The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-25
UNHAPPY KATE CHASE.
yusFORTUNEs RECENTLY CROWD
ED UPON A FAMOUS WOMAN.

sLiIIfuI Diplomat in Financial Dis
tress-VaIuabIe Pictures and Rare
Hric-a-Brac TO he Sacrificed Under
the Hammer.
From the Chicago Herald.
washington. July 12.-There is q sad
story behind the announcement telegraph
ei from Washington last night that the
furniture Of Mrs. Catherine Chase, daugh-
rsr Of the late chief justice and wife Of the
late Senator sprague of Rhode Island,
had been seized for debt and was about
to be disposed Of at auction.
Her name is really Katharine Chase
sgrague, but she is better known as Mrs.
Kate Chase. The furniture and bric-a-
brac is all valuable. and even in Wash
inston, where antique furniture is hawked
about like the paraphernalia of lodging
houses, it is expected to bring $1,000 or
5000 There are about 100 pieces. from
rarI0r, library and chamber sets. There
are some valuable pieces Of decorative
china and many valuable French plate
mirrors Of immense size. There is also a
library of several thousand volumes. All
but the mirrors is stored at a furniture
auction house on f street. awaiting the
final order Of the trustees. The mirrors
are at Edgewood. the country seat, a
place of forty acres just beyond Ecking-
ton. left her by her father. This place
was mortgaged and mortgaged again.
Kate Chase was a poor manager. She
had blind faith in the future of her prop
erty and that Edgewood would some day
make her rich again. 1t would have
brought a comfortable sum three years
ago, during the boom, but Kate Chase
waited for the boom to get bigger, and it
did not. This woman. who was so long
the acknowledged queen of society. has
two living daughters. One, Ethel, was
carefully educated for the stage, but has
not yet made her mark before the foot
lights. The children are Spragues, dark
eyed, shy. and morbid. All in all, the
misfortunes Of Kate Chase make a sad
story.
Mrs. Chase was in many respects one OF
the most remarkable women ever known
to Washington society. In the days of
her prime there was no disputing her
leadership. She was actually the queen
Of society She could make or unmake
social aspirants with an invitation or a
snub Many stories are told of the pc
culiar power which she at one time WELD
ed here Her drawing rooms came nearer
realizing the dream of a salon after the
Nine. de Stael model than anything that
has been seen here since. Public men and
aspiring politicians Wed with one another
for her favor. 1t was often predicted be-
fore the downfall of Cow Sprague that the
arts and fascinations, Of his wife would
make him president IL he lived. Gov.
Sprague is now a recIuses Of morose tenn
permanent. and strange methods of life in
Rhode Island Through, all her troubles
MTre "a 1yap
pearances. She must be q good deal of
philosopher for she has laughed at her
own misfortunes and worn a bright and
wlnsome smile through all the dark days.
She is without bitterness notwithstand-
ing her great disappointments. Some time
ago the writer had a somewhat extended
conversation with her, and found her
ready to talk of her affairs with engage
ing frankness and something of her old
vivacity and fascination. If there was
any bitterness in her talk of the events of
the past 1t was because Gov. Sprague had
made no provision for the support and ed
ucation of their children. Her only son,
who resembled the Spragues and not the
Chases, committed suicide some years ago
at Seattle. 1t is remarkable that the
union of two such distinguished families
as the Spragues and Chases should have
led to much misery. Nothing but i'll luck
has followed either of the families since
the separation of Gov Sprague from his
wife Though Kate Chase married the
richest young man in public life, the man
who was thought to be the greatest
'catch," and have the brightest future,
she has been living for a quarter of
century upon the property left her by her
father, receiveing not a single cent from
the estates of her husband, once reckoned
at millions.
Roscoe Conkling, whose attentions
brought her so much unhappiness, Mrs.
Chase speaks of to this day with re-
spect and admiration. She talks frankly
of the episode of Canonchet, which at
tracted so much attention years ago, and
ascrbes all the unpleasantness of that
affair to her husbands ungOvernable tenn
per and cruel suspicious; which were never
justitiable nor reasonable. NotWithstan
ing her respect for Mr.. Conkling, it is
well known that to her intimates Mrs.
Chase, as she is generally called, though
her legal name is Sprague, expresses the
opinion that Mr.. Conkling was more anX-
ious to save his own reputation than
10 preserve hers from tarnish. She does
this, however, without any bitterness, and
more in the way Of passing comment than
as a reDroach.
Mrs. Chase still has a few powerful
friends, and the wonder is that these have
permitted her to be driven to the wall.
Among these friends is Gov. Morton or
New York. who has often helped her dur
ing the last ten or fifteen years. The
friendship between them had its origin in
rather romantic manner. While Mr..
Morton was American minister at Paris
It became necessary for him to secure in
formation of a delicate but important
nature. The case was such that it was
impossible for him or his secretary to
move in the matter and, mentioning his
dithculty one day to a prominent Ameri-
can then visiting in Paris, that gentleman
replied: why don't you ask Kate Chase
10 help you? She is now in Paris, and II
any one in the world can get what you
want she is the woman?"
Mr.. Morton asked Mrs. Chase to dinner
ana preached the subject. Though assured
that the task was one of Importance to
the United States and one which, If ac-
complished, would earn the gratitude OF
all Americans, Mrs. Chase smilingly de-
clned to undertake it. At the same time
Sne asked a great many questions con-
cfrnng the matter and displayed so much
curiosity that Gov. Morton thought she
was about to accede to his request She
ana not do so, however, and for some days
the minister was at a loss to know how
10 proceed. Suddenly there was placed in
nd To- r..4I vR1fn . no nv