davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

ling its crystals to the idle after-din.
ner chat of surfeited company.
1t was October, 1890, and the night
was chill when this self-absorbed party
suddenly learned the news Of Willie
Sprague's death. He had shot him.
self in a laborer's tent in the suburbs
of Tacoma. The sign Of blood was
again upon the house Of tragedy. A
few days thereafter, when the poor
boys wasted body was being brought
home, final letter which he had ad'
dressed to his father came to light.
1t had been written in a tent assigned
to young Sprague as one of gang
of road laborers. In 1t he recited
some of his hardships. The boy com
planned of the coarse quality of his
breakfast that day. Here the letter
abruptly terminated. His body was
found beside the barrel on which he
had written his farewell.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

and made her debut with the Boston
Symphony orchestra. Among other
numbers she sang the suicide aria
from the opera "Gioconda." Boston
critics caused Mrs. Sprague to quit
her proposed tour and return to
France. Defeat lay in ambush wher.
ever Sprague ventured forth. That
same year Mrs. Kate Chase died in
poverty in Washington.
There was. for instance, the case of
Orestes Alvord Weed, brother Of Mrs.
lnez Sprague and her sister Mrs. Gerrit
s. Wheaton, who, in 1903 eloped with
Miss Katherine ID. de Roulhac, of New
York. Last year young Weed was
found dead at the Grand Union hotel
In New York from morphine poison
ing. His young widow and two hand
some children are all that remain of
HIS little household household
founded after many affairs of the
heart In which young Weed was the
debonair hero.
Five years ago Gerrit S. Wheaton
died and left his large interest in
Standard Oil to his young widow, sis
ter of Mrs. lnez Spraguc. one time
wife of Willie Sprague, and mother
of Inez Sprague the second The lat
ter was beautiful girl. And she has
just blasted the great hopes of the
little war governor" and his wife, by
clipping with Harry Williams Stiness
son of Chief Justice John II. Stiness
Sprague's implacabe enemy in the
Rhode Island supreme court, between
whose family and the clan Sprague
feud has existed since 1874.
Marriage Promised Much.
Many had courted the girl. Finally
last year. when she was 81, she be
came engaged to young Winpenny
member of prominent Pennsylvania
family BY this marriage, the
Wheaton fortune. coupled with Canon
chet and its acres, might yet make the
score even between the Spragues ant
| their enemies.
But fate was against IL.
| One day last spring Miss Inez an
nounced the breaking of her engage
ment to Mr.. Winpenny. On day ir
June she left Canonchet to go shop
ping in Providence. There on Junt
21, at ST. Stephens church, she mar
ried Harry Williams Stiness without
previous announcement. Rev. Her
bert Barker performed the ceremony
w. c. Rhoades and Wurst White were
witnesses. The spirited young lad,
was not to be bothered with the forms
and frills OF conventional marriage
IT Is merely a matter OF theory tha
the acquisition of husband on hel
shopping tour was the item of chic
concern to Miss Inez. There was /
new hat, for instance.
And because of it Canonchet goe,
under the hammer at once. Thi
Spragues are to quit Rhode Island ant
America forever.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Girl Likes Prison Lie

London.-"l want to go to prison, ]
like 1t, and would sooner be in than
out; and II you don't send me there
! sball steal something else, 80 as To
get locked up" This extraordinary
statement was made to the Windsor
magistrates by a young woman who
was charged with stealing pair OF
boots.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

chambers, towers, eerie dens, the
ater, library--6S rooms in all.
It had $4,000 worth of hand carving
In the dining'room, and other appoint
ments of a similar extravaganza. II
stands to-day, dark but proud; heir ol
its hospitality to the distinguished
men and women of two continents
HORACE Greeley used to visit there and
toast his shins before the library
crate; Conklings name is indelibl,
stamped upon the place and time. ant
the man whose memory goes back Z
the searly seventies will recall the hig
jinks and the Sprague-C Chase-c conkllu.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
TRAINED RATS AS CLOCKS.
They Gently Awaken Their owner at
Any Hour to Be Fed.

New Workable Conklin has closet
his snake hatchery in the Warwick
mountains and has gone into his win
ter quarters on Honeysuckle avenue,
Montclair, N. j. Conklin has resumed
his winter occupation of training white
rats TO be useful and helpful to man
Last year he trained some rats to
carry stout string TO the top of a
flagpole and pass it through the pulley
at the top. He sold these rats at high
prices to janitors of New York Office
buildings. When the flag halyards fall
the janitors do not have to employ
steeplejacks. Conllin trained other
rats to run q sewing machine by tread
ing the pedal.
This year Conklin is training rats
to take the place of alarm clocks. He
knows that the rattle and jar Of an
alarm clock make many persons very
nervous for the rest of the day. He
feeds his alarm rats only once a day;
some at five a, m, some at $3.50 and
so on until seven a. IN. Each is so
trained that at the instant of its meal
hour 1t goes to the room of the human
that feeds 1t and gently tickles his
ear until he awakes and feeds it.
Conklin expects to sell many of
these alarm rats to Montelair com
muters, and he predicts that the nerv-
GUS affections caused by alarm clocks
will soon disappear from that happy
place. He says his rats never rust.
run down nor vary a second in giving
their gentle alarm Conklin will dye a
rat pink, green or blue if his customer
thinks one such will wake him up
quicker.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

DOuuOlT uOOT. .ff r.
Sprague'o Business Downfall.
II was in 1873 that the political and
social forces at work to ruin Senator
Sprague succeeded in accomplishing
their design. II soon became evident
that the fate Of the A. and W. Sprague
concerns, estimated to be worth $780,
100000, would be destruction. The
Spragues had been ambushed. When
the concerns failed in 1873, with more
than S30,000.000 in actual assets and
less than s11,0O0,O00 of indebtedness,
the state of Rhode Island was almost
prostrated Y. Chaffee was appointed
trustee of the estate. The courts
wrcstled with 1t for more than 20
years, and enterprises which once in
volved all of Rhode Island we're laid
waste
Domestic d!scord and estrangemcnt
now interviewed to madden the prin.
cipals in this drama. The three daugh.
ters of Gov. Sprague and Kate Chase
were being educated abroad. Willie"
Sprague, as he was called, the only
son. strange composite of genius
and impulsive youth, was still at
home
Robert Thompson had been appoint
ed trustee for the personal estate Of
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Brilliant Kate Chase.

While United States senator he mar
ried Katherine Chase, famed as Kate
Chase, the beautiful daughter of Sal
mon p. Chase, Lincoln's secretary of
the treasury. With this brilliant mar.
riage began the social career which
sent the name of Chase-Sprague to the
greater salons of Europe and America.
Kate Chase in that day was account
ed the most brilliant woman in the so
ciety of her own country. She was
beautiful, she was a diplomat of mar.
velous methods. the homage of the
greatest statesmen of that time was
hers, she was the queenly leader OF
Washington's social and official life.
And what was her quest? The older
generation will recall the plot and the
Interpreting of those years to make
Salmon p. Chase president of the
United States. The fact that this great
ambition of a daughter was never graf.
flied was probably the precursor of
that adverse fate which has relent
lessly pursued and gnawed the heart
of every Sprague ambition felt since
that time.
Early in her married life Kate Chase
Sprague built Canonchet, on an estate
of $50 acres at Narragansett pier
! The house was at that time
the grandest mansion on the
coast. 1t stands on the favorite
camping ground of Canonchet, chief OF
the Narragansett tribe of Indians. II
cost a million dollars. It's furnishings
were brought from the stores of many
countries. 1t is palace within
strangely, voluptuously featured, q
labyrinth of halls, hooks, salons
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
soeciaI Cars for prunkards.

Berlin.--Prof. Forel and his various
associates In the temperance propa-
sanda have petitioned the government
to set apart cars Saturday and Sunday
nights for the exclusive use of intoxi-
Gated persons. or, II that be deemed
inexpedient. to reserve cars for alb
stainers. and thus afford abstainers
quiet travelling.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

bilious man, Salmon p. Chase. in his
cabinet as secretary of the treasury;
time when Kate Chase dominated
Washington society and influenced her
fathers eminent associates by the
force of her beauty and the spirited
brilliance of her wit.
Then and there William Sprague, a
dashing young fellow from Rhode
Island---its civil war governor and
later its United States senator--brave,
handsome, clever, entered upon ca
reer which makes fiction seem tame
and tragedy commonplace.
Kate Chase Is dead--she died In the
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Pay Women Small Wages.

About 80 tons OF woolen rags are
collected annually at Smyrna and
shipped Chiefly to England and France.
They are sorted In Smyrna by women.
Who get 20 to 30 cents q day working
from dawn to sunset. 1
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

LITTLE AID LIKE THESE BEING
PEOPLE TO ETHERw WHO WANT 10
DO BUSINESS. e
BRUNSKILL'S

Xmas Photos are leaders. We have
a special for Xmas only. Good tirno
to buy a Kodak or Camera for
Xmas present. We teach you how
free. DO It now, don't make mis-
take, IL you want the best photos yo'i
will have to have the Brunskills
make 'em.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Fa,e,s Relentless pursuit.

A few years after this, Ethel
Sprague, one OF the daughters of
Kate Chase. adopted the stage. After
a short time she quit the profession
and, marrying, went TO live in Balti.
more. Meantime, Canonchet had
again been startled by an elopcment.
In the autumn of 1897 Mrs. Inez
Sprague, having studied grand opera
with some Of the best French and
Italian masters, appeared in Boston
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Historic Canonchet,
"House of Tragedy"
Will No Longer Be
Home of Spragues

direst poverty Her only son lies In a
suicides grave. Her daughters tried
the stage, but did nothing of conse.
quence. But the life of Gov" Sprague,
as they call him still in Rhode Island,
is as eventful to-day as 1t was in the
times of war
William Sprague's membership In
the A. & w. Sprague Manufacturing
company, doing business in all parts
of New England in the sixties, afford.
ed him In wealth the power which
made him at the age of 2S the gov
ernor of Rhode Island. This was In
1860 His advent as such and as COM
mander-in-chief of the Rhode Island
soldiery, put him into the eye of the
country as a subject altogether out of
the ordinary.
The civil war was on.
Sprague was mere youth, and one
of the headr of business enterprises
involving the employment of $4,000
workmen. His shops, mills and foun-
dries beclouded the sky with their in
dustry, until it was said, Whenever
you see smoke in Rhody, 1t belongs to
the Spragues."
He was governor-the youngest war
governor. AS chief in command of the
states military forces he insisted on
taking the field in person. He was
always dashingly brave, so said his
soldiers. The masses hailed him as
their hero: others looked on in won
der.
He went to the United States senate
in 1868 and served IL years.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
REAL ESTATE

JOIN US IN A "TRIP to Texas on the
evening of January 9Th or the 18th.
Either to Armarillia or the Cult
Coast. Great bargains to home
seekers.
j. w. CLARK & CO..
ia Court street.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Unfortunate Willie sprssue.

After few silent aid pathetic years
down there by the sea, the household
of Sprague was again disrupted. Willie
Sprague had again come under the in,
tluence of his mother. He became a
reporter on Washington paper, then
shifted to similar position in New
York. A beautiful girl was born to his
wife--Inez Sprague-and the present
Mrs. Sprague became at once an aunt
and grandmother.
Willie's wife procured divorce from
him and married Gerrit s. Wheaton,
n welcome guest at Canonchet for
three years. Wheaton was a million
aire; Willie Sprague was an erratic
genius, at times exceptionally brill
liant, always impulsive, loving and af-
fectionate.
Canonchet was having its house par
ties and the halls were aglow with
oriental splendor The Florentine
fountain on the dining-room was tricE.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Can Never Forgive Her.

"He did his utmost to accomplish
my financial RUM declared William
Sprague, who was war governor of
Rhode Island when the north and
south decided to discuss their differ
ences at the cannon's mouth. 81 can
never forgive her"
The governor and Mrs. Sprague, his
second wife, retired to Canonchet to
make their plans. In order to gain
time they said not word when it was
asserted that they had forgiven the
eloping bride and that she and the
bridegroom would be welcomed there,
and that eventually she would inherit
the house of tragedy, the home Of a
thousand memories Of bygone days.
But their silence did not mean con-
sent For when all their plans had
been formulated, Gov. and Mrs.
Sprague instructed their lawyer,
Henry Wellington Wack, of New York,
to arrange for the sale of the historic
estate. just as 1t now stands. A great
inheritance has been forfeited because
a young girl saw fit to make shop
ping trip to Providence and then sud
denly make up her mind to get mar
ried.
Fall back A years and march along
with the events of the time, time
when Lincoln had that able and am
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
WASTE pApER

We pay 30c cwt. for books. maga-
zines and folded newspapers. VIII
call any place in city. Telephone
in. MALO, 4li
2S2-292 Farming Street.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

his mother. On November 6. 1888
Willie was arrested for shooting at
Thompson as he attempted to visit
Canonchet The boy was largely given
to impulse ali his life. A court in
quiry resulted in his discharge.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

TIA OR SALE. - A HIGHLY I'M
llA proved estate at Narraganseti
Pier. II. L. consisting of $50 acres
of land, with beautifully furn-
ished mansion, upon which and the
stables greenhouses and other buildings
about $1,000, 900 have been expended This
property is historically known as Can
onchet." the palatial home which Kate
Chase Spraguc daughter of Salmon p.
Chasc) built about 50 years ago at the
cost stated.
So runs the circular--the house of
tragedy goes under the hammer! Who
wants to buy it?
You may have 1t, with the story of
the loves and hates of men and wom-
en- of half century ago. With 1t go
memories of other days; of duels and
divorce; of elopements, suicides, scan
dals and law suits without number.
Here Roscoe Conkling was once an
honored guest: and here law, diplo-
macy and political strategy were made
and unmade. Blaine, Garfield, Beecher,
Tilden, Ben Butler, Greeley, Dana,
Grant were all honored guests here.
It's rooms and halls are redolent with
memory to-day as they were three de-
cades ago.
Who wants to buy? Name your
price.
Canonchet, once the handsomest es-
tate on the Atlantic coast is for sale
to the highest bidder. 1t is on the mar.
ket because girl chose to defy her
parents-lnez Sprague has eloped with
the son of her grandfathers bitterest
enemy
AS last of the direct line of the
Spragues, she was to have inherited
this baronial estate, worth at least ST.
100000 to-day. But she broke her en-
gagement with j. Harold Winpenny, of
Philadelphia, stayed in seclusion a
year and then eloped with Harry Will
liams Stness, son of Judge Stiness,
associate justice of the supreme court
Of Rhode Island.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

episode which eliminated In Conkling's
flight from the governors gun by way
OF window and barred and bolted
boudoir door. Ni
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11
Separated by Divorce.

Separated by Divorce.
Meantime. Kate Chase brought her
sensational suit for divorce. Gov.
Sprague filed counter charges. So
ciety glutted itself with gossip of the
case. A compromise was finally effect
ed by which both these charges were
withdrawn and charge of cruelty in
tcrposed. On May 27, 1882, Kate
Chase-Sprague got the decree divorc,
Ing her and giving her the right to re.
sumo her maiden name and the Gus.
tody of the three daughters, Ethel,
Portia and Kitty.
On March s, 1883, the governor mar.
rled his present wife, She was Dora
Inez Weed, Of Virginia. She was then
% and Gov. Sprague So. They imme.
diately went to Canonchet. where Mrs.
Spyague has since reigned as its chat.
elaine.
For while this romance seemed to
work revival OF the governors olden
rower. The Independent state con.
yoation nominated him for governor
on March IA, 1883, a few days after he
nad come north with his bride. On
March 2l, tho Democrats also nomi.
iated him, and 1t looked as If the little
var governor would retrieve his for.
ner place.
Soon after the governor married his
present wife, his son. Willie married
lcr sister, Avice Weed, of Whining
ton, Del. The governor then became
his sons brother-in-law, and Willies
Hife was at tie same time his sister,
a-law aad his daughter-in-law, and the
governors wife was Willie's sister-in
law and stepmother. Meantime, Kate
Chase had retired to Washington with
her three daughters.
There was hot campaign But the
| lld,time war governor wag not reelect
ID. 1t almost broke his heart--he
governor OF Rhode leland in the civil
var, leader of her troops. United
States senator for two terms, defeated
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

"a OR SALE. - A HIGHLY I'M
a proved estate at Narragansett
Pier. II. l., consisting of $50 acres
, 1908-05-14
SPLENDID WATER MAIN
o FIFTH STRE

AT the meeting last night of the
property owners on south Fifth street,
from Grand avenue to Steele streets,
permanent organization was effected
with John Sigman as president, Harry
Prahl as secretary and John Mast, w.
j.. Beckwith and James McGibbon as
trustees. The company decided to lay
a six-inch castiron water main for the
whole length Of the street, to connect
with the new main on Grand avenue,
and the officers of the Fifth Street
Water company were directed to pro,
coed with the preparation of the o n
tract, the advertising for bids and the
laying of the main. 1t is understood
that every property owner on the
street is willing to join in and the pipe
will be laid during the early summer,
making the best lateral main in the
city.
, 1908-05-14
PARIS COURT GRANTS SEPARA-
TON TO HUSBAND AND WIFE
IN NOW FAMOUS SOCIAL
CONTENTION.
Mother Given Custody Of Child, Father
Being Permitted to Visit 1t and
Compelled to Contribute Thousand
francs Monthly to Its Support
Charges Made BY Each Called Into
the Controversy.

Paris, May 1.-THE court today, in
granting Hart Mckee a divorce, finds
that both Mr.. and Mrs. Mckee con
tributed to the unhappiness of their
household. Mrs. Mckee was given
the custody of their child, with pro.
visions for Mckee visiting the child
Charges Disproved.
The court also found McKee's
charges that Colonel Baxter and Mrs
Mckee, his daughter, inspired the Ii
bellous articles against him in Ameri
a papers not proved and dismissed
the charge. Mckee was ordered tc
contribute 1000 francs monthly fol
the support of his child.
Has Vicious Nature.
The court found the husband guilty
Of violence and having committed
grave wrongs toward his wife, saying
he had yielded on the slightest provo
cation to the impulses of his vicious
nature.
Made Public Love Letters.
He had aggravated these wrongs by
bringing charges against his wife
which he could not prove, as well as
having read in court his wife's love
letters. which elementary decency'
should have prevented him from max
ing public.
Wife Also Censured.
The court found that ene wife or
her side had unwarrantedly attacked
her husband by making charges ir
connection with the disappearance o.
her Jewels and other property, charge:
which were entirely disproved.
Both to Pay Costs.
1t divided the costs between the
plaintiff and defendant.
, 1908-05-14
FORMER SENATOR CAREY OF
CHEYENNE TO HEAD SPEAK
Frs ON GRAZING AND
STOCK RAISING.
second Days Conference Between the
President and Governors Of West
ern states Presided over by Gov
ernor johnson of Minnesota, With
Preslden Hill of Great Northern
as one of the Leading Speakers.

Washington, d. c., May 14.-The
second days conference at the White
house between the president and gov
ernor of various states and territories
for the consideration of the conserva-
ton of the natural of the
country met at 10 this morning. The
president called the conference to or
der and invited Governor Johnson of
Minnesota to preside.
President Hill as Speaker.
Perhaps the most distinguished
speaker was James ]. Hill of the Great
Northern, on Tine Natural Wealth of
Land and Its Conservation"
Other Speakers.
Then followed Prof Chamberlain,
president of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science, on
Soil Wastage," and R. A. Long of
Kansas City on Forest Conservation"
Resources Of Land.
At the afternoon session Land Re-
sources will be the theme of discus
sion. Addresses will be made by for
mer Governor Pariee of California, on
Inc Resources Related to Irrigation"
and by President Jastro OF the Ameri-
, 1908-05-14
SAFE WAS
BLOWN UP
ROBBERS DYNAMITE UNION IA
clFIc STRONG BOX AT cHEY.
ENNE BUT GET NOTHING.
Outer Portion Of Safe Wrecked, But
Steel Inner Recesses Left Intact
With Large Amount of Cash
Agents Theory as to Cause Of
Death Of Unknown Man in Yards.

A telephone message frcm Cbey-
enne to The Republic N his morning
brought word of the attempt last night
to rob the safe in the Union Pacific
freight house there The safe Is said
to have contained a large amount of
cash, the days business at that station
and othe, stations IN re- road, the
exact amount of WHICH was not stated
The burglars exploded a charge of dy.
Mantle, badly wreckins the safe but
falling to break into the interior steel
compartments, where the money was
enclosed. The robbers were frighten-
ed away from the explosion and failed
to get any of the cash. There is no
clew to the perpetrators of the deed,
although the matter was reported to
the police as soon after the explosion
as the facts became known. The num-
Der of robbers concerned was not
stated in the telephone message.
, 1908-05-14
STRENGTHENED TANGLES
IN LAND TITLES.

John H. Symons returned last night
from Superior, Neb., where he had
been for several days to s~traighten a
tangle in the title of some valuable
real estate owned by Laramie parties.
The land, consisting of 100 acres near
Superior, had been placed in the hands
of three agents to sell. Each claimed
to have made a sale and all wanted
commissions. Mr.. Symons found that
the land, instead of being worth $50
an acre, as the Laramieite had figured,
was worth not less than 500 an acre,
the tangle involving the loss of $4,000
or 5000. The matter was straighton-
ed up to the satisfaction of all o n
cerned, the Laramie owner being now
in peaceful possession of the prop
erty.