and
who has Warehouses in Louisiana AZ
nue. In the capital city Of the nation.
begins when he left his native Itaiy
! "heh mere boy.and sought his for
tune in the New World. landing ir
New York and starting the struggle
Tor existence by selling upwsnanars
tie saved money and bought push-
| cart from which he peddled bananas
nnti ne amassed sufficient capital in
enable hlm 10 enter business in WASH
ington.
Cerriglio combined luck win bust-
ness ability and soon b.rane
wealthy man. He began investing his
money and in 1905 bought Hayfield
farm from Joseph II. Atkinson for
@o".Voo. The farm included a tract
/ OF Soa acres, 700 of which was clear.
+ ed Land under cultivation and tht
/ remainder in timber Besides tn,
| FAMOUS mansion Of eighteen room,
! the farm was improved with two ten
| ant houses, grdnaries. a dairy house
"ia GeSihith shop, carpenter shop. larE,
! ocsagon barn and other outbuildings
/ The farm is about six miles fr9n
Alexandria and two miles from Fran
| coma station on the Richmond. Fred.
! erlcksburg and Potomac railroad
lhFoNEh two real estat,. farms IN
/ washington. Frank o. Harrison and
{ Ballard and Lanhan, cerriglio me,
! Fettit. who owned a house at 123s
! ayette street. Plttsburg. in the hear
81 what was once known as tn.
/ Miitionaires' District" and con.
+ 'guous to one of the properties own
! vd by the Well known Thaw family.
Negotiations We're opened uh-r-t4 y,
! terFlgho was to transfer the Havflelf
farm to Petit III exchange for rms
! ta}ette street house.
/ IA the papers Il is alleged tha4
/ sn@ ayette street residence vas rep
| Resented To cerrigli, to be worth far
! more than its actual value. and that
/ me italian, never having been In
filtsburg and being ignorant Of rea
estate values in tina Smoky CITY Ma,
{ victimized. The testimony show,
! that Petit bought the house in 1905
/ for $4,000 and that instead of in
! creasing IN value. the property haf
} 5ster.orated BECAUSE of the erection
| OF factories and warehouses TN tn,
! once exclusive fashionab bile residential
/ section.
l. Italian Enters suit.
After the cpnsnmntatton of the deal
| Cerrigiio entered suit 10 recover tbs
money which he alleged to have beer
/ unlawfully nlched from him by fraud
/ ulent Misrepresentation and the cas-.
| was argued in the circuit court oi
Fairfax county, the jury returning a
/ verdict and grant a new trial on tnf
! Petit. at the May term 1910 The
! yerict and grant new trial on the
| ground that the verdict was contrar,
to the law and evidence and Cerrigiio
/ through his attorneys. petitioned tn.
supreme court of appeals Of Virgins
for writ of error and supesedeas
which was granted on Monday
Cerriglio is probably the hes, known
/ fruit dealer In the national capita
and includes among his friends some
Of the best known men in Washing.
/ ton. whom he met While serving fir
the capacity Of superintendent of the
exclusive metropolitan Club before
I beginning his business career in Wash
ingtan