, 1884-09-13
WILBUR F. STOREY.
a Sketch OF the Noted Ishmaelite Of
Independent journalism
: Confirmed Invalid aud menta
Ureck-rroubIc Concerning ssTho
Times" Property-The oynIe's
Journalistic Career.


Chicago Cor. N. Y. Tribunal
II b now somo weeks since publicity was
given to an application by the natural heirs
OF Wilbur F. Storey, the aged proprietor OF
Ths Chicago Times, for the appointment OF
a co.IS5rvator 70 manage his estate, in con
soquene0 OF his inability. from physical and
mental disorders, to attend any longer to his
own sraiTs. Everybody appears to agree
hat Tor fully twelve months Storey, now
near -, and a confirmed invalid for six or
seye4I yean, has been unfit to assume any
kind ~ responsibility. There are three
parties Interested, ono represented by the
journalists Lrother. sister, nephew and
nie.e; another by his third wife, Eureka
G. Storey; and still another party by Austin
L Patterson, publisher, and Charles R Den
mott managing editor OF The Tunes. Such
At least was the division OF the parties n few
days agn. II may have changed since
Tn result, from present Indications, will
Ia the the defeat Of Mrs Storeyis Ambitions
plans and the continuation OF The Times
under the existing management, with q
partition Of the estate between the vito u
tbs fanguineous heirs. IL seems that when
the proprietor married, some eight years ago.
his thir1 ,Vife-a widow. not more than half
his age-lis bound himself by a loyal paper
q leave her a large sum Of money at his
death. the sum 70 BE- determined by the
amount Of property he might then posssss.
Stdrey's estate is estimated TO be worth,
exclusive Of debt, about 81, 900 900.
ItStorey had had children, the most of this
trouble would lave been avoided. He was
divcrred from, tue first wife, and his second
died under circumstances that caused a
great scandal. owing b the reiterated and
vehement declaration by the journalist that
he had been killed by tho ignorance and
malpractice OF her attendant physician, who
stood at the head OF his profession. Day
hftsr day Tho Times attacked him
savagely threatened 10 drive him out Of
town. Finally. the physician published a
card, n plain statement of facts he called 1t,
which It was thought would impel Storey,
always violent and reckless, to seek tho ply
sician's life. But ho never did 50, to the
amazement Of the entire community, which
had always regarded him a. a man capable,
under provocation, of desperate things.
He has been. during the quarter Of a
century that he has conducted The Times,
which ha bought from tho late Cyrus Nc
Cormick, a constitutional Ishmaelite. and at
tho same time an able, fearless, absolutely
independent journalist. While be has been
instruments in vitiating the western press TO
an extent, he has rendered 1t enterprAing
uDu MS paper uA1 not Teen cleIu.
Il has ever been sensational in the extreme,
printing whatever 1t could find, regardless Of
impurity, with the assumption that the pub
lie demand news. 1t has been famous, IA
its example has been very pornicious, for
writing up" things, as 1t is profe i~sionaliy
termed; and thi5 process has often run into
indecency and llcentiousness
Storey has always defed public and pri-
vate opinion in his calling and Individually,
and has ostensibly gloried in his defanee.
Still, he has not been accused OF any personal
dishonesty or professional corruption. His
journalists faults have been mainly those of
a veritable cynic, who believes the worst o.
his Kind, and delights In exposing it The
very few men who nave been intimate with
him-his nature and behavior have always
been such as TO repel friendship-bear wit
ness to many generous qualities waich he has
taken rains to conceal Merely as a news
paper, Tho Times has been one OF the first,
and has been prodigal in expenditure. It has
been decidedly prosperous, clearing on an
average, it Is said, from s75,00O to esO, 200
annually, although whom Storey purchased
1t 1t was. and had long been, losing money.
Born in Vermont, he became a printer-a
very fast and accurate one, 1t is said-and Ia
his early years went to New York, where he
WORKED ~ tue ctet On Inc JOuTQHl OF Com
merce. After various experiences, Inclina-
ton led him 10 Detroit, and In duo time be
opened a drug store, and thrivcd at the
trade. Having published and edited two or
three rural papers in western New York and
northern Ohio with something like city
features, they had proved unremuneratvs,
but had convinced him Of his Journalistic
talent So, having made s40,0 0 or $4,000
as an apotheeary. hearing that a controlling
interest could be had In The Eric Free
Press, ho sold out his shop, bought an
interest in the paper, after receiving some
financial aid, and made 1t one Of the very
best dailles in the whole west At the same
time, he introduced many Of the objection
able features which he carried into The
Times and which might be styled Storey.
isms. When he went TO Detroit, be had be-
liesed that it might be the commercial focus
OF the northwest, but he had not long pub
lished The Free Press before he saw that Il
was to be this city, and hither he cast hi,
keen journalistic eye, soon discovering whai
he wanted in Tn Times.
Until he had lost his health-hs has never
been well since he had & stroke Of p~aralysi,
in Paris seven years ago-hs was a strikin.
and distinguished looking man. His feature
were clearly and finely cut. his eyee express
AN0f ha AkaA0 A8A LII AAnASlANdl VIII
broad shoulders, and his carriage erect unC
elastic. His abundant hair. prematurely
gray, and his full whiskers added to his up
psarancs ard distinction. His dress wa
very neat, and OF tho latest and incest cut
50 that he looked like a high-bred mar OF th,
world, instead Of the misanthrope that l.,
chJss 10 be. His manners were excellent, unt
hls ways winning aud courtly when h,
wished 70 be agreeable, which was seldom
He was always exceedingly polite 10 women
10 whose company be was almost a stranger
He has been one OF the best known and mos
dlsliked OF Chicagoans-hardly any proml
nent men here but he has ridiculed or abuset
though his worst enemy would feel lenisul
toward him, II be could see how tha note.
and notorious journalist, once 20 strong. la,
sunk into pitiful imbeciity. One OF bis hall
dozen friends said recently, Storey is n,
longer capable Of resentmentn That tell
tbe whole of tie sad story. It is equivalent
10 saying that all that once marked tho abb,
and eccentric man Is forever extinet