Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-03
EX-SENATOR Villas
sUCCUMBs TO DISEASE
Wisconsin Man Who Held Two
Cabinet Posts Under CIeve-
land Is Dead.
IMPROVED THE MAIL SERVICE.
Statesman fingered for Five Weeks
After Second Stroke of
Paralysis.

Colonel William F. Villas died in
Madison, Wis, at 10 As O'Clock Thurs
day morning following five weeks of
illness.
When DIR. Philip Fox called upon the
eolonel that morning he found him un-
Usually cheerful and bright, and be-
ileVed he showed signs of remarkable
Improvement. Shortly after 10 o'clock.
while the nurses We're administering
path to the patient, they noticed that
Ne Weakened very quickly. An attempt
was made to reach the doctor, but Col
onel Villas died before he could be
called.
Dr. Charles II. Villas. of New York.
who has been staying at the home. was
not present. DR.. Fox believes that the
immediate cause of death was a second
stroke of paralysis
Colonel Villas suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage early ON the morning of
July 20 at his home in Madison.
Sketch Of His Career.
William L. Villas was peculiarly the
foremost citizen of Madison. Wis. for
In that classic town he lived since his
eleventh year leaving it only to go to
war or TO remove temporarily to Wash
lngton while i'll the public service.
At the time of his death ne was the
working member of the commission of
I'VE which had i'll charge the erection
OF WiSconSin's new S6CO0,GOO caDitoI
building and he was also a member of
the State board appointed to supervise
the erection Of Wisconsin's memorial
monument to the soldiers of the State
who fell at the siege of Vicksbure.
colonel Villas came of good political
stock, his father, Judge Levi Villas
having been member of the Vermont
legislature and later prominent in Wis
consin official life, member Of the
legislature and a number of important
commissions. Colonel Villas was born in
1910.
member of Cleveland Cabinet.
Gradually, however, after he had
acileved at the age of 80 the practical
leadership of the Wisconsin bar. he be-
came a member of the Democratic ma
uonal committee and active in the par
" councils, with the result that when
Cleveland was elected president he was
oHefed and accepted the place of post
master general in his cabinet. resion-
ing his seat in the legislature TO do so
Ihcre he made record for unwinding
miles of red tape that numbered the
department and placing the admfnistra-
ton of the postoffice on business.like
and sound basis.
lie had scarcely finished. that task
when Secretary Lamar resigned from
the department of the interior and
President Cleveland appointed Colonel
Villas to the vacancy.
When the campaign of 1890 opened
Colonel Villas took the leadership of his
party in the State and conducted bril-
liant fight on local issues A Demo-
cratic legislature was seated in conse-
quence and Colonel Villas was elected
United States Senator from Wisconsin.
In the Senate he made a record during
his six years of service for consum-
mate ability i'll affairs of state, partic-
ularly in those matters before Congress
touching on constitutional law.
during the latter years of his life
colonel Villas devoted himself to his
law practice, which was ever a large
and successful one, and to his home.
lie was for years chief counsel for the
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.