New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18

WILLIAM r. CLARK
seemed to be recovering According to his brother.
Edward Clark, there time IN his sickness
until o'clock yesterday morning when fears were
entertained that he would not recover. When Mr..
Clark frst contracted the cold which caused his
death ne neglected II. Finally he was compelled
to give up business and place himself in the hands
OF physicians. He went TO Lakewood for rest and
treatment, and apparently became much better.
He returned 10 the city about week and went
TO his home. The Improvement however. did not
continue. but he was hopeful. He expected on FRI
day afternoon that he would be out within a week
Friday evening ne became worse. and about 3
o'clock yesterday morning suffered a relapse. DR..
Taylor, who had been in attendance upon Mr..
Clark summoned He went directly &c him.
but could do nothing. NJ. Clark sank rapidly and
died at 6:45 o'clock. Mrs. Clark and her two boys
were with Mr. Clark when he died Edward Clark.
his brother, was summoned, and reached the house
Just few moments before he died AS he entered
the room Mr. Clark looked up and said: Hello,
Ed" Those were the last words he uttered. Mr..
Clark said his brothers death great surprise
TO him He had improved so much that word had
been given out that within a few days he would be
able so his Office. He said ne believed his
brothers heart had become weakened. and when
the relapse came he did not have the vitality to pull
through.
The funeral service will take place at the Church
Of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday next at 1890
a The burial viii be at Calvary. The pail
bearers win be announced to-day.
All day yesterday there was continual flood
of letters and kilograms coming TO the house, and
many OF Mr.. Clarks old friends called Mr. Clark
leaves q widow and two small boys.
William II. Clark OF Billy "a he was affection
ately known to a host OF politicians. Wall Street
operators. turf frequenters and club men.
handsome man. He had genial and kindly way
and always g lavish entertainer. He was usu-
ally engaged in something or other that attracted
public attention. He served two terms as Corpora
~F,g-
lawyer. and credited with being thoroughly IA
uliliar with corporation law and with being
shrewd business man. He liked the excitement Of
speculative enterprises, and whether II the
turf. IN Wall Street or in real estate transactions
he was always regarded as who did things
upon a big scale and took long risks in his under
taldngs. He made great deal OF money out %
shrewd real estate speculatiOns. and later in Wall
Street he carried operations OF magnitude that
made even the hardened speCuators or that district
stare He IS credited with making $50 900 In
DAY in Brooklyn Rapid Transit when that stock was
the upward track
Mr.. Clark always liked the turf and when he
went IN for racing he did L lavishy. He estab-
Hshed an expensive stable, hired Maher as his first
jockey for two years at a salary OF $4,000 and won
the Brooklyn Handicap with his horse Banastar
This race made Banasrar a prime favorite for the
Suburban, but BY some Irregularty the horse was
left at the post. Maher blamed for the huke
Mr.. Clark continued 10 pay Maher his salary. but
refused 70 allow him to ride. The matter
tied later, and Maher released. As fl was. Mr..
Clark and his friends are believed to have come to
a hard financial cropper on this incident. and MI
Clark worried more over the losses 10 his friends
than himself
that According report he badly squeezed
in the recent decline in stocks in Wall Street. He
decided 70 encourage rrotUing races in the East.
and with some friends started the Empire city
s7OO0OO of which Mr. clark personally contributed
$4,000. The venture IS said TO have failed to pay.
Gus stories hoated out from these about his high
During the visit $40 600 OF Il gon In one 8Ibt The
proprietor OF the club where Mr.. Clark played ad-
Another much talked OF incident in Mr. Clarks
career was when , ne won an election bet OF . 90
in honor OF the occasion, which attended BY
MEM Instead OF giving th dinner in his home as
club or hotel he spread II in his stable. It
lavish entertainment. and Is said TO have cost Mr..
Clark more than he won on the bet Il said
Which, was gv1 ia t5 bors .s'T 70 Sr c'
This method OF living at high pressure. the
Clark entered into and troubles Of kind and
another told upon him and when he broke down.
ton that his friends had that something wrong
bsva hen rsgarda,j nv his rrieHTs az -.4bs-
strange. and some Of his specuIations were Won
dered at by his associates. Instead of being the
whole-hearted genial companion OF former times
and appeared 10 have lost interest in everything
at times. Despite this he kept up and the real
collapse came about six weeks ago.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
William Henry Clark was born In Newark y. J
on November . 1850 He received such training
could be secured in the public schools Of Newark
and after his graduation there ne went d
private institution. where he completed his edu-
cation Mr. Clark decided 10 take up law a pro-
fesson. He entered the office Of James NJ Chap
man. OF No. Wall-st Leaving Mr.. Chapman, he
went TO " B0urke Cochran, and Il through
Mr. Cochran that he made his rrst political friends
Mr. Clark was admitted 10 the bar in ls82. and
the following year ne formed partnership with
Mr. Cochran he nrm name being Cochran q
Clark This partnership was continued until Sheriff
Davidson was elected. and then Mr. Clark ap-
pointed the Sheriffs legal adviser. When Hugh J
Grant succeeded Davidson Sheriff he re-
tanned Mr. Clark Mr.. Clark aided in the de-
fence Of Jake sharp and Kerr. both OF whom
were indicted in connection with the Broad
wav street railway bribery case He also de-
Tended Maurice B. Flynn. who was indicted upon "A
charge conspiracy in connection with the De-
partment Of Public Works
When Hugh J Grant was elected Mayor he made
Mr. Clark Corporation Counsel. He filled the Of
flee SO satisfactorily that Mayor GlrOy reappOint-
ed him. When Mr. Clark retired from Office. upon
the election OF Mayor Strong II was supposed that
he had by shrewd speculation and good manage
ment made large fortune He at that time a.
the height of his success. and soon afterward he
went into racing aud Wall Street speculation on a
great scale.
While power In Tammany Han during his ten
ure OF Office MT Clark recently has had little 10
do with politics He always the intimate ass0-
ciate and friend OF the Grant-Giiroy faction, and