The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-27
Mr.. ROUSS iDANDONS HOPE
Millionaire Blind Man Believes
His Sight Is Gene Forever.
BIG REWARD STILL STANDS
A Million Dollars for Whoever Finds
Cure for His Impaired Vision.
Innunerable Remedies Offered and
Tried ON Substitute without
Electricity the Last Hope.

New York, March 27.-Charles Broad
way Rouss has given up hope that he will
ever recover his sight. Nothing short CT a
miracle, he says, can now restore il to
him, and Mr.. Rouss, a freethinker, and a
great friend OF Roberto IugerSoll, does not
lie awake nights waiting for miracles.
Still his substitute, John Martin, the
yonng fellow who is afflicted with a
similar trouble-aJTuphy of theUptiC nerve
goes on trying the remedies suggested by
the hundreds of persons who hope 20 gain
the standing reward of 81 ,O0e, 900 which
Mr. Rouss has offered to anyone who can
restore TO him his sight. Shn, too, the
people keep coming into his store on
broadway in the expectation OF inducing
the mula-milionaire to try their Sugges-
tions.
No" sail Mr. ROuss yesterday, Il
have given up all hope. l can just sec
the light. ANA that is all. / cannot dis
tinguish faces or make out small OBJ
Jects Young Martin is Still trying the
cures that are suggested to me. l pay
him 81 day. He drops in every day, but
he has given Gp all hope, too, OF ever get
ting back his sight
So many alleged cures keep coming
in every day that Mr. Rouss has Teen
obliged 10 get out a typewriter letter,
which lie sends to every one who for
wards a suggestion To him. II is charac-
teristic OF the man. Here it is:
Dear Sir. ] am instructed TO say. in
reply to your letter, that Mr. Rouss' mail
t. flooded daily with letters from every
section OF the United States and Europe
suggesting remedies for the cure Of his
blindness and it would require that he
should be possessed of a hundred lives
in order 10 test oGetenth of the p1opO-
Ktions submitted. He has come to the
conclusion that nothing but a miracle can
restore his sight, and as he does not he
lieve in the ability OF man to exercise
supernatural power be has made up his
mind TO submit philosophically to the in
evitalle. which means that while he can
discern objects dimly now, vet in a year
or two he must become totally blind.
Thanking you for your interest in his
case, ] am, very truly yours,
A J. SMITH,
For Charles Broadway Rouss.
Mr.. Rouss is as cheerful as ever. he
hours, getting downtown at 8 a. m. and
STAYING at his desk until Z p. m, tOiling
like q beaver. He returns home only to
dine and 20 right to bed. His general
health is excellent.
Yesterday one Of his callers was
woman in queer attire, who carried with
her q blue bottle that held about pint.
MIR. Rouss admitted her, as he admits
every one.
This" said the visitor, handing over
the bottle, lis water from Lourdes. Put
fl on your eyes and have faith and your
sight Will be restored Immediately"
Unfortunately she could net guarantee
that the water was from Lourdes, and
as, moreover, MI. Rouss could not sum-
mon up the necessary faith, the bottle
still reposes ON his desk unopened. Not
one OF all the hundreds of remedies tried
have done young Martin any good. The
X-TayS, which were experimental with,
he could see, but it was simply because
of their great power They did not help
him to discern other objects.
"OUr only hope,' said Mr.. Smith, Mr..
Rouss' right-hand man, lis in Edison.
1t may be just possible that with the
aid OF electricity he may be able to restore
vitality to the optic nerve. That would
bring back Mr.. Rouss' sight"