New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-30

DEATH OF THE WORkHOUSE BARONEI
The Sir William Macgregor, whose death has just
taken place at Bristol not the famous colonial
governor of that narae but a baronet who some
wears ago attracted a good deal of notorety in
connection with the discovery that he was an IN
mate of the workhouse at West Ham, in the East
End of London AS as this fact became
known and it was likewise revealed that he was
bachelor he was overwhelmed with offers of mar
riage, the fact of his being sufferer from loco
n otor ataxa being regarded as in his favor rather
than otherwise, since 1t virtually assured early
wdowhood and matrimonial freedom 10 any woman
who welded him for the sake of his title. A mat
rimonal agency opened communication with him,
and he was Informed that wealthy American
woman was willing to pay 100000 for the privilege
of marrying titled Englishman, and after con-
siderable negotiation agreement was prepared
bv the LAWYERS in which 1t stipulated that Sir
William was to receive 5000 in cash the we'd
ding day.
The ARA cement however, fell through at the
last moment because the lady in question demand
ed duke. and would accept no one with an in
ferior title AS he had meanwhile rejected the
other offers he as badly off as before
A little later the maiden daughters of the late
Captain CULVER, of the Royal Navy, heard of his
plight and the younger of Them ambitious to snare
his title arranged for a marriage with him. put
changed her mind at the last moment, and INDUCED
her elder sister, Alice, to convey the news to sif
William. Alice, however came TO an understand
ing herself with Sir William ami they were mar
live very quietly at Bristol.
Lady Macgregor not rich, but nevertheless
comfortably off, and Sir William therefore spent
the last few years of his life in what must have
seemed to him luxury when compared with the
restitution and starvation that had landed him in
the West Ham Workhouse. He was about nifty
eight years old, though his svered hair and
heard made him look considerably older, and was
the fourth of his line, the first baronet. his great
erandfat Their having been Sir Patrick Macgregor,
the physician of King George " and of his broth
err the Duke of York The second baronet, his
son. was officer of the 92d Highlanoers ana the
third baronet father of Sir William, was clergy
man and one of the canons of Bristol Cathedral.
Sir William was educated at Haileybury College,
served for time in the army. and lost what little
,,onex he had in wildcat schemes in the City He
was implicated in the Queen Victoria Jubilee synoi-
cafe swindle in 1897, but the evidence produced In
court brought to light the fact that the promoters
of the nefarous scheme had used MN as an iiho-
cent tool for the of his title, and, while they
we've sentenced to long of penal servitude he
was acquitted As long as his brother General
Charles Macgregor, lived he made him small
.1Iou-ance but this ceased with his death The
baronetcy is inherited by nephew, Cyril Mac
ereeor son of a younger brother, who is now about
seventeen years Old
The other Sir William Macgregor, Governor OF
Newfoundland is of the most remarkable men
&c tho british colonial service, both physically and
,ntallectually and indeed. his herculean strength
bas contributed in small degree TO impress the
a,e,es over whom he has been called on 10 rule
in the past with sense of the power Oh lhe BRUSH
rn,pire He is the only colonial governor 10 wear
tho Albert medal which is the civilian counterpart
80 tho Victoria Cross which he received for Won
derfuIly heroic rescue of the crew and passengers
90 the steamship Syria when it was wrecked at
e. Foot of precipice Suva. the capital OF
the Fiji Islands