Signature by ROUSS, Charles Broadway (1836-1902)

This Virginian served in the Confederate cavalry during the Civil War and lost everything, but in New York survived debtor's prison and other setbacks before becoming a millionaire with his department stores; he so loved Broadway that he changed his middle name from Baltzell to Broadway; in later years he went blind, earning the nickname "The Blind Millionaire." Huge bold signature in brown ink on a 3½" X 3 3/4" slip below a partial "Yrs truly" penned in another hand, n.p., n.y. Near fine. Minor mounting traces on verso. At the bottom of this slip is penned "Charles Broadway Rouss / The blind millionaire" in another hand. An incredibly stylized and bizarre signature which, once deciphered, appears to read "C B Rouss" -- one of the most unusual signatures ever, not to mention quite scarce.