Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-31
William B. ISEddle-Incfdents i'm His
 Career.

SdEeeTs
 William B. Riddle came to this country in 1854, being sent here by Newton and Taylor, @ London firm, with machinery valued at $60, 900 for the Willimantic Linen Company
 The machinery was put up under his direction and he was about to return to London when he was invited by the company to remain and take charge of the mechanical department of their works. He accepted the offer and re- mained with them until 1860, having mean while induced the company to begin the man. ufacture of thread. Out of his suggestion and efforts was evolved the Willimantic Thread Company, the largest in the world. In 1860 he removed to Norwich and be- gan the manufacture of fish lines. His trade was altogether with the South, and the breaking out of the war destroyed it utterly. He then gave his attention to the manufacture of firearms, continuing therein nntil the close of the war which madeth business unprofit- able He abandoned it and for seven months was idle. At the end of that time he saw @ field of profit in the manufacture of linen twine, and began operations upon small capital and in a small way. His business prospered and he gradually enlarged it until it became an important industry of Norwich. At the Centennial exposition he received 8 hint from certain exhibits of thread in the Austrian and French departments which led him to think he could supply the same article, of which the import to this country was enormous, to the home trade at third of the price the trade was then obliged to pay. He perfected machinery for his purpose and in few weeks offered his products to the great wholesale houses of A. T. Stewart and H. B. Claflin & Co.,, in New York, and Field, Letter & Co.,, in Chicago. They admitted the excellence of his goods but doubted if they would sell unless bolstered up by foreign trade mark. He preferred to let his goods stand upon their merit, and as distinctive American goods. For a year he fought foreign competition tooth and nail, but
 finally conquered opposition and established his goods as 8 staple product. Soon after the death of his first wife-to whom he was mar ried at the age of twenty, she being in her eighteenth year-he conceived the idea of transferring his business to New York where, he believed, he could prosecute it with greater profit. He leased portion of factory on the corner of Fifty street and Tenth avenue, and transferred all his ma chinery and stock. The building is seven stories in height and the floors cover an area in the aggregate of g, ,OOO square feet. On the day of his arrest, October Sd, 1879, he was about to finally depart from Norwich to New York. Since his Imprisonment his son, Will liam T. Riddle, has conducted his business. It is understood that it has passed from Rid dles hands and that the son acts as agent for others.
 Riddle was married to his present wife, nee Nellie Driscoll, of Norwich, on the 10th day of September, 1879. She had been employed in his factory two years before her marriage. Williams the engineer, who was repres ented as being able to give very damaging testimony against Riddle, has Indian and African blood in his veins. His wife is a white woman. Riddles first wife died on the 22d of May, 1878.
 Riddle was asked yesterday what he should do upon being discharged. He answered that his first step would be to visit the desecrated grave of his first wife. His future course he had not yet decided upon. At the mention of his wife's name he wept freely.
 The result of the deliberations of the grand jury in this case appears to agree with public sentiment. There is less prejudice against him here than in Norwich, and the disposi- ton of the people towards him seems to be conservative and fair. The grand jury was composed of better material than the average of iuries. Three of it's members have been State Senators, one has been United States Senator, and seven have been members of the Legislature within the last five years. The allegations of Riddles cruel treatment of his wife were unfounded, according to the testi- mony before the jury. Occasional fits of passion, in which his anger did not spend itself on her and which died as quickly as 1t was kindled, were all that could be proved against him in that particular. The mother of Mrs. Riddle testified that since her daugh- ter bore a son, twenty -four years ago. she (the daughter) had not seen ''well day" Mrs. Riddle weighed but ffty-fve pounds at the time of her death. She was worn and wasted with years of sickness.-New London Tele-