The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-09
HIS FATHERS son.
The Miserable End d Young
Sprague's Life.



m roshorss Career
To botay d WIliam Gprague. r.. lies q
he uudeftskerf rooms TO which they
vera removed from the house on Fifth and
Jane. where he Vas yesterday found
dead. NOBODY seems 10 have seen him
sfuce n entered his room on Monday
nieht about o'clock, unit. his body Was
fonnd an Tuesday. a. already related.
Whsfevor was the immediate motive Of the
suicide cannot BE- known. His letters give
NO indication. but IL Is not difficult to ind
! cauee Ia the circumstances Of his whole
TIE.
IAsu fhsn three weeks ago SpFague
arrived IN IL city to work on morning
papef . : photo-engraver. He took .
room & tie corner Of Fifth and James
streets. scomfortsbie place for young man
az ulodast means. bat very unlike the man-
sion 81 his babyhood. He worked for
about ten days, but associated very little
with hts colleagues IN the ONCE After ten
davss steady employment he left the Office
last Thursday and since then il seems evil
dent be had been drinking heavily. On
sunday afternoon be was seen, locking
very paIc. and with his wrist bound up. A
search Of his room makes Il evident that he
had tried to sever on artery on Saturday
night. bat although bleeding freely he was
unsuccessful IN his object.
On Tuesday . companion who had
missed him called ct his house. and forcing
the door Of bis room found young Spraeue
wing on the he'd dead. He was in his
night clothes, and around his head was
white garment, beneath which, and across
the mouth and nostrils. was bandage sat
urated in chloroform. So determined was
the victim that he must have died Of suf-
location even il the chlorofo.m had not
done It's work.
Unfinished letters we're found addressed
70 his father and sister. In that to his
father. which Is very long. he SAYS: II
cannot tell how long for love and affec-
ton that / have never experienced. and
canrot describe vet long for.
The death Of willie" Spraeue. the
spoiled. petted darling of Canonchet's
glorious DAYS. by his own hand. adds .
Iphastiv chapter to story OF passion and
MISERY unsurpassed in fiction. 1t is not easy
| 10 cohesive the fiery lad. brought up almost
1 Is m outlaw. toi,lug IN humble occupa-
tons at 81 I week.
He was found dead in q cheap iod ging-
house the half-empty chioroform bottle
and wrappers around his mouth showing a
determination to end his worthless life. II
began brilliantly. the end was pitiful in lis
misery.
His grandfather was Salmon p. Chase.
the great secretary OF the treasury in Lin
coins administration. whose financial
genius conceived and made successful the
negotiations for money which was needed
so profuseiv during the war. At
the completion Of his work he ac-
ceDted the dignified position of
Judge Of the supreme court OF the United
States. County IS his presence was, it
suffered eclipse in the regal spiendor Of his
daughter. the superb Kate Chase. She
stands out from among all the celebrated
women Of American history as Venus
outshines the stars. She was born to rule,
and every man brought into association
With her submitted to her imperial WITCH
cry.
She was besieged with offers OF marriage,
but Miss Chase knew that the luxury and
power she fed upon needed great wealth,
and she selected the strong-nerved mil
li0ilaire war governor OF Rhode Island,
William Sprague, who had then become
United Etates senator. The wedding was
. magnificent festival. Presents were Law
ishly bestowed from all parts OF the coun-
try and no brighter future could be con-
ceived for any married pair
The story has since been told in whisp-
ers that Justice Chase and his daughter
had sorrowful interview the day before
the wedding; for the father had grave mis-
givings that mis- high-strung Kate was
no lit match for the coarse-grained, coarser
nouthed roystercr. whose virility had
given him position and wealth. But the
girls ambition was her absorbing passion.
1t was later made manifest that she was
not heartless, as her enemies said but il is
certain that love had little share in her
choice of husband
Mrs. Kate Sprague was envied. She was
mistress OF beautiful (Ianonchet her com.
mand OF money was apparently unlimited
las it afterward proved, she was spending
millions. not living upon the interest OF
them. She knew nothing of moneys value:
her husband cared nothing for it. He had
made it easily and came to the belief that
he held the magic wand which caused the
waters of wealth to flow.
Little Willie was born; his cradle was as
gorgeous as fathers pride and riches
could make it. No prince could have had
greater attention, and the first few wears of
his life were dream of lavish indulgence.
The birth of sister and later nj .no,b.r
found change in The household. Gov.
ernor Sprague's wealth was disappearing
ho had sakap m .tr,pH;,. ~