New-York tribune., 1901-12-17
GOVERNOR GREGORY DEAD.
END WAS SUDDEN. THOUGH ILLNESS
WAS LONG-C. D. KIMBALL
HEAD OF STATE
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE IEIsuyE-I

Providence R. L Dec 16-willian Gregory
Governor of Rhode Island since May, 1900. and
also Governo--elect for one year from January
1. 1902. died this afternoon quite suddenly. The
Governor had been Ill for some months. and was
not able TO preside in the Senate at the recent
meeting of the General Assembly. He was
however, apparently on the road to recovery.
ard came to this city from his home in Wick
ford on Friday last On his return home he suf-
fered relapse, but it was not thought that his
condition was serious, and his secretary said
this morning that there was nothing about his
case to cause alarm. He taken suddenly
worse early this morning and alarming synp-
tens developed. His physicians were called in
and everything possible was done for him. but
he continued to sink. and passed away about
3 o'clock.
William Gregory born in Astoria, Long
Island. on August 8. 1S49. He was the son OF
carpet weaver, who moved to Bean Hill. near
Norwich Conn, when William small boy.
From there they moved to Moosup, Conn.
the Rhode Island line At ten years of age the
future Governor went to work in mill. attend
ing evening school in winter. Later the family
removed to Westerly, r. l., and young Gregory
became designer in the mill owned by ex-
Congressman Warren o. Arnold. He
proficient in mill work that at the age of nine
teen he had charge of mill at Auburn R l..
and a few years later became superintendent of
a mill at Waterford, Mass. He later came back
to Rhode Island superintendent Of woollen
mill at North Kingstown. In 1873 he went to
Ansonia. Conn. where he remained for two
years, and then went to. New-York. where he
became general manager and agent for the A. T.
Stewart Company He subsequently returned to
Rhode Island and engaged in the manufacture
of worsted goods at Wexford. in which business
he continued up to his death.
He represented North Kingstown, in which
Wexford is situated. in the General Assembly
from 1894 to 1898; served as Lieutenant Gov
ernor from 1898 to his inauguration as Governor
in May, 1900; he was reelected for the ensuing
year on November s. last, by about 500 plu-
rality L. F. c. Garvin. Democrat; he was
a delegate to the Republican National Conven-
ton in Minneapolis in 1896. when William Nc
Kinley first nominated for President. Gov
ernOr Gregory was president of the Wexford
National Bank and a director in the Union
Trust Company, of this city. He also
prominent in the Episcopal Church While the
Governors illness had been known and COM
mented for many weeks, yet his death was
not anticipated, and, coming so suddenly, 1t was
a great shock to all citizens. of whatever polti-
cal belief. Governor Gregory plain. un-
assuming man. who did not appear before the
people Quite as generally as had his predeces-
sors, but he highly esteemed by all who
knew him. fIe leaves a widow and two chill
dren.
By the death of Governor Gregory, Charles
Dean Kimball, Lieutenant Governor, and who
is also Lieutenant GoVernor-elect becomes Act-
ing Governor until the first Tuesday in Janu-
airy, when by the terms of law which was
passed LAST winter. he will be sworn in as Gov
ernor for the term for which Governor Gregory
was elected.
Governor Kimball has recently developed
strong independent tendencies, and was of
only three persons in the State Senate
who openly opposed the creation OF a police
commission for the city of Providence He is
a man of considerable ability and served as
Speaker of the House of Representatives be-
fore he became Lieutenant Governor He Is
prominent business in Providence.