From the Richmond Times, 4/29/1893, p. 4, c. 5

AN OFFER FROM CHICAGO.
A Syndicate Tries to Purchase the White House of the Confederacy.

The ladies of the Confederate Museum were not a little indignant last night over a letter received yesterday by Mrs. J. Taylor Ellyson from N. F. Notlaw, of Chicago, offering to buy the Jefferson Davis mansion for removal to Chicago. The letter is dated from the Great Northern Hotel, Chicago, and is as follows:

“We understand the ladies of Virginia have undertaken to transform the Jeff. Davis mansion into a museum. Should you wish to dispose of this property our company will arrange to build you a suitable house on the present site of the Jeff. Davis mansion, and we will pay you the assessed value of the property, removing nothing except what the mansion is composed of, and will also make a suitable donation to assist in starting this Southern museum. Should be very glad to hear from you, or please advise and we will have parties call on you in regard to this matter.”

Mrs. Ellyson will reply, declining to consider such a proposition, and doubtless if she and the balance of the ladies who have worked so faithfully and nobly for this cause during the last month could give expression to the indignation and outrage they feel at the suggestion the Chicago grand relic hunter would think the seven vials of wrath had burst on his head in one grand deluge.

The removal of Libby prison to the Windy City was a vitiation of sentiment that our people have never ceased to resent, but the distaste to that removal would be as a trifle as compared with the serious consideration of the sale of the sacred homes of Davis or Lee.

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