The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1896-11-11
A Magnificent Gift.
MRS.CUmMINGs GIVES APALAcE
TO THE UNFORTUNATE.
The Authorsss and PhiIanthropist
Presents Her Fine Hons, the
Towers, as a Refuge TO
Worthy Women - An Elaborate
Scheme of Beneficence.

Mrs. Minnie L. Cummings tho
wealthy widow and authoress and noted
for her many practical schemes of phi
lanthropy, has just made her most not
able gift to her less fortunate sisters by
giving her palatial residence at Elberon,
N. j., the Towers, which was for a long
time the summer residence of the late
ambassador Runyon, to the Woman's
Property Protective league, an associa-
tion founded by her for the protection
of homeless and unfortunate women of
gentle birth and education who have
lost their homes and station i'll life
through no fault of their own. The
Towers will be place where these wo-
men may reside until they are i'll po-
sition to become self supporting or re.
cover property to which they may have
| a claim and have been unjustly deprived
Of To recover this property will also be
one of the aims Of the association.
Another purpose of the Protective
league will he to found other homes
such as the Towers will be. They will
be maintained as private residences and
| will in no sense be known as homes of
| charity. The Towers is grand and inn
| posing building, built upon u scale of
! lavish magniicCnco in keeping with the
| great wealth of its owner. 1t has 4S
rooms and is surrounded 10y magnificent
| lawns.
Into this residence Mrs Cummings,
who is the president of the Womau's
Property Protective league, with loving
| kindness welcomes all those who come
within the scope Of the objects Of her
association.
In this homo Ms. Cummings not
only proposes to supply the members
with refined home but also with
clothing in keeping with their refined
surroundings. Women of all ages will
be admitted. Proper marriages Mrs
! Cummings proposes to encourage, and
she will even provide the trOusseauX and
pay for the weddings as well as to in
sure tho welfare Of the newly married
couples.
The chief object that Mrs. Cummings
has in view, however, is to save for the
unprotected woman her home. If fore
|
on mortgage. or if the principal of mort
gage be due, or tho home is seized for
debt on fictitious or real claims, the
Protective league will pay up such
claims and redeem il and decd it back
to its owner take back n mortgage from
her, and if the revenue from the prop.
| erty is only sufficient for the support
! Of the owner or of her family who are
| dependent upon her, the interest shall
be permitted to accumulate until the
owner shall be in position to pay. If
necessary, the mortgage shall remain
without being fOreclOSed during the life
of the owner. If the income is not suf-
ficient to provide her with the neces-
saries of existence, she shall become a
guest in the league home Here IA MEM
Der will pay for her accommodations.
If she has no income at all, she will be
cared for from the funds of the league,
the Same as those able to contribute
something toward their support.
The league will also endeavor TO sup.
| ply those of its members who can and
arc willing to work with congenial
home employment.
Mrs, Cummings has been led to this
step by the reversos which have befall-
en- great many Of her friends. Notable
among these is the widow of the lato
General Custer, who is now reduced to
| poverty
Mrs. Cummings is the originator of
| the drawing room theater and the first
school Of acting in this country. 1t was
she who, at the death of Eliza Newton,
whose dead body was threatened with u
pauper's burial, evolved tho idea of the
| Actors fund.
Mrs. Minnie l.. Cummings is the au-
thoress of Power Of the Press" and
number Of other popular plays. She still
resides at the Towers, but has estab-
ished an office to better carry out her
plans. Now York Journal.