Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-27
COL. v. F. Villas DEAD
Held Two Offices in Cabinet of
Cleveland.
SENATOR FROM WISCONSIN
Served in Federal Army During Civil
War.
NOTABLE CAREER AS LAWYER
Suffered Cerebral Hemorrhage on
July 2O-Condition This Morn
ing Warranted Hope.
CAREER AS LAWYER

MADISON. WIS. August 21-Col. Will
liam F. Villas died at 1O:45 o'clock this
morning, following five weeks of illness.
When Dr. Philip Fox called upon the
patient this morning he found him un
usually cheerful and bright. and believed
he showed signs of remarkable improve
ment
Shortly after 10 O'Clock, while the
nurses were administering a bath, the
patient weakened quickly. An attempt
was made to reach the doctor. Col
Villas died before he could arrive.
Dr. Charles H. Villas of New York, who
has been staying at home, was not pres
ent at the death.
Second Stroke of Paralysis.
DR.. Fox believes the immediate cause
of the death was a second stroke of
paralysis.
Col. William F. Villas suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage early on the morning of July
20, at his home in Madison. His con-
dition was So serious that +. p. Villas,
his brother. of Milwaukee was sum-
moned to the bedside, and for two days
the physicians were unable to offer any
hope of recovery. On the third day Col.
Villas condition. was slightly improved,
and there were two hopeful signs; first.
there had been no spreading of the
paralysis, and, second. he manifested
marked signs of intelligence. Although
the periods of consciousness We're slight
they gave the family and friends of the
distinguished patient much hope. Since
then his condition had remained practi-
cany unchanged, although he had mo-
ments of seeming rallies, and on occa =
sions would answer questions by yes
and mo
In Cleveland's Cabinet.
William Freeman Villas was born in
Chelsea. VT, July 9, 1910. He went to
Wisconsin with his parents in 1851. lie
was graduated from the University OF
Wisconsin in 1853, and from the Albany
Law School in 1860.
He was admitted to the New York bar
but returned to Wisconsin, was admitted
to the bar there and had just begun tt
practice his profession when hostliltles o.
the civil war began. He enlisted IN th'
federal army. Promoted to lieutenan,
colonel. he commanded his regiment dur
ing the siege of Vicksburg
He resigned from the army in 1863 ano
returned to his law practice in Madison
In 1865 he was appointed professor IL
the law school of the University of Wis
consin, holding that position until 1eS3
and in 1897 became a regent of the uni
versity.
After the civil war he was an active
member OF the democratic party DuTIE
the decade after 1876 he was the Wiscon-
sin member Of the democratic national
committee. In 1884 he was permanent
chairman of the national convention.
Col. Villas was elected to the Wisconsin
legislature in 1885 and in the same year
was appointed by President Cleveland
Postmaster General. In 1883 he wa:
made Secretary of the Interior by Cleve-
land.
His Work Efficient.
His course as Postmaster General was
marked by a material improvement OF
the foreign mail service. economy of man
agement and the negotiation of posta
treaties with Mexico and Canada.
Col. Villas advanced still further in the
councils of his party in 1891. In that year
he was elected United States senator for
the full term of six years.
Opponent of the free silver doctrine he
was one of the organizers of the national
or gold standard democratic party, and
was chairman of the committee on reso-
buttons al their convention at Indianapo-
lis.
One Of Villas greatest legal accomplish
ments was the editing, with +. Z. Bryant
of the 1st, I'd. 4th and 9th TO 10th vol
umes of the wisconsin Supreme Court
Reports.