The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1891-08-01
HENRY WILLARD.

HENRY WILLARD.
Brief Sketch Of His Antecsdents. Cursss
and Character.
Especial Correspondence
NEW York. Dec. $50 many ind &C
contradictory stories have been circu-
lated and printed about Henry Willard
during the panicky condition Of Wall
street that the general public, forming
its opinions as it does from what it hears
and reads in the newspapers. must be
greatly puzzled as to the antecedents
and character of the IMAM. He has been
a prominent. often leading. financier
in Europe and this country for six-
teen years. and more than half that
time has been power il the monetary
market of America and Germany.
He was born in the old cathedral town
of Speyer in 1885, the only son of a civil
judge who afterward became u justice
of the supreme court Of Bavaria. One OF
his two sisters died carly. and the other is
the wife of n general in the German
army who not long since represented
the Bavarian government at the court OF
Berlin. His family is distinguished and
related to some of the most influential
personages in the empire, where he en-.
joys the highest esteem ara favor. He was
carefully educated. having been grad.
uated at the Gymnasium Of his native
city before II. While studying ut the
University of Munich he became so dis
satisfied with the political oppression
(his tendencies had from the first been
democratic) prevailing in Germany a.
that time that he immigrated to the New
World, where some of his more liberia,
kinsmen had preceded him. Eighteen
when he arrived here, and bent on max.
ing place for himself, he assumed the
name OF Villard-his own being Hilgard
lest he should bring discredit on his
family BY non-success. He achieved sue.
cess 10 much earlier than he had antici.
pated that he found the resumption OF
his patronymic extremely inconvenient.
he has, therefore, kept the name of hin
adoption, making no secret of the fact.
familiar to all his friends and most of
his acquaintances.
In the west he showed q strong bias
toward journalism. and speedily master.
ing English became correspondent, one
after another. of the leading newspapers
Of the republic. His service was most
He formed intimacies with
the principal public questions and men
of the day, and exercised potent infiu.
ence privately and publicly. On the
breaking out of the war he Joined the
army and furnished admirable accounts
Of many Of the most memorable occur.
rences OF the strife. and won wide rem.
tation thereby. At 80 he married Miss
Fanny Garrison. sole daughter of Will.
am Lloyd Garrison. the apostle of e,nan.
''pation. and soon after went to Europe,
where at intervals he has since spent
much OF his time. He continued to write
'or the daily and periodical press until
1913. when, IA he WAS living ut Wris.
1aden. he interested himself in Amer.
AN securities. and 80 formed the n,..
luaintance Of many prominent bankers
u Frankfort and Berlin This led to
lis return to the United States ~ their
gent. and to his protection Of their IN.
erests IN certain defaulted bonds. ala,
o MS organization of the Oregon Rail.
way and Navigation company. BY which
e and his intimates made n great deal
t money. and which has paid dividends
rom the start.
BY this time ls'0) he had gained
road fame as IN able and brilliant
nancier. and his completion Of the
'orthefn Pacific road and his admins.
ration OF its affairs gave him national,
nd transatlantic reputation He was
the acme Of his renown and pr~.
erlty when, ut the close of 1883 NJ. lest
ne bulk Of his fortune. estimated n,
''OOO.O0 or $6.OOO.O0O. and resigned
'e presidency of the corporations h.
"a controlled. At this time he was
lgorously attacked by men who mad
anered by the decline of the securities
had managed. But his friends have
ways claimed that he acted in the
lost honorable manner; that he sacr.
ced 100000 trying to protect his
lends. and that he was the heaviest losrr
all by the downward course Of thu.
larket. Broken in health by his lonv
'oors and hard struggle. he went abroad
1tn MS family for rest and regeneration
40 remained two years. The Ger,uan.
'tained complete faith in his abilities
spite OF MS reverses. and evincetl their
teem and admiration for him in every
ny possible. They bought more and
ore largely of the Northern Pacific NJ.
lnt'es. and when he came back IT, New
DIX ne was again. through them, the