Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-03
THE LATE Mr.. WHITNEY.

William COlllnS nllhey, WIN uiO"
in New York yesterday afternoon, was
born in Conway, Mass, in lS4l, and
came from stanch democratic stock. His
father was Gen. James S. Whitney, for
half a century democratic leader in
Massachusetts, and collector of the port
of Boston under President Buchanan,
The son graduated from Yale, and then
went to the Harvard Law School. Leav-
ing Cambridge, he made New York his
home and soon gained an honorable place
among the younger members of the bar,
at the same time taking hand in poll
tics. As early as 1871, in company
with Peter B. OIney, Henry Hayemeyer,
Herbert O. Thompson, William A. Pei
ton. Edward l.. Paris, Thomas Cooper
Campbell, William H. Wickham and
Others, Mr.. Whitney established the
Young Mems Democratic Club of New
York. This club from its very founda'
ton took its stand in behalf of honest
government and reform, and aided ma
terialy in rescuing the city from the
clutches Of the Tweed ring. Its mem
bers soon attracted the attention of Mr..
Tilden and Mr.. Whitney and others be-
came famous as his "bOys" Mr.. Whit
ney took an active part in the campaign
which resulted in the election of Mr..
Tilden as governor and William O. Wick
ham as Mayor. Hewas appointed coun-
sci to the corporation in 1878, and as
such he became the barrier between the
city treasury and claims growing out OF
ring frauds which amounted in the ag-
gregate to millions of dollars. In 1876
he attended the St. Louis convention aud
helped to nominate Mr.. Tilden for tho
presidency, and took an important part
in the campaign.
When Grover Cleveland was elected
President of the United States, in 1884,
he chose Mr.. Whitney as Secretary OF
the Navy. Under the previous admins
tration the foundations had been laid and
the money appropriated for building
stronger navy under the direction OF
Secretary Chandler. Mr.. Whitney con-
tinued this work, but his methods f II
time threatened disaster to American
shipbuilders. Contracts had been made
with the shipbuilding firm of John
Roach & Co., for the construction of four
vessels. These vessels were in process
Of building when Secretary Whitney as
sumed Office. He determined at once to
ask for appropriations for a large number
of vessels, and then issued an order
stopping the purchase of all armOr and
steel abroad. Contracts were pending
in March, 1885, for armor and gun steel
purchased in England amounting to
1927, 365. %. The final payments upon
these contracts made subsequent to that
date amounted to about 500, 600, and
no further purchases were made OF armor
or gun steel abroad after March, 1888.
After considerable labor, and after
pursuing policy which Mr.. Roach de-
clared wrecked his business, Secretary
Whitney succeeded in making a contract
with the Bethlehem Iron Company, un-
der which the erection Of plant was
stipulated for the production of armor
and gun steel. In this way he carried
his point. and the end of his term saw
considerable progress made.
When Mr.. Whitney ended his term
as a member of the Cabinet he devoted
much of his time to the turf and to the
stables he owned. There was never a
turfman on either side of the Atlantic
who maintained such large racing
stables. and there was never one who so
thoroughly disregarded cost when he
sought a horse that he fancied. Mr..
Whitney paid $50, 900 for Hamburg,
$40, 600 for imp. Meddler, $50, 900 for
Ballyhoo Bey, $50, 600 for Jean Ber-
and $50, 900 for Kilmarnock, $4,000
for Lissak, $40, 900 for Admiration.
It was estimated that he had over
million of dollars invested in the sport,
maintaining stables and track at Roslyn,
Garreston Place, Sheepshead Bay ;
stables and track at Aiken, :. c., and
breeding establishment, La Belle, near
Lexington, KY.
Much Of Mr.. Whitney, large wealth
! came from his first vile and from mis-
!. interest in the street-car systems Of New
. York, and he did more than any other
|. one m an to solve the problem of rapid
transit in that city. He wa, ne owner
of the New York Morning Telegraph.
\ Mr.. Whitney's first wife was Miss
i Flora PAYNE, a daughter of Senator
1 Henry B. Payne, of Ohio. Their mar
riage occurred in 1871, soon after Mr.
Whitney had begun his career as young
LAWYER in New York. She became
. society leader, and when they went t.
= Washington made her entertainments
's feature of the Cleveland administration
e e Her death, from heart disease, occurre'
February 6, 1898.
i. The Second marriage occurred at Ia
Harbor, September, 1896. The brid
vas the widow of Capt. Arthur Randolph
of the British army, who before he
'' marriage was Miss May, daughter o
Dr. William May, a wellknown physi
q clan of New York and Washington. Sh'
- was related to many Of the leaders o
: New York society, and was woman o
remarkable beauty. Her death occurre'
MAY 6, 1899, as the result of dlsloca
tion of the spine, caused by ridlnni
against an arch while following ID
: hounds at Aiken, S. Q.
OF the children, Miss Pauline Whltne
was married to Almeric Hugh Paget, 9
an old English family, and the olde'
Q son Harrv povna Whitney. was Marie