New-York tribune., 1908-06-24


at sS5. 100000.
William Bateman Leeds was born IN richmond
Ind in 1851 where he began business lfe as a
eoris+ In 1ss3 he married the daughter of Rich
r,ond banker She was relative Of Harry Miller.
general Superintendent at that time OF the Fehh-
sylvania Railroad, and he gave LEEDS pace Oh
the railroad.
yI-b;Ia eeds was conductor he became ac-
nuainted with Daniel G.. Reid, also a conductor
They formed a partnership, and with money ad-
yanced by Mrs. Leeds bought tnplate mill III
Richmond This mill, although small one, was
the largest of its kind in the country, and Leeds
and Reid were successful from the start From
time 10 tile they obtained the control OF other TIN
plate miHs and eventually they organized the
American Tin Plate Company, popularity known as
the Tin Plate Trust
The American Tin Plate Company became
subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation
soon after the formation of the latter the steel
CORPORATION absorbing at about the same time the
steel properties controlled by eX-Judge William
H Moore and his brother. James H. Moore, of
Chicago Mr. Leeds and Mr.. Reid, long common
II, described when spoken of together. the two
little boys from Inolana," Mr. Reids phrase,
ioined forces with the Moores, who like them,
had made an enormous profit from the transfer Of
their manufacturing plants TO the Steel Corpora
ton and the four purchased controlling inter-
est in the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail-
way Company A complicated remodelling of the
organization followed. two new corporations, the
Rock Island a
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Com
many being formed, the Chicago Rock Island G.,
Pacific Railway Company being continued the
operating company and the st. Louis & San
Francisco Railroad Company and various minor
roads were brought into the Rock Island system.
of which Mr. Leeds. who had advanced a
division superintendency before terminating his
service with the Pennsylvania lines. and who was
practical and experienced railroad man. was
for a time the executive head. retiring in 1904
Late in the following year dissensions broke out
among the four members of the Rock Island
group" and Mr.. Leeds disposed of most of his
holdings in the Rock Island partly in the open
market and partly to B. F. Yoakum and James
Campbell, of st. Louis and severed all official
connection with the system. His Rock Island
holdings at the time of his death are believed to
have been very small and IL is understood that
all of the securities owned by him "trusteed
course which. in view of his long i'll health he
would naturally have adopted. there being there
fore danger of his holdings being thrown has
tily upon the market.
In 1900 Mrs. Leeds obtained a divorce Soon
after Mr.. Leeds married Mrs. Mamie MAY Stewart
Worthington, also of Richmond. who had obtained
a divorce from her husband George Worthington
Mr. Leeds became interested In racing in 1905. and
purchased half interest in the string OF thorough
breds owned by Andrew Miller.
In June. 1906 the custom authorities seized a
string of pearls. costing $3.50 900. bought in Paris
| by Mr.. Leeds for his wife. and sent here by an
agent After deal OF litigation Mr. Leeds was
forced to pay the full duty OF so per cent on the
| pearls, bringing the cost up to $3.50 600.
He was prominent yachtsnan owning
the $4,000 steam yacht Mona. 252 feet over ALL on
| which he and Mrs. Leeds spent much of their
| time He gave his wife a wedding present
their town house at No ss7 Fifth avenue. valued
| at sa6000o He also bought the Newport villa and
| property. Rough Point, formerly owned by Fred
| erick w. Vanderbilt
| In November, 1907. Mr.. Leeds suffered a stroke
of paralysis at his Fifth avenue home He had
| had two strokes previously. which affected his
| vocal organs and left side Soon afterward he
| went Paris TO place himself in the OF a
snecIalist as he had done after suffering each OF
| the former seizures.
| He leaves two sons. one by his first wife. Ru.
| dolph Gaar Leeds twenty years old, who lives
| with his mother and is the owner OF The Rich