Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-07-25
July %, 1894.
Charles BrOGdlcay Rouss Remembers A
Christmas Dinner.

New YORK, July 15,-The release of
Erastus Wiman from the Tombs day or
two ago upon security furnished by Charles
Broadway Rouss brings together for a Sec
ond time two remarkable men. Erastus
Wiman is a man of great business capacity.
He has made money with facility, and his
charities have ben unbounded. In the
minds of many people these charities cover
nearly all the sins he has committed. He
has helped many young man to make a
start in the world, and many persons have
gone to him for advice, which he always
freely gave. 1t is reported that during
the cruel cross. examination to which
he was subjected by Assistant District At
torney Welman he had in his pocket a
memorandum of loan of $4,000 which he
made to Mr.. Wellman to assist him in
business venture, and which was still un-
paid. A remarkable feature of Mr.. Wi
mans case has been his constant serenity
and apparent unconsciOusness of having
committed a crime. His faith in his final
acquittal has never seemed to waver. The
constant devotion to his cause of the late
Secretary of the Navy, General Tracy, with
out any expectation of fee has been re-
markable.
Years ago man named Charles Broad
way Rouss got embarrassed in his business
and came to Mr.. Wiman for advice. This
he received in a most kindly fashion. La
ter on charges were made against Mr.. Rouss
which were afterwards shown to be entirely
groundlesss. But he was arrested and COM
mitted 10 Jail. He was there on Chistmas
Day, and Mr.. Wiman heard of it and pitied
him and sent him his Christmas dinner
That little act of kindness has been treasur
ed up in the generous mind of the great
merchant for quarter of century, and the
bread thrown upon the waters by Mr.. Wi
man then came back to him last Friday,
when Mr.. Rouss went to the Tombs and en-
tered his security for $4,000, pledging his
Fifth avenue residence.
After eating the Christmas dinner sent by
Mr.. Wiman, Rouss wrote this on the walls
of his prison cell;
"This is Chistmas Day. A. friend has
sent me enough to buy Christmas dinner.
| VOW to him, and write it here, that as !
am to-day forty years old, before am fifty
| will be rated in the reference book which
he helps to compile as being worth $4,000
and before | am sixty shall be rated at
over 100000"
Mr.. Rouss is a native of Woodsboro'
Frederick county, Nd. He went to Win
chester, and when the war broke out he had
a fourishing store there which he closed
out and Joined the army as private in COM
pany b, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry. After
the surrender he returned to his fathers
farm in Jefferson county, but farmwork was
utterly distasteful to him. He borrowed
$2S, and with that as his capital entered
New York, This gave out before he had
gotten any occupation and he slept some
nights under wagon in the street and in
the station. house He met by accident q
former customer, who engaged him to dis
pose Of large stock of goods he had bought
at an auction. For this service he received
a considerable sum, which gave him a start
and he made money fast He established 8
hundred or more branch stores in different
parts of the South, and during the panic Of
1877 he failed, and it was then he got into
trouble. He owed $4,000 when he got hi;
discharge in bankruptcy. Every cent o.
that he subsequently, paid with interest
Now he has one of the largest stores on
Broadway, is worth several million dollar;
and does a business of twelve millions 6
year The readers of the Sun are familiar
with many of his public acts of benefcence
. but his private charities are unknown.