Evening star., 1933-06-03
BURNING TREE CLUB
MEMBERS TO FIGHT
TO AVERT AUCTION
Attorney Predicts Fore
closure Sale viii Not
Be Necessary.
ISAAC MANN ESTATE
CLAIMS ARE INVOLVED
Best Golf Course in This Section.
With Modern Building, Is Prop
erty of Organization.

Members Of the exclusive Burning
Tree Club win gather Monday night
In the American Red Gross Building
to attempt what is described as prob
ably successful effort" to save one of
Washington's finest golf organizations
from going under the auctioneer's ham
mer on June 10.
The club has been advertised for
sale by foreclosure proceedings grow
Ing out Of friendly" attempt to
settle certain claims against the club
held by the heirs of the late Isaac IT.
Mann. involving first and second trusts
totaling 100000. on which interest
and principal remain unpaid.
The Burning Tree Club, which IN
cludes In its membership a large group
OF men influential in the affairs of the
NATION and Of the National Capital. is
located In Montgomery County. New
Cut and River roads about miles from
the District Line.
Finest Course About City.
The property contains about asI
acres and Is improved, according TO
the terms of the advertisement OF ssle.
by an 18-hole golf course and a modern
club building. In golf circles, the
course of the Burning Tree Club is re-
garded generally as the finest anywhere
about Washington, and has attained
national ranking as one of the OUT
standing courses Of the east.
John Barton Payne, chairman Of the
American Red Cross, Is president Of the
club; and owns bungalow near the
clubhouse. Judge Payne was out Of the
city and could not be reached for q
statement today, but Roger Whiteford,
washington attorney. who has repre-
sented the club In the negotiations with
attorneys for the Mann estate, said
some way would undoubtedly be found
at the meeting Monday to bring the
club out OF its present difficulties. Mr..
Whiteford predicted the foreclosure
sale would not be necessary, declaring
friends and members of the club would
be able to md q way for settlement of
the claims against the organization.
Membership Is Wealthy.
The membership Of Burning Tree in
cludes such wealthy men as Senator
James Couzens Of Michigan, Judge
Payne and many others who have
reached high place in the affairs of
the Nation. It has been known for
years as the playground of washington
ofhcialdom. The Sunday Senatorial
Breakfast Folrsomes'' at Burning Tree
attended by many Senators and men In
official life, have become known
wherever golf is played.
The golf course was laid out In 1922
by Marshall Whitlatch, who acted for 4
committee Of 80 founders, each of whom
Is said to have contributed $4,000 to-
ward establishment Of the club. Burn
ing Tree is exclusively mans or
ganization. and has only one parallel
the Old Elm Club of Chicago. The
present membership totals more than
$50.
A 100000 second trust, on which
neither interest nor principal has been
paid, is held by the Bramble estate
and by Mrs. William T. Mann and Mrs.
Churchill Owen of Denver. A first
trust of 100000 Is held by a bank. ac-
cording to j. Barrett Carter, a mem-
Der OF the club who represents the
Mann estate.
Isaac T. Mann, wealthy West vir-
g1nian, who made the loans to the
club, died several years ago.