Evening star., 1940-02-19
3Deaths Caused
ByLord Fairfax
Clubhouse Fire
! Burned, 2 Others
Killed Chasing
Engines at Alexandra

scores of fremen from at least 10
nearby communities, and two Vir-
ginians were fatally injured when
their automobile crashed as they
were chasing a fire engine to the
scene
Wife Gives Birth to Daughter.
The wife of one of the crash VIC
TINS gave birth to a baby girl at
Alexandria Hospital few minutes
before the accident.
The fire was discovered shortly
before 3 am and by the time fire
apparatus could reach the hilltop
from Alexandria and Fairfax the
living quarters in the rear of the
second floor were in flames.
Dee Mari Van Cott, q, in whose
room the fire was believed to have
started. was trapped by the flames
His body, fully clothed, was found
more than an hour later when fire.
men fought their way through the
dense smoke to small bathroom
across the hall from the bedroom.
Fairfax County Coroner A. c.
Ransome said at an inquest last
night that Mr.. Van Cott was suf-
focated, as only his lower limbs were
burned.
Arouses Other Occupants.
A. NJ. Prothro, 33-year- old Govern
ment attorney, asleep in the room ad-
joining Mr.. Van Colts quarters, was
aroused by the smoke and he ran
to the front of the clubhouse to
awaken the manager, Robert H. Fatt.
They aroused Morris johnson,
colored house boy who lived on the
third floor of the structure Trapped
by the smoke and flames, the boy
leaped from the window of his room
and landed on the soft sod below,
uninjured.
Mr. Prothro said he saw Mr.. Van
Cott for a moment just as he was
awakened and pleaded with the
architect to follow him out
Mr.. Van Cott, however, screamed
he was going to jkmp and turned
back into the blazing interior of his
room, Mr. Prothro said.
The first pieces of apparatus
quickly exhausted the water supply
in reserve tanks on the engines and
the other fire companies we're called
Later water had to be hauled from
the Penn Daw Hotel a mile away
on United States route l.
Engines rushed to the scene from
Vienna, Mclean, Fort Belvoir, Falls
Church, Occoquan. Clarendon. JEFF
ferson. Franconia, Ballston and
Cherrydale.
Auto Crashes Into Pole.
1t was while chasing the Franconia
Fire Company that the automobile
in which the two men were fatally
injured crashed into a telegraph
pole on Franconia road
Richard Weldon. 80. of Alex
andria, the driver of the car, was
killed Instantly His body lay un-
discovered in a ditch several feet
from the wreckage, while a passing
motorist rushed his two injured
companions to a hospital
Two hours earlier Mr. Wee
don's 35-year-old wife was
rushed to the Alexandria Hos
pital maternity ward. A girl was
born within few minutes of the
time the father was killed. Nurses
said the delivery of the child was
early.
She and the mother were de-
scribed today as doing very we'll
News of the fatal accident has been
withhold froy,, NHre uJoaIov,
Second Crash Victim Dies.
One of the injured men, Thomas
Mercer. 33, farmer at B1uemont,
Va, who had been visiting in Alex
.andria, died last night at the hos
pital while the inquest in the deaths
of Mr.. Van Cott and Mr.. Weldon
was in progress at Wheatley's S
funeral home.
The other occupant of the auto
mobile, Robert Stickler of Alexan-
dria, was only slightly hurt. He was
able to appear at the inquest.
Mr.. Stickler said they saw the fire
engine speeding down the road and
decided to follow it. Three cars,
loaded with Franconia volunteer
fremen, were directly behind the
engine.
, Mr.. Weldon decided to pass the
cars to get nearer the engine, Mr.
Stickler said, and just as he pulled
to the left side to pass at high rate
of speed the truck rounded a sharp
curve. The passing automobile was
unable to make the turn and crashed
into a telegraph pole.
Furniture Carried Out.
AS the flames slowly spread tc
the front of the clubhouse, specta-
tors attracted to the scene rushed
to and from the downstairs rooms
carrying out furniture and other
valuables Mr. Fatt was able to
save his belongings and records OF
the club, which was founded in 1886
to preserve for future generations
Mount Eagle estate, the colonial
home of Lord Brian Fairfax"
Mr.. Prothro, whose feet were
slightly burned while he was DASH
ing through the blazing quarters
attempting to get Mr.. Van Cott
from the building and arousing the
other sleepers stayed at the scene
for several minutes after firemer
arrived. pleading with them to "get
Dee out" Fairfax County officer.
]. E. Dodson and j. M. Mahoney
later had him taken to Alexandra
Hospital in a rescue squad ambu'
lance for treatment.
While firemen were fighting tn,
flames on the roof and second floor
some one broke into the gamin,
room in the basement Of the build
ing and smashed two coin machines
stealing the contents. police said
The building. though renovate'
when the club was incorporated, hat
remained virtually unchanged sine
it was constructed in 1882 by tn
eighth Lord Fairfax. George Wash
ington visited the estate frequently
Prominent Charter Members.
Charter members of the club in
1.AA >E -