Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-02
YOUTH ARRESTED
IN NLEE HOME FIRE
Destruction of RavenSWorth
in Fairfax County Brings
Incendiary Probe.
Special Dispatch 70 The star.

Special Dspafcb 70 IHo obaT.
FAIRFAX, Va, August 2.-Rus-
sell Wood. 20 years old, is in jail
here pending investigation OF the
fire of early yesterday which de-
stroyed Ravensworth, the famous
estate of the late Gen. w. H. F. Lee,
IL miles south of this place.
Wood, who is a son of o, E. Wood,
dairy farm manager of the estate.
denies any knowledge of the fire, the
circumstances of which are similar
to one of the previous Sunday morn
ing. which damaged the home OF
Andrew Nelson, caretaker OF the
estate.
The loss yesterday has been esti-
mated at $4,000 with $4,000 insur-
ance. Many pieces of furniture.
much colonial silverware and several
heirlooms were saved, but other art
icles, including historic rife, paint
ing of Gen. Robert E. Lee, father of
Gen. w. H. F. Lee, and 16 other oil
paintings were destroyed.
Owners Are Notified.
The estate is Jointly owned by DR..
George Boiling Lee, son of the late
Gen. w. II. F. Lee and Mrs. Robert
E. Lee, whose late husband also was
a son of Gen. W. III. F. Lee. The
widow has been making her home in
Washington and DR.. George BOILING
Lee at Newport, r.. I. They We're
notified Yesterday or the loss and
both were at the scene of the IRE
today, according to the Fairfax
police.
Three brick chimneys are all that
remain of the famous old home. The
fire started at 1:25 am. and burned
until after 9. Firemen from Alex
andria and neighbors combating the
flames were greatly handicapped by
lack of water. The house was a
three story frame with brick inside.
The flames destroyed lockwood, a
huge hemlock and other trees.
Had Historic Background.
Except Mount Vernon and Gunston
Hall. Ravensworth was the most i'm
portant of the old homes of Fairfax
County, according to Representative
r. Walton Moore. who lives in that
county. The original estate was part
of a grant of about 1000 acres, made
to William Fitzhugh of Stafford
County in 1885, he said. The grand
william Fitzhugh of Chatham, who in
his old age, after the revolution, re-
moved to Ravensworth and was the
?rst of the family to reside there. He
died early in the nineteenth century
and by will left large part of the
estate, including the house, to his son,
William Fl. Fitzhugh. The latter was
very prominent man. In the Vir-
ginia constitutional convention of
1S29-1s30 he represented the district
embracing Fairfax and Louden Coun.
ties along with former President Mon
roe and two others. 1t was expected
that he would soon be elected to the
Office of governor, but he died in 1882.
The manner of his death was most un-
usual BY his viii he left about $500
acres Of the Ravensworth estate to his
widow, to go after her death to his
niece. Mary Custis, who married Rob.
eft E. Lee.
Occupant During War.
During the Civil War Mrs. Fitz.
hugh occupied the house, and was
protected by the Federal authorities.
Following the death of Mrs. Fitzhugh
and Mrs. Lee the property was parti-
toned among tho children of Gen.
Robert e. Lee, and 500 acres with
the house were allotted to his son,
w. H. F. Lee, who lived there while
representing the eighth Virginia dis
trict in Congress. BY his will he di-
vided the property among his widow
and his two sons. and in recent years
there has been some controversy and
litigation in respect to 1t.
A statement that the liquor was
stored In the house at the time of
the fire is a mistake, as there was
not drop there. according to Rep
resentative Moore. It is many years
since the ancient wine cellar con.
tanned any of the wines which in the
early days were commonly imported
from the Azores and elsewhere.
Wood was arrested about 5 pm.
by Haywood Durrer and Virgil VIII
Iianns, Fairfax police, who learned Of
the alleged kerosene odor about the
ruins of the fire.