The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-26
)NFEDERATE BATTLE ABBEY
IS History, Present Status aid
Prospects.

cent? been obtrudel unon the public,
, and although the report Of the board
I Of trustees to the recent Confederate
Veteran Reunion gave pretty fully
IS history present status. and pros
2oeSS. as that report was published
~ the mass Of reunion matter. and
was pEobabIy not read by many. It
may Aefwell now to give condensed
statement Of our affairs.
The origin of ne enterprise was
as follows: Mr.. Charles Broadway
RoUss. Of New York. who served as
a gallant private Confederate soldier,
not long after the var landed in New
York with only 80 cents in his pock-
ct. and by hard work, and sound judg-
ment. became millionaire. He made
numerous gifts to various Confeder-
ate and other Southern enterprises,
and finally offered the =. C. Y. to
donate 100000 for a memorial hall
that should contain a great library
Of American history, statues. pro-
traits. and other memorials. provided
they should raise a like amount.
A board Of trustees was organized,
a charter obtained. and the enterprise
VIGOROUSLY and successfully pushed
with every prospect Of success. Mr..
Rouss had paid 100000 Of his sub
scription, and would, no doubt. have
paid the balance. but his death oc-
cured. and Mr.. Underwood. the for
~~trer secretary and superintendent,
brought suit against the association
for alleged commissions due him
claiming that he was entitled to 25
per cent commission on the Rouss
donation, which was made before Mr..
Underwood had any connection with
the association. He got an injune-
ton against Mr.. Peter Rouss, son,
heir, and executor Of the estate, for
bidding him to pay any part Of the
forty thousand dollars ($40,000)
balance of the Rouss subscription.
After waiting long time on 'Ethe
laws delays' the case was tried be-
fore a Brooklyn Judge, and Brook
lyn jury. and a verdict for some $16,-
600 given Underwood. Our counsel
took appeal and after considerable
delay the Appellate Court reversed
the lower court, and decided every
point in our favor. Six months fur
ther delay was had by the pretence
of the other side that they would
p take the case to the Supreme Court
, of the United States, but finally the
) case was thrown out Of court, the
costs put upon the other side, and
the injunction against the Rouss es-
tate dissolved. As soon as this was
done Mr.. Peter Rouss wrote that he
would pay balance due from the es-
tate so soon as we gave him proof
that we had cash in hand to meet the
considerations of his fathers gift.
Accordingly We collected sn'''~
scriptions we had and sent him the
certificate Of our bank that We had
the money to our credit. Mr.. Peter
Rouss very promptly paid the S4O,-
900 balance due on his fathers sub
scription, so that our efficient treasur-
er, Judge Geo. L. Christian, was able
to report that he had to his credit in
bank two hundred thousand, one: hum
dred and thirty-three dollars and
eighty-fve cents ($200,133.S5.)
It ought to be said that our coun-
sci. Gordon Battle ana Snowden Mar
shall. sons Of gallant Confederate SOL
diers. of New York. managed our
case with great ability, and zeal, and
that they showed the great liberality
of declining to receive from us one
dollar Of fee for their invaluable SER
vices.
The recent Convention of United
Confederate Veterans passed strong
resolutions Of thanks to Battle and
Marshall for :..,eir appreciated ser
vices and great iberality.
1t ought also to be added that Mr..
Peter Rouss has shown the most COM
mendable promptness in carrying out
the princely liberality Of his father.
At its recent meeting the board of
trustees directed the executive COM
roittee to proceed at once to select d
site, procure suitable plans, and push
as rapidly as possible the erection OF
tae memorial building. This the COM
m;ttee are proceeding to do. and the
day is not distant when the hopes OF
Years will be realized. having on some
suitable site in Richmond-the old