Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-03-23
THE sPRAGUE CASE.
Wealth and AmbitiOn-The Blasted
Life of Kate Chase.

Twenty years ago VIM. Sprague was
one of the most conspicuous and re-
spected men of the Nation. He was
young; immensely rich; had won the
Governorship of his Republican State,
as the Democratic candidate, against the
sweeping Republican tide of 1860; had
pronounced for the Government against
armed treason with emphasis and led the
troops of his State to the field; was re-
elected Governor without a serious con-
test in 1861; was transferred to the Uni
ted States Senate amidst the applaudits
of the loyal North, and the future SEEM
ed to possess boundless political possi-
bilities for the fragile looking little mil
lionaire soldier and statesman of Rhode
Island. g,sgui'J ~ -.
The first Republican National admin
istration had for one OF its chief Cabinet
Ministers Salmon P. Chase, of Ohio. He
was man of established national fame;
had served term in the Senate as ore
of the pioneer anti-slavery statesmen;
had been twice elected Governor of his
Stale; had been reelected to the Senate,
and resigned his full Senatorial ten IN to
become Secretary of the Treasury when
that department demanded the highest
and brOadest craftsmanship. In addition
to bis distinction as a statesman, his
individual purity of character shed the
richest lustre upon the Government of
which he was one of the central figures.
With Mr.. Chase came his daughter to
preside at the home of the eminent FL
nance Minister. She was just blooming
into womanhOOd, and in mind and form
completed the circle of the graces. She
was beautiful, elegant, il. .tellectual, skill
full and ambitious. She had not escaped
the malignity of scandal that magnifes
indiscretions into crimes, but she was
accepted as the reigning Queen of Wash
ington's beautiful and attractive women.
The young New England Senator and
the young beauty of the West met when
both were in the zenith of their suprem-
acy. What affection lacked to mate
them, ambition and the general fitness
of their union supplied. and their we'd
ding is recalled as one of the memorable
events in the, social history of the Ma
tional Capital.
Less than half a score of years after
William Sprague and Kate Chase had
commanded the homage of all and the
envy of many, they had divided house
hold; scandal with thousand tongues
was busy with the lives of both, dissipa-
tion had stamped its baleful impress on
the husband until reason tottered on its
throne, and social dissipation had paled
the cheek and dimmed the lustre of the
eye of the Queen of Washington society.
Riches took wings and fled amidst the
shadows which darkened the once bril-
liantshome. and the end was multiplied
scandals and crimiRation and re-crimin-
alton in legal proceedings for divorce.
The final consummation was reached in
the Providence court on Monday, when
Judge Durfee called the case of skate
Chase Sprague VS.. William Sprague,"
and proposed to proceed to trial. Then
it was that both sides recoiled from their
own lives. and it was amicably agreed
that the divorce should be declared for
desertion; that the daughters should re-
main with the mother and the son with
the father, and that the question of ali
mony should be subject of future con-
Sideration.
Wealth, ambition, culture and prom
Use never gave better assurance of hap
piness, usefulness and honor than in the
union of William Sprague and Kate
Chase; and in all the many social wrecks
which have startled the present genera
tion none has been more hopeless.