The Washington times., 1931-07-25
TANGLE TOLD
7 BY LEGATION
! SECRETARY
Woman's Change Of Mind
on Sale of House Blamed
For "CompIicated" Case

Weird handling of the affairs
of the immense Henderson es-
tate by the eccentric Mrs. John
b, Henderson, which resulted in
housing the Lithuanian Legation
virtually free of cost for about
five years, has just been revealed.
Some hope of settling the tan
gIed matter, which involves the
home of the legation at 1922 Six
teenth st. N. W., is held out now
that the estate is about to be
administered by the courts.
The story as it comes to light
goes back to 1926, and as DR..
Mikas BagdonaS, secretary OF the
legation remarked today:
Every day 1t becomes more
complicated"
Tried to Sell 1t
Back in 1925 Mrs. Henderson
was doing everything possible to
build up Embassy Row" On up
per Sixteenth Street.
The old lady entered into ne
gotiations with the then min
lister from Lithuania with a view
to selling him a house which she
had built as a legation. The
place struck the fancy Of the
diplomat and he agreed to take
1t I'M with his government.
Accordingly, in order to give
him a basis for negotiation, he
and Mrs. Henderson signed
conditional bill of sale. 1t is
understood that Mrs. Henderson
agreed to sell the house to Lithu-
ania If and when the Lithuanian
government agreed to buy it.
The minister paid down a small
sum, either $4,000 or $4,000.
Then the diplomat moved the
Diplomat Moved In
legation into the building and
took up with his government the
matter of an appropriation to
complete the deal he was max.
ing with Mrs. Henderson. The
Lithuanian government thought
the price was all right and agreed
to buy.
The minister then went to Mrs.
Henderson, offered her the bal
ar1ce of the purchase price, and
asked for the deeds.
But by that time Mrs. Hender.
son had changed her mind. She
refused to execute the deed and
told the minister she would like
to have her house.
BOTH ADAMANT
The diplomat was dumfound-
ed. He thought the deal was
only a formality and that then
he would have title to his fine
legation. Mrs. Henderson was
adamant. She demanded her
house. The minister demanded
the deed. Nothing doing. It
was an III 1sse that all the
diplomacy in the world couldn't
break.
The minister kept the house.
Every now and then he would
send emissaries to Mrs. Hender-
son trying to complete the pur.
chase. She wouldn't change her
mind. Other ministers succeeded
the then minister. AS often as
the ministers would approach her,
Mrs. Henderson would demand
the house.
And so it went on through the
years.
Damaged by Fire
Some time about 1928 he
rear Of the house caught fire.
Mrs. Henderson still had the
deeds and the insurance pol
icies on the house. The insur-
anCe adjuSters paid her for
the damage caused by the
flames.
The minister suggested that she
repair the building. Not chance.
So the charred remains we're
left on the rear of the legation.
And thus things continue up
to the present day.
Mrs. Henderson couldn't force
the legation to move because
under diplomatic laws she could
not obtain legal process on the
minister. The diplomats wouldn't
move because they liked the
house.
That is one way to obtain rent
free for a long time.
Edison Denies Health