Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-18
Proprietor Still
Resists Sale Of
Historic Oak Hill
Locked Gates, Signs
BoIk Inspection Of
Old Monroe Estate
BY q steff Correspondent. Of Tn. sie,

BY Stoff Correspondent OF The Sior
LEEsBURG, Va. Aug. 1s.-The
lone proprietor of Oak Hill still re-
sisted today a foreclosure which
seemed as inevitable as death or
taxes.
Although locks and chains bar
the public from his door, Frank c.
his neighbors believe, is
fighting a delaying action at best
against a Federal court order to
auction his estate on September 2.
For the third time yesterday, the
elderly owner thwarted public in
spection dates set by Federal trus-
tees. Outer gates had been
chained on fences enclosing the
l,725 acres, and Mr. Littleton had
locked himself within the pillared.
yellow-brick mansion, once the
home of President Monroe.
The next public inspection date,
according to legal advertisements,
will be Tuesday, followed by others
or August Is, 26 and % and Sep
TENDER l between 2 and S pm
eastern standard time). Unless
the present deadlock is broken,
however, the public will see no
more than it did yesterday, Mon
day and Saturday of the property
scheduled for sale.
The next move apparently is up
to Federal Judge Sterling Hutchin-
son of the Eastern District of Vir-
GINA.
Advised of Situation.
He has been advised informally
Of the situation by the trustees he
appointed, Attorneys Edwin E. Gar
rett OF Leesburg and Howard w.
Smith. jr., of Alexandria. Mr..
Garrett said last night he had not
been advised as to how to proceed
further.
Meanwhile. Sheriff S. P. Alexan-
der of Loudoun County and his
deputies are keeping watch over the
inspections to prevent damage or
loss of property. In addition, they
are trying to ward off any clash be-
tween the beleaguered owner and
prospective purchasers or the idly
curious on the big estate near here.
1t is known, Sheriff Alexander
said, that Mr.. Littleton has a 49,
caliber revolver in his home, and
some of his neighbors are inclined
to believe he also owns two high
powered rifles.
The approach to the 28-room
mansion behind its tree-fringed pill
lars is 200-yard straight-away be-
tween shaggy shade trees and even
rows Of ancient lockwood. Deputies
outside the gate do not advise even
the venturesome to walk up that
driveway unlimited, and the owner
hasn't issued any invitations re-
Gently.
In fact. the signs on the gate are
a bit grim. Three said, Private
Trespassing Forbidden"
and q fourth: Ladies and Gentle
men Do Not Trespass; Follow Their
Gate Lifted OFF Hinges.
A fourth sign which, the deputies
said, was erected after some over
visitors lifted the gate
off its hinges Saturday indicated
Mr.. Littleton's belief that his house
is not on the property advertised as
open for inspection.
Sheriff Alexander said that, on
Saturday afternoon. about 100 per-
sons came for the inspection. Sew
eral persons lifted the gate off its
hinges and others followed toward
the old mansion.
Meanwhile, officials had entered
by an unlocked farm gate at the
rear. Sheriff Alexander said his
deputy, C. F. Reed, thought he
heard someone in the house and
tried a side door to investigate.
When the door opened, the sher-
if said, Mr.. Reed was confronted
by Mr.. Littleton with a .38 calibes
pistol in his hand. Mr.. Reed identi-
fed himself as an officer, the sheriff
said, and was asked by the owner
to get some "intruders" out of his
house before they got shot"
Mr.. Reed reported that a man
and woman who apparently had
strayed into the house in the be-
lief it was open to the public
heard the conversation and slipped
out another door.
Many visitors had been drawn by
the hope that valuable antiques
would be included in the SALE While
there are said to be several pieces
of furniture dating from Monroe's
day, none of the household goods
is scheduled to go under the ham,
mer.
Brief Tours Planned.
When the house is opened, it was
said, prospective purchasers will be
taken on brief conducted tours with
ample guards to insure the owner
against possible loss from souvenir
hunters.
Oak Hill was considered one of
Loudoun County's finest estates 20
or 80 years ago. 1t was said that,
as late as the early 1940s, repre-
sentatives of the Mellon estate Of
fered Mr.. Littleton $4,000 for the
property. The time-mellowed man.
sion, to which Mr.. Littleton added
wings said to have cost over $50, 900,
is situated in a grove of oaks on
hill overlooking rich fields, mead
ows and woodlands of valuable
timber.
Mr.. Littleton, said to be around
10, is native of Leesburg, the
son of former clerk of the county
court. He entered the grain bust
ness as young man and later
went to New York City to join a
brokerage firm.
In New York, his friends say, he
married a wealthy and charming
girl, and returned with her to his
native country, where he purchased
the show place for $255,000.
Wife Died Years Ago.
Mr.. Littleton's wife died some 30
years ago, the neighbors said, and
he was further saddened by the
death of one of their two chill