The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12

W h"S -
Gov. Sprague was the fourth member
Of a distinguished family to bear the
name of william. lie was the son or
Amasa Sprague and Fanny Morgan and
was born at cranston, X. J., on sep
tember IL, 1881. The first William
Sprague. great-grandfather of the Gov
ernor. had built A saw and grlst min
on his node Island farm before the
Revolution and had begun the amass-
ing of a family fortune. He died In
1896. leaving "A large estate to his sons.
The third William Sprague, uncle of the
Governor, became Governor OF Rhode
Island In 1885 and United states Sena-
tor In 1872.
After attending private schools In
Rhode Island and at Tarrytown, y. Y,
the fourth William Sprague entered the
cotton print business which his uncle
had founded. and on the death of his
relative became head OF Il new Arm,
A. X w. Sprague Company, which
built up n reputation for quality or
product. William Spraguc was elected
Governor OF Rhode Island on April 4.
1850, through a union Of the conserva.
tive wing OF the Republican party or
his state with the Democratic party,
and was reelected in 1861 and 1862.
fDTI SuIll'l WIS bl'l WI h''A' 80
after his second election. Through the
activity of the Governor Rhode Island
was among the first to respond To- Presi-
dent Lincoln's call for troops aud Gov.
Sprague was win the Rhode Islanders
a, the battle o. Bull Iun. He served
through the Peninsula campaign and
was commissioned Brigadier-Gencral of
Volunteers.
GOV. Sprague was elected to the
49, So. $50, L., $50 lYs No THE
time he was greatly engrosscd with his
business affairs. establishing mills at
central Falls and Johnston, r. l., ard
obtaining control of real estate and
water power in Maine, South Carolina
and Georgia. lie was reelected to the
United states Senate in 1865, his term
expiring in 1878.
During his first Senatorial term ne
met Miss Catherine Chase, daughter OF
the Chief Justice, AT "A ball AT cleveland,
ohio. He and Miss Chase Were married
in November, 1853. at Washington. in
the presence OF The rresidert and his
Cabinet. the Diplomatic Corps and q
large group OF officials. Thu wedding
was reputed to have cost S2oo.oon ana
to have been the most elaborate ever
held in the country. senator and Mrs
Sprague made their home in Washington
and became social leaders in the capi-
tai.
The Sprague firm had a powerful. rival
in the firm OF Brown q Ives and the
rivalry of the two became 30 bitter that
II became a political issue, each firm
having n representative in tho United
States Senate and each vying with the
other for control of banking institutions
This business feud was made the sub
iect OF a series OF speeches in the Senate
by Senator Sprague, who later dis
tributed them In pamphlet form. His
rivals succeeded in getting their reply
printed at the side of the attack in the
Congressional Record.
The crash of tho financial structure
which the Spragnes had been erecting
came in the panic OF 1878. The firm
had expanded it's business so rapidly
that 1t Lacked ready cash TO tide it over
the depression and II failed with liahili-
ties OF sli.000,000 and assets OF $4,000
900. Zachariah Chafce was appointed
trustee. The smash was followed by
complicated litigation. IN which event
ually senator Spraguc lost the whole
vast property with the exception OF
Canonchet. his summer home at Nara
gansett Pier. which he defended with
armed guards.
Mrs. SpraGuc's property became in
VOWED in the litigation. and Senat3r
Roscoe Conkling and other men Of in
nuence assisted her in retaining her
fathers estate, EdGcwood, At Washing
ton. In 1879 Scnator Spraguc quarrcllcd
with SonIt r Cuukling AT C~auonchet.
driving the New York Senator from Ms
home with "A shotgun. Three years later
the SpraEues were divorced. The Mar
raEansett Pier place was ordered sold,
but Senator Sprague, his son. William,
and hired guards, prevented It's de-
livery The senator SIiPpppItl in 70