Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-22
Owner of Baltimore's Famous Gallery
of Art.
HAD BEEN ILL FOR Two WEEKS
Interested in Nearly Every Important
Enterprise of His City.
GREAT SHOCK TO HIS FRIENDS

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. November 22-Mr. WILL
lam I. Walters. one of the wealthiest and
best known citizens of Baltimore, and
| owner of the finest private art collection in
the world. died this morning at 1890
o'clock at his home, 8 Mt. Vernon place.
The immediate cause of his death was
paralysis OF the stomach, although of re-
cent years Mr.. Walters had suffered great
ly from rheumatic gout.
The news of Mr.. Walters death did not
| become known down town until shortly
before noon, and it created general COM
ment and regret. He was financially in
terested in nearly every important enter
prise In Baltimore, and his demise was a
| severe shock 10 his wide circle of friends.
Although he had been seriously Ill for
two weeks, 1t was thought he would rally.
Mr.. Walters was in his seventy-sixth year
and a widower. His wife died I'm London
in 1862. He left a daughter, the wife of
Mr.. Warren Delano of Orange, N. j., and
one son, Mr.. Henry Walters of the At
lantic Coast Line Company.
Mr.. Walters was one of the most prom
inent railroad and business men in the
United States. He was one OF the promot-
ers OF the Atlantic Coast Line system, and
served as its president up to the time Of
his death. He was the largest Individual
holder Of the stock and bonds of that cor
poration, and personally looked after the
affairs Of the company. No railroad has
done more to develop the south than the
Atlantic Coast Line. and Mr.. Walters had
this fact in mind when he began agitating
continuous lire from the Atlantic coast
states to the gulf states.
He was also interested in the Northern
Central Railroad Company as stock
holder, and served in the board of direc-
tors or that company before Its absorp-
tion by the Pennsylvania. He was instr,I-
COnSOld0-
ton.
Mr.. Walters was also vice president of
the Safe Deposit and Trust Company Of
this city, and one of the largest holders of
its securities He was largely interested
In local bank stocks and was importuned
to serve several of them as director, which
he declined. owing to his other large in
terests. He had been identified with south
ern developments since 1871. Mr. Walters
took an active interest In the organization
Of the Southern Investment Company,
which has done so much to attract capital
to that section. He owned large tracts Of
land in the south, and was interested In
several of the wealthiest enterprises in
Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama
and other southern states
In addition to the wealth of pictures in
Mr.. Walters gallery there are over 1900
pieces of oriental porcelain and ceramics,
many of them marvels of design and color
ing, masterpieces of statuary and a SUI
perb collection of bronzes. Five years OF
his life were spent in Europe. where he
and works of art, and where he secured
the greater part of his rare possessions
His reputation for soundness of judgment
and correctness of taste in matters of art
was national. He was art commissioner
fl ON the United States to the Paris ex-
position in 1867; to the Vienna exposition
In 1873, and again to the Paris exposition
in 1878.
He was one Of the permanent trustees OF
the Corcoran gallery n Washington and
was chairman Of the purchasing commit-
tee of that institution. He was trustee
of the estate left for art purposes by the
sculptor, w. r. Rinehart, who was indebt-
ed largely to Mr.. Walters for his art edu-
cation.
body Institute He adorned the squares
adjacent to the Washington monument
with several bronzes-one of them. a great
lion, a masterpiece Of Baryes, made for
the Tuilleries in 1S41.
Mr.. Walters published various transla-
tions and treaties by eminent authorities
upon matters of art, and I'm this way also
greatly encouraged its popular introduction
into America.
Speaking of his gallery, Mr.. Walters said
recently: THE collection has been made by
me personally; / spent forty years in doing
it. They have been to me very agreeable
years, as they have brought me In contact
with much that is beautiful and ennobllng
and gained for me the friendship OF dis
tinguished artists.
II have visited every international art
exhibition for thirty years, and have done
all in my power In a practical way to pro-
mote the growth of art in this country.
The Replica of Delarache's, "Hemicycle,'
Is perhaps the most Interesting historically
OF the paintings.
Competent judges agree that in The
Duel After the Masquerade" Mr.. Walters
secured Gerome's masterpiece.
Gleyre's Lost Illusions was painted Tor
Mr. Walters by Gieyre himeslf. ard signed
by him -,
There are two pictures by Dagnan Bou-
yeret One of these pictures, The Acci-
dent" was awarded flrst-class medal at
the salol of 1880, and vas purchased from
the salon by Mr.. Walters.
Amor q the other artists represented are
Millet, Meissoner, Delacroix, Diaz, Trayon,
Bidas and others.
There are nearly three hundred pictures
in the gsllery, each one of them, for some
reason worthy of the distinguished COM
pany of its fellows. Then there was the
famous peach-blow vase. for which Mr..
Walters was said to have paid $4,000.
Mr. Walters was avery wealthy man.
1t Is estimated that his estate will be
worth ten millions dollars.