Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-03


Long Breath aud Fell Back Dead.
Philadelphia, Pa, Feb. 81. William
nj. Sipgerly, proprietor of the PhilR-
dnlphia Record and president OF tho
Chestnut Street National Bank anti
Chestnut Street Fund, lied suddenly
at bis home in this city to day.
The direct cause Of Mr.. Singerly'g
death was worry over financial aliairs
On December 2id last. the banks OF
which Mr.. Singerly was president
failed, although il was popularly sup
posed that Mr.. Singery was many
times millionaire. lie had large 10.
terests in number of commercial
manufacturios, and owned a pulp mill,
which manufactured the paper used by
the Record.
At the time Of the failure many bust
ness and financial men offered their
assistance to Mr., SinRerly, but ths
affairs OF the two institutions were in
such shape that it was thought al
visablo to appoint receivers. Mr..
Singerly offered to give up oil his
personal property and the profits from
the Record. which during the past nix
years have amounted TO $500, 600 yeir,
toward tbs paying of claima againBtthe
banks.
Since his failure Mr.. SIngcrly, has
worried much, and HE health began to
give way. On "Wednesday last no was
at bis office, but WAS abls foreman
only half an hour, when he was taken
home. This was the last tine hs left
his house.
Yesterday be was feeling better and
wrote for his brother George to call to-
,la -. tIr H., atano
DIR. Bernardy, the family physician,
called to see Mr.. Sinperly about 10
O'Clock this morning, and found HIM
feeling very muuh better than during
the past few days.
After be left Jamss McCartnoy, his
son 10 law aud tres,urer of the Record,
talked with Mr. bingerly on business
matters for an hour. MIR. Singerly
said he intended to 60 to his office to-
morrow.
About O'Clock be was talking with
his grani daughter. Miss Mabel
Singerly Meiditb. when he suddenly
put his hand over bis heart, drew long
breath and fell back dead.
For Yeas MIR. Singerly has suffered
from weakness of the heart. DR.. Bar
nardy warned him five years ago he
might die suddenly. lie has frequently
complained Of pains in the region OF
bis heart.
william Miskey Siugerly was born in
Philadelphia December 9th, 1899. lie
vas the son of Joseph Singerly, a
wealthy business man and pioneer in
street railway construction and opera
tion there. After his graduation from
the High School at the age OF IS Mr..
Singerly secured position as book
keeper in produce commission house.
lie saved money and specialized in pro
duce on hiH own account, In 1860 he
went into BUSINESS for himself iu
Chicago, but soon returned TO FhilR-
delphia, where be was later called upon
to take charge of his fathers street
railroad interests.
At that time Mr.. Singerly himsolf
WINS accounted millionaire. In 1878
be inherited his fathers railway inter-
ests, valued at 1,500, 600. In the pre-
vious year he had secured control of
the Record. Radical changes in the
policy of the paper made 1T success
and gave it great influence.
tie invested heavily in real estate and
built more than 1000 houses in Phila-
dslphia. In addition to his other bus
mess interests. Mr.. Singerly devoted
much of his time to farming and stock
at hia large farm at Gwynedd, ia Mont
gomery county, were famous for years,
and no also owned the Elkton Stock
Farm. near Elkton, Cecil county, Md.
At Elkton he also possessed ons of tht
largest paper and pulp mills in the
United States. from which he supplied
not only paper for his own jnurnRl hui
for many of the government offices il
Washington.
lie was the owner Of the Temple
Theatre in Philadelphia, burned Home
years ago. Two tiremsn lost thsir liver
and Mr.. Singery pensioned the families.
When Gov. PattiHon retired from
office IN 1887 Mr.. SiDgerly took III
active part in establishing the Chest
nut Street Bank, Of which Mr.. Patti
son became the first president. Later
wnen fattison again became Governor
MI. Singerly succeeded him as head o
the bank. He was also president o
tho Chestnut Street Trust and Saving
Fund Co. and was Interested in man,
other enterprises.
Mr.. Singerly always took an arden
interest in politics. hut never hed
public salarIel Office. lie was for Ii
years commissioner of Paramount Park
in Philadelphia, non -salaried office
and devoted much time to the deyeiop
ment OF that great pleasure ground. Il
the PRESIDENTIAL campaigns of 1884
1888 and 1892 Mr. Singerly was espe
Cially active in supporting Grove
Cleveland. In 1894 he was unauimous
selected as Democratic candidate 70
Governor, and although it was for
lorp hope made an energetic canvass
speaking in nearly every county in th
state.
Though a lifel long Democrat, Mr.
Singerly did not hesitate to repudiat
the Chicago platform in 1896, and cav
his support to Palmer and Buckner
making speeches in their interest j
Pennsylvania, Delaware and Mary lnnd