The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-28
President Of the Collapsed Phlladel-
phia Bank.
HEAD OF A GREAT PAPER
PROMINENT IN PoLII--- oF THE
KEYSTONE STATE.
Sitting In His Room, Smoking a
Cigar, lie Was Seized With a
Violent Fit of Coughing, and I'm
mediately After Fell Over Dead
Career of a Busy Public Man.

Philadelphia, Feb. 27.-William M.
Singerly died suddenly at his residence,
1701 Locust street, this afternoon. Heart
disease was the immediate cause of
death. Mr.. Singerly had been suffering
for about ten days from cold, and
had remained at home since last We'd
nesday, although his indisposition was
in no way serious.
While sitting in his bedroom smoking
a cigar he was seized with a violent Mt
of coughing, and Immediately AFTER
wards fell over dead. In the room at
the time were Mr.. Singerly's grand
daughter, Miss Mabel Singerly Mere
dith, and two servants. His son-ln-law,
James s. Mccartney, had left a few
moments before the sudden end came,
leaving Mr.. Singerly apparently in good
health, apart from his slight cold.
The physicians say they had frequently
cautioned Mr.. Singerly that his heart
was weak as a result of excessive
smoking, and of late his custom was
TO take dry smoke" Today, how
ever, his cigar was lighted, and it is
thought that the smoke brought on the
coughing spell. the severity of which
ruptured blood vessel of the heart.
Mr. Singerly leaves a daughter, Mrs.
Z. Singerly Balch, who is at present
touring Europe.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
William NJ. Singerly was proprietor of
the Record Publishing company, pres
ident of the Chestnut Street National
bank and the Chestnut Street Savings
Fund & Trust Co, which recently col
lapsed and president of the Singerly
Pulp & Paper Mill Co. He was a mem
Der of the Paramount Park commission.
and until recently the treasurer and
trustee of the Philadelphia Commercial
Museum.
He was born in this city on Dec. q,
1892, and, with the exception of brief
period in his early manhood, when he
conducted a commission business IN
Chicago. has lived here ever since. His
father, Joseph Singerly. was one of the
originators of the street railway system
of Philadelphia, and William returned
here to assume the management of the
Germantown Passenger Railway COM
pany. In 1877 he bought the Record.
then q comparatively feeble journal.
and brought it to its present standard
of excellence.
In 1867. upon the retirement of Gov
ernor Pattison from office, Mr.. Singerly
took an active part in establishing the
Chestnut Street National bank, of
which the ex-governor became the first
president. Upon Mr.. Pattison being
called for a second time to the govern
orship of Pennsylvania, Mr.. Singerly
succeeded him as president of the bank,
and also became president of the Chest
nut Street Trust & Savings Fund COM
pany.
In seeking relaxation from the cares
of business, Mr.. Singerly had for many
years taken keen interest in farming
and stock raising His herds of Hol-
stein cattle at his large farm in Gwy-
nedd, in Montgomery county, were ia
nous for years. and he was also owner
of the Elkton stock farm, near Elkton,
Cecil county.
AN ACTIVE DEMOCRAT.
Mr. Singerly was always an active
Democrat In 1894 he was unanimously
made the Democratic candidate for
governor of Pennsylvania and entered
with great energy into the canvass,
speaking in nearly every county in the
state. In all, he made over 20 speeches
in upholding the cause of Democracy.
The natural Republican majority of
Pennsylvania was too great to be
overcome, however, and his competi-
tor. General Hastings carried off the
prize
During the last national campaign
he supported the Palmer and Buckner
ticket making a number of speeches in
its behalf in Pennsylvania, Delaware
and Maryland and organizing a local
association in the movement. He also
took an active part in forming the
Pennsylvania Bankers association.
FINANCIAL MISFORTUNE.
Financial misfortune overlook Mr.
Singerly during the last few months of
his life, when, on Dec. % last, the
Chestnut Street National bank and the
Trust company were compelled to close
doors MeSc1-c Earle and CoO1<
were made assignees Of the Trust COM
)any and managers of plan looking
10 the liquidation of the affairs of both
institutions. Mr. Singerly promptly
turned over to them every personal
asset he possessed. including his inter
est in the Record. Since then. a receiver
has been appointed for that bank, and
the affairs of il and the Trust COM
pany are in process of settlement.
Brother of Tennyson.
London. Feb. 27.-Frederick Tenny-