The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-17
CASE OF MARQUISE
 CAUSES SURPRISE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF cATHo. LIc UNIVERSITY MEET AND lN- FORMALLY DISCUSS LETTER OF MARQUIEsE MONSTERS.

Washington, November 16.-The semi annual meeting of the board of directors of the Catholic University of America, convened at the university today and considered matters of importance connect- ed with the future of the institution. Chief of these were the renunciation of the Catholic creed by the Marquiese des Monsters, formerly Miss Gwendolen Caldwell, whose generosity founded the university and the bankruptcy case of Thomas F. waggaman. treasurer of the university, whose failure may seriously embarrass ihe board In providing fin- ances for immediate use.
 The statement of the American Mar uuise made public yesterday in a com munication to the Associated press from Rome came as a complete surprise to officials of the university. They did not know she was contemplating such from New York. where she spent the summer.
 The last meeting of the board of trus- tees was held in April and that meet ing was adjourned until today
 When the meeting was called to order
 there was present Cardinal Gibbons Archbishops Williams of Boston; Ryan
 and Keane of Dubuque; Bishops Spauld-
 ing of Peoria; Foley of Detroit; Macs of
 Covington, Ky, and Harkins. of Provi-
 dence, R. I. and Charles J. Bonaparte,
 of Baltimore. George E. Hamilton of this
 city attorney for the university, also
 was present to confer with the board
 concerning the Waggerman case.
 The Waggeman case was the principal
 matter considered, but It was not de. cided to give a statement to the public
 at this time. The statement issued giv- ing an interview with the Marquise Des Monsters was taken up, but not as a part of the business of the board. Most of the members are acquaintances of the
 marquise and the discussion was wholly of a personal nature. One of the mem- | bers said the board is 10th to give consid- | eration to the case now, and is partlcu- | larly opposel to having any member | quoted in regard to the case. "It is not understood by us," he said, "and until a | formal communication comes we shouo | not like to talk about it. The entire mat.
 
 those of us who were familiar with the | marquises physical condition. But please | do not misunderstood me in that regard we do not mean to imply that she was in any way incapacitated to think ant | act for herself. She is her own mistress Knowing nothing of what prompted hel | to take the course she did, we must wal until it is made clear"
 The building in which the board 1. | meeting is that built with the orilgna | contribution from Miss Caldwell Two sessions were held, one in tn, | morning and the other in the afternoon | the latter extending well into the eve ming. The Marquise Des Monsters Me rinville, after the Waggaman failure ! continued to occupy the attention of thu | directors; In the latter case, the discus | sion relating to the effect of the failur, | on the university and the means to b, | taken to protect SO far as possible tn institution's interest in the bankruptc. proceedings
 | Of the Marquise Des Monsters Me rinville, the dignitaries of the churcl | when seen tonight at the university | cared to say little if anything Cardina | Gibbons asked to be excused from sayinj | anything but Archbishop Ryan auth | orized the statement that no reply o Rome had been yet received to the cable | gram of Monsgnor O'Connell, the recto | of the university, asking for informatio on the subject. The archbishop put lit | tie credence in a published statemen | that because of the pro government feel | ing of the Marquies's husband in tn
 matter of expulsion of religious order ! from France he had induced her to re
 nounce the Catholic faith.