The daily critic., 1890-10-09
WILLIE" SPRAGUE
THEBRIuANT FUTURE THAT OPENED
TO HIM YEARS AGO.
Hts UnusuaI Talents That Wight Have
Made Him Fame and rortunc-t
story Ltke Gruesome
Greer Tragedy.

William spropue, ir, the grandson
of The late Chief Justice Sprague, an
account of whose suicide at Seattle was
published IN THE CRTrc yesterday,
was well known 10 this city.
The boy was familorly called 'Wil
lie" Spwcue by nearly everybody IN
this country 8 years ago, when as the
first child Of Governor William
Spague Of Rhode Island aud his
wife, Katherine Chase daughter
Of tie Chief Justice of The United
States, he was supposed to be the
heir to one Of the largest fortunes in
tie United States The newspapers
spoke of him as the Prince Of the
House Of Sprague. This firm was the
largest manufacturer Of cotton In the
United States. Governor William
Sprague had built the handsomest
country house then on this side Of the
Atlantic. The building and grounds
were popularity supposed TO have cost
$500 coo, and the decoration and fur
nishing perhaps as much more. The
young Governor was then one Of the
most popular men in the United States
lie had equipped as Governor AMI led
to Washington at the outbreak Of the
war three or four regiments Of vOlun.
teers. He was elected United States
Senator, and his marriage TO the daugh-
ter of the then Secretary Of the Treas
ury was the most notable social event
in twenty years. Miss Chase. because
Of certain limitations in Mrs. Bincoln's
character and the invalidlsm Of Secre-
taty Stewards wife, led all the social
hospitalities Of the Administration
The consequences Of this unhappy
marriage are familiar to all newspaper
readers. Governor Sprague became
frightfully dissipated, and his wife Sc
cured a divorce from him some ten years
ago on the grounds Of great brutality,
drunkenness and other offenses. She
was given an absolute divorce, with
the right to assume her maiden name
and with the custody of her three
younger children--all girls. The
elder child, Willie, then a boy Of IL or
10. elected 10 remain with his father,
many Of whose characteristics he had
inherited. lie grew to mans estate
neglected, unkempt and uueducated.
His mother made frequent efforts 20
induce him TO Join her and his sisters
abroad where she had taken them to
be educated, but vainly.
This effort was repeated when she re.
turned to America 10 occupy the his.
toriC home Of her father. Eduewood. in
the outskirts Of this city Governor
Sprauue only ten months after the di.
vorCe had married a Mrs Dora Inez
Calvert, the divorced wife Of an O iio
commercial traveller. She had twp SIS.
tets, Avis and another, who attracted
attention few weeks ago by an plbpe.
meut from Cauouchet Avis was
brought by her sister 10 Cauonchet i'm
mediately after the marriage.
A Mr.. Gerritt A. Wheaton Of Clcve
land soon became another member Of
the household. When 10 or 20 Willie
Sprague married the girl Avis, and thus
became his fathers brother.in.law.
The stories told Of the circumstances
preceding and following the marriage
would read like the details Of grue-
some Greek tragedy.
Willie Sprague soon escaped from the
environment In which he had found
himself. He found employment as a
fireman on an engine on the Long
Island Railroad. There he was discov-
cred by a friend Of his father. and EN-
ployment was secured for him In the
art Department. of the NY. World. In this
position he developed remarkable In
yentive ability, showing that II his tai
ents had been properly directed he
might have made great name aud fame
for himself.
His mother In the meanwhile had re-
turned from Europe and met her son In
New York. Repentant for all the past,
he returned with her TO the Washington
home, and remained with the reunited
family until year or so ago; but his
wandering habits were too strong for
him, and within a lew months he es-
sayed to find employment again for
himself In newspaper offices, going first
10 PittsbuTg, then to Chicago, and
finally to the Pacific town where he
met his death He had secured a
divorce from HIS wife shortly after his
flight from Canonehet, and she speedily
married Mr.. Wheaton.
OF the brilliant and beautiful Mrs
Spragus's other children. the second
eldest, Ethel, developed very unusual
dramatic ability, and after a course In
the theatrical schools In New York she
was recently given a position ia Mr..
| Richard Mansheld's company, which
she still holds. Mrs. Chase Is with the
other children at Edgewood, the cOun,
fry hanu