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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1904)
William Collins Whitney Statesman and Financier, Dead of Blood Poisoning EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF WIL LIAM C. WHITNEY. 1841 Born at Conway, Mnen.. In circumstances comfortable, though his parents were not wealthy. 1863 Was graduated from Yale College with honors after four years' study; took up law. 1806 Began struggle as a law. yer In New York city, opening an office, but meeting with little sue cess. 1869 Married Miss Flora Payne, daughter of a wealthy Ohio Senator, who aided the young man. 1876 Entered New York poli tics, and under Tweod rule made Corporation Counsel, holding three terms with signal tmccess. 1882 In private life, as pollti cal convention leader, picked Gro ver Cleveland for governor as the Democracy's only hope. 1E85 Made Secretary of the Navy under Cleveland, leaving at his departure a brilliant and en viable record. 1890 Affiliated with William Elklns and P. A. B. Wldener and became a powerful street railway magnate and financier. 1896 Astonished Eastern socie ty by his marriage to Mrs. Edith Randolph, for whom he built his $4,000,000 mans on. 1893 Received a severe shock at the death of Mrs. Whitney, who was Injured fatally In South Carolina. 1898 Commenced the estab lishment of his famous stables and the gathering of his valuable string. of horses. 1900 Became an active patron of the turf. 1904 Died. William C Whitney, statesman, financier, turfman and collector of great paintings and rare objects of art died at his home, ST1 Fifth avenue. New York, at -1 o'clock In the after noon of Feb. 2 He was taken 111 at the opera Jan. 211. with appendicitis His physicians William Collins Whitney, uoin July :, 1K4I Died Fob. li, 1!HVI. the most distinguished In their profes sion, realized tho seriousness of the attack, and operated as soon as they could. Their patelnt's Indomitable will had served him a fatal turn, however. Ho had delayed complaining of the ailment too long. Mr. Whitney did not recover from this operation. The poison had en tered his system, and peritonitis set In. On the morning of Feb. - It became apparent that his condition was des perate. Ho was conscious of the fact and realized that it would require almost a miracle to save his life. Calmly and bravely he considered tho result of the consultation of physi cians. They told him that thero was one chance in a million that a second operation might keep him alive, while without it his tenure of life was a mat ter of hours. They did not l:eop from him tho peril of his never waking from the anaesthetic. Ho bade tho physicians to go ahead and do what they could. Ho arranged his nffairs. hade his son. Harry Payne . Whitney, anil his daughter. Miss Doro thy, tho only members of his family present, a hopeful farewell. He left messnges for those of his children who wero not at home. Then the doctors prepared for the operation, hut tho desperate alterna tive was futile. Mr. Whitney failed to rally after tho knives had done I heir work. Ho nover regained conscious ness after being put um'er the Influ ence of other. His son and his daughter were sum moned and they stood beside tho bed side of their distinguished father as ho sank from tho stupor Induced by tho drug Into iho sleop of death. Tho passing or Mr. Whitney makes tho first gap in tho lino of strong men who havo stood at tho head of financial affairs In Now York in recent years tho great promoters anil organ izers of tho presont Sages and Keones. with whom ho fought groat battles of tlnanco In tho past, and with whom ho wns In rccont years associated In great enterprises. Mr. Whitney's death affects mnny Circles, a greater number probably than would tho death of any man with whom his namo was associated. In Wall street It is felt no more strongly than nniong tho men famed for their love of nit and their nppn.'cln. i $r 1 tlon of the beautiful things of the world, In polltlcnl cent on as well as In Huclcty mid among men who own great racing stables. Wherever lie moved he was n power, ns great In his diversions ns In Ills stupendous business achievements. ThoiiKh Mr. Whitney wns a very rich man, his fortuno Is not supposed to he on a pnr with that of the great multimillionaires. lie was not pre eminently an accumulator. Ho was prodigal In expenditures. Ills otil use for money was for the things It would buy. So lie Jived lavishly and diverted himself royally. His personal expense, year In and year out, was probably greater than that of any other American. F.vcn with such expenditures his Benlus for organization and his clear, far sighted financial skill built him up a fortune that is estlmnted nmong his associates as 2fi.000,noo. lie could have withered a hundred millions had his ambitions turned him toward honidlng his wealth. Of late years, when his associates weie liuuriinp all their energies to ac cumulation, he was steadily withdraw ing from the gross game of money making, letting his eldest sou, Harry Payne Whitney, take his place on the hoards and directories of his compan ies. This very fact makes It probable that his demise will not seriously dis turb "the Street." CAREER OF UNVARIED SUCCESS. Notable Achievements In the Life of William C. Whitney. Mr. Whitney's career us lawyer, re former, cnbinot member, business innn, lover of tho turf and society leader, was an enviable one, but his most notable achievement was the re organizing and building of the Ameri can navy, paving the way for the vic tories that fjr.v'j liberty to Cuba and wrested from Spanish domination I'orto ltlco and the Philippines. Mr. Whitney came of Puritan stock. q was born tit Conwny, Mass.. July i. 1 S 11. and was educated at Willlston Academy nr-tl at Yale, graduating from the latter school in lSlili. Ho entered the Dane J,aw School at Harvard in ISC", and . few years later began the practice of law in New York City. Mr Whitney was only III years old when he became a political leader in tho Democratic party. His first not able work ivas against the Tweed ring, and tbls gave him i publicity that he subsequently retnlned. Ho became a clnso friend of the late Sam uel J. Tllitcn, and was active in man aging ills campaign for the presidency. In 187fi he was appointed corpora tion counsel for tho City of New York. Ho reorganized the department, cre ating four new bureaus. He retired from the corporation counsel's ollico In 1882 and interested himself in acquir ing franchises for street railways, thus laying tho Inundation for a fortune that later mounted to millions. When flrovor Cleveland wns Inau gurated President in 1885 he placed the department of tho navy In the hands of Mr. Whitney. Then began the plan of reorganization that has had remarkable results. Tho United Stnteu had no navy when Mr. Whitney took olllce. Ho quit the department, leaving the nucleus of that white squadron which was afterward built nnd which led the wny to making tho United States one of the great powers VMr. Whitney retired from office In 1S80, and since that time refused all political or diplomatic olllces. Ho re turned to active business nnd proceed ed to unite und systematize tho trac tion lines of New York City. He cre ated tho present great combination of lines known as tho Metropolitan Street Railway Company, which unites alt the street car Hues on Manhattan Island and far beyond. Ho was active In other llnnnclal di rections, ills operations Including tho procuring of Interests in tho New York Lifo Insurance Compnny, the Mutual Llfo lnsuranco Company, tho Morton Trust Company and ho Consolidated iL.fcV ::; ";. :. ' .. Mrs. A. H. Paget. MImh Pauline Whitney. Gas Company. Hut with all these business enterprises on his mind, Mr, Whitney sought relaxation on tho turf, and ho procured stables of thorough breds thnt won for him a name In turf annals, and ho signalized tho year 1903 by scoring a larger amount of win nings than any other owner of horses. Ho raced ontlroly for amusement, nnd his costly strings of horses and his highly paid Jockeys and trainers cost him far moro than ho vfbn. Ho wns ono of tho fow Amorlcans that have won tho Kngllsh Derby, capturing that race In 1901 with Volodoyovskl, .Mr. Whitney was inurrJi'd twice. His l.l Li) v .. 'f'JirS lllltlllli llrst wife, to whom he was wedded in 18M. wns Flora, daughter tif the Into United States Senator Henry H. Payne ot Ohio. Four children wero born to them Pauline, now the wife of Al merle Hugh Paget or F.nglnnd: Harry Payne, married to Cortrtttle Vander hilt; Payne, married to a daughter of Secretary of State Hay. and Dorothy Pay ne Whitney. In 189.1 Mrs. Whitney died, nnd Mr. Whitney remained a widower until ISJid, when he mnrrled IMIth S Ran dolph, widow of Capt. Arthur Ran dolph of Knglnnd nnd daughter or Dr. William May of ltaltlmore. Tho second Mrs. Whitney died May. !. 1V.I7. the result of an accident while riding to hounds at Hlltmore, the coun try home of Cornelius Vanderhllt, In North Carolina. She attempted to ride beneath a bridge, but It was too low, ami her head struck the arch. Mr.- Whitney bought tho New York Morning Telegraph, u dally paper do-1 voted to Bportlng und theatrical news, ' Inst year, and gave Peter F. Dunne, ! the creator of "Mr. Dooley," an Inter- j est to take charge of tho paper. Grover Cleveland's Tribute to Hit Departed Friend. The news or Mr. Whitney's death lias greatly shocked me. As I think of him. my mind, passing beyond recent years, dwells upon Mm days of my as sociation with him in high official duty, and recalls the time when I had the opportunity to enjoy his unro served Intlmncy and friendly compan ionship. Our relations have never changed, but the exigencies of life have forbidden recent close inter course. Mr. Whitney had moro calm, force ful efficiency than any man I ever knew. In work thnt interested him he actually seemed to court difficulties and to find pleasure and exhilaration In overcoming them. His Judgment was quick, clear and astonishingly ac curate; and, when It was called Into action, his mental poise was so com plete that neither pnsslon nor Irrita tion could lend it astray. While I remember all this with ad miration and atfection I recall with moro tender sentiment Mr. Whltnoy's devotion to his friends, his extroine consideration for all with whom he Henry Payne Whitney, came in contact, his thoughtfitlnes for tho case and comfort ot others, and his ready Impulse to help those who needed help. I mourn tho death ot a friend of whom it can bo truth fully snid that In his character wero combined mental traits of a high order and loving qualities of heart that grap pled him to his friends with hooks of steel. Whitney Holdings In Various Companies. The following tnblo gives in round numbers tho value of Mr. Whitney's holdings in tho compa nies in which lie was chiefly in terested: Consolidated Cas $ ".r.00,000 Metropolitan Traction. .'1.000,000 Subsidiary companies.. 1,000,000 Western interests 5.000,000 Real ostnto holdings... 5,000,000 (lUggenheliii Explora tion Company 1,000.000 Morton Trust Company 1,000,000 American Tobacco 500,000 Lead interests 500,000 ficncrnl Electric Co... 500,000 Fifth Avenue Trust Co. 100,000 National Dank of Com merce 200,000 Metropolitan Steamship Company 100,000 Totals ?25,700,000 What the Sailors Got. An Kngllsh newspaper tells this story: "They wero about to buy boef tin tho boof tor tho ships. So tho offi cer whose duty It was to make tho pur chase took ashoro with him the bo'swaln, nB representing tho crew, to look over the animalB and either ob ject or not. They npproached tho first animal. "How will that do?" asked tho officer. Tho bo'swaln cautiously approached the beast, bent down and gingerly ran his thumb and forefinger down first ono shank aud then tho other, until tho whole Tour shanks had, been examined. Straightening "P, ho snld: "He'll do all right, sir." Tho officer cried: "Ilut dash It, all, you can't tell the good points or a bullock by tho shanks." PorhapB not, sir; but they'ro tho only parts wo ever gets, sir," was the reply. suxu or .w.trmor:. Kei, ret on en. ml, I j.,.,i lirrnvt, I I'M hcuves I i tins mm aiul blows to tho Wc. Sleep, tlcep mi Hip lr.'Hi(llll deep I lint innlij n fcittt linn In keep; ll'i' uluic iiir milHf of tho world Is Mill. And i In- wuo mill the ntt ting winds IllIM- Hull will: I I t'te v licit1 tin' llfp of the x'tuny eras I.i-iiW'h t'li- iiilmi ami (lie limit at t'ii. And the IIMiir.ci lilno cnvuIN the peak Of pi'ii-lioiM .! -emu tied .M.irtlmiui'. htfitm ili'-rnii on tlif UimlliiK ftuvun Of tile mm iilul slty Win I'll tlm uhlto clmul Rtrntn. "n (-hilling iiiiiIh thrlr fonliiliiK Mnkr: WiiUr, will,,, ulii'ic Hi,' lillluu'ii liri'nk Mile wlic-c il.r lull mn the ilouhl mid Mnlli if tli- wiulii mi- 'ni in tin, mii iif-n'ii: lli if when- i hi- tin I wnild'N minulih il-n In I'liliny lilllnws nnd i.ilcn uit'i. And tin- Sunt in i ii I'i'i'wi Milne u-p- Iho ilk ot iii-linrii tk-ii.wi,iit M u'llnl(iii. VV ,l ciui'iM p. i, in si t.inilt (Jlobo- t'i n I" i. it & .t WftU! mm fyWrf r,''nt 1 vi,"'.iVic"r 'vrJ '..i J VXA V--' r?W syftmrnfj? "" -w 'JStf - vy BJtaCOTTL"233GCjr XrAtZLM WHEN LUCK in i.k.n 1. on I up urni'i't I !' I'll I'lir iiltin,f I'ulilithn.ii I tvtij iluv The wind swept in nngr gusts through the tall, shapely I'.rs. driving before it sheets of Hue snow which it hurled fiercely against the enhlr. The snow entered every apoiture with Im patient persistence, terming little riffles of white along the wall. At times, the huge fire-place roaied, or again it smoked and simmered. A innn with clenched ilsU stood In the center of the room glaring wildly about him with a look of subdued rage, in Impotent defiance of the ele ments. "Jim," called n weak voice from the shadow near the wall. Tho fierce, re pellnnt look vanished before one til tender yearnings, as he turned quickly to the bedhldo. "I am here, Mnry. What Is It?" "What Is the time?" ".lust twelve, Mnry," answered the man. seating himself near her. "Jim," faltered the woman. "1 will not live- till dawn." "Aw Mary don't ," began the man, but she continued, "There ain't no use denyln' it, .Ilm. I'm dying' now." The man gazed at her with the dazed look of one stricken dumb. Ho tried to speck, but only the mus cles of his tnco worked convulsively, and no rmuud camo toith. The woman saw and continued. "Now, .Jim, don't take It so." The man artise as though stung; he threw his arms about In mute appeal. "I nm the cause. I have done this. Killed you, torn my own heart out, de stroyed hope and happiness, looking tor th.it accursed gold!" His agony was pltltul, and she raised herself with an effort saying. ".Jim. I wl'l not havo you talk so. Yon have been n kind and loving husband." "You weie contented and happy In the valley. We had a little saved, and I was contented till that devilish greed possessed me. I brought you into the mountains and kept you here while 1 searched, searched () (lod. how I searched, hut to no purpose." He paused, gazing helplessly down at a little rift of snow that was growing by the bedside. "You done It for the best, .ilm. it was all for mo that you worked and strived. thinking every day to strike It; and it ain't no fault of yours that jou ilidn t," said she, catching weak ly the brown, calloused baud that fell near her. "1 never ought to have brought you here I ought to have left a month ago, but I stayed nm! stayed, hoplu' each day but now tho snow has come, and tor good." The man wept; the woman was si lent . maybe her thoughts were far away in that valley home. The storm grew fiercer lnshlng the A man with clenched fists ctood in the center of the room, forest plteously. Orent branches foil crashing; near the. cnbln. Now and again, some huge boulder, dislodged from its rest of centuries, thundered Into tho gully below. Neither tho dy ing woman nor thu stricken man heeded. "Jim afterwards I maybe you can find it you was so sure " "Oh, don't, Mnry! anything but thnt," cried tho man. "Jim, I want tho flowers," she gasped. "Flowers," ho moaned, looking help lessly around at the sifting snow. "O Mary!" iiSp 5 pJ8pIIpi 4 v$T Sl 6 VLjT' V.vJ,'l-.?T-- fcT1 - 'X3333KZXHBEE; CHANGES ttsrogasgmgrOTmsaac "Yes. ,11m, 011 tho shelf there." Mo groped half dazed across the loom to the shelf. He thqughl her wandering bu' ? obeyed mechanically, and looked among the various articles. Ah. what was that! It was like the rtab of a kuire. There near the wall, ni an oyster can, was tucked a hunch of withered roses tied with a cotton string. She hnd brought them from Hie valley where they always bloom, l'e drew them forth, shook tho whlto layer of snow from them and placed them near her on the pillow. ".Ilm," she whispered, as he bent In a moment he was on his knees paw ing with cold, blue fingers. near, "I'm going hack to the valley. You can come nfter you find find." Ho bent nearer to hear tho whisper, but only the deep moan of tho storm filled the cabin. The dawn came, the day passed, and still the man sat, dazed aud bewil dered by the bedside. Now anil again he would ralso the tadeil roses and glance Imploringly around ns though to conjure pity Irom the stern sur roundings. The fire had long died out, the room was cold, the little rifts of snow had grown till they stood like white pyramids around the room. As tho dnrkness of the second night bo- l gan to settle ho rose and relit tho fire. All night tho storm roared and moaned, but he was oblivious of the elements. As morning advanced hi) drew from a corner a pick and shovel and sat down before the fire. He knew ho was too far In the mountains to get aid. The snow tilled tho gullies and It would take days, maybe weeks, before ho could return. Ho took the tools and In tho early light pushed his way aimlessly through tho drifts to the gulley. In tho lee of a great fir ho threw tho light snow aside and began to dig. The ground was not frozen, for this was the first snow. He worked with deadened, sliipifled senses, and time and again found him self sitting Inactive, groaning as If In pain. The wind had died away, the snow ceased falling, but tlm clouds hung black overhead when he returned to the en bin. Without pause, as though knowing his weakness, ho wrapped the body of tho woman In a heavy blanket and with thu withered flowers still upon her breast, bore her down tho mountain to the grave. Throwing first a tow gteoii branches Into It, he laid tho body caielully upon them. Ho took up tho shovel to finltli his agonizing task, when something at his feet awoke his numb faculties. Ho caught It up with a piercing cry. His eyes dilated, his breath camo In hoarse, deep gasps. In a moment ho was upon his knees pawing wildly with cold, bluo 'lingers, at tho gravelly mound hu had thrown out. Ho turned and jieered with aching eyes over tho dead li.ody, at the wall of tho grave. Thoro it stood revealed. In his de lirium he lifted tho body from Its rest ing place. "Tho ledge! the ledge!" ho shouted In an ecstacy of delight. Ho fondled tho golden rock from which tho yel low scams showed thickly. Ho laughed and wept llko ono demented. He throw tho dirt wildly about, examining and scrutinizing ns though to reassure himself- "After all my work and striving," he ecled. clecfully. llo turned und p T Jin started tip the mountain. "I'll go nnd tell " Tho tnun swnyod a moment then fell 8hii(idorlng Into tho uuow. For ono hrluf moment ho hnd enjoyed the gold and then llo did not rise, but crawlnd back, groveling ns though In penance, llo lelt that ho hail stained her memory llko the eartli-spotted snow thnt lay around. The deep satire of it nil en compassed him. Fierce, bitter Iookn swept across his strained features. Ills blood-shot eyes glared menacingly at the cold, distant peaks, at tho tall, swnylng firs, at the pure, whlto niantlo that enveloped all, as though (hoy were the authors of his distress. Ho cursed tho yellow metal that gleamed at him across the grave. His humid moved aimlessly about him until something that sent a thrill through htm, touched one. Wv. held It forth, It wns the hunch of faded roses. llo gnzed upon them until the dis tant peaks grow brighter lined, till tho gentle murmur of the Mrs showed a deeper meaning, till the whlto mantlo covered only the stains of the world, (III the tears came. The light or day was still strong when the man stood beside tho grave, alone with iialure. Slowly, quietly ho again laid the body In the grave, then as if covering a sleeping child in Its cradle, he cast upon It the heaped up earth. Then with calm and fear less lace ln turned uml strode heavily toward the far-off valley. riie snow kept falling, falling down upon the black mound. At first it lurui'd to tears, but soon enveloped all within its pall of white. A Beast of Superior Intelligence. "You may say what you please re garding tho superior intelligence ot Hie human animal." remarked Crosn cup oratorically, "hut I have at homo a puppy a common yellow puppy that is far moro clever than some humans. " 1 lie other evening I carrlod homo 11 bottle and Joyous anticipations. Tho former 1 sought to open with a patent corkscrew. For tho first time In lt period of service thft screw broke half the cork off ami on tho second try pushed the remaining half Into tho neck of the bottle. "I look It out In the kitchen nnd labored with It for a while, trying to fasten the spiral of tho screw into iho floating cork. Would you believe it? That pup crawled under (lie wash tubs at the exact moment Iho cork dropped in and never showed so much as the tip of Its nose until I fished tho bit of cork out with a rusty button hook. Then It camo out ami congratu lated me with many wags or tho tail, ir that is not superior Intelligence 1 should like to know what is." "Superior to what?" asked Deor ing. Crossuip eyed him as one who would seel; to arouse unpleasant mem ories. "My wire tried to advise mo," he said simply. Dcering, who Is married also, said "Oh!" The Seven Ages of a Racehorse. Kltcl. the foal. Woldil.N. ,uiil iiuridiiK nt it.s mother's nldn: Ami tlicii tlu ulihiiiylnt; coll, with grntla 0) OS And ftly ilnatiiiK mane, rrhkiug In piul NIIiIiIIiik liittiniiH Krpt'li. TlK.'il coinox tho I'lllllllc, Fiini-i'ly I'oukIU at llrst, with mnny kick, l'.ut later Ikhiki with Kruc Then dully trnli'liu;. .Mnntlu: nf impel Ini; care, und trl:il on .1 truck. TrnvdlhiK, mid racing undT ch-vi-r hanilu, Kamr to 1 coords innko or break. Win .'tip or linn) .'nt purse. And then a H'IhImiP Tendon sii'iihieit. mid ns u "seiiliiK plater" li.d'leicdl lilt diiys of money i-iirtilng nipped In hud, I ''or him no more the soft curutt ot hand, And Ini Ims pl.ied hit part. The sixth IIKO KllOWH Tl.e lioi'H.' of Kmtln hroed ducked, nnd ilr.iwlui: cull Willi wciir.v i'lrlile, eye.t liubilng und mark of whip On his shrunk ahsink; and tlm full, drop lirratli, (lure drawn In inoaxiiio xtroiiK. labors And whistle In Its pound. Lust scune of nil Thnt ends thin hIimiiko, pathetic liittnry. For which 'Ivwir mvrcy to imploro ob livion. Runs lull, tans MkIiI. sins htruugth, mum evitrvllilng. Finn 1 re M. Iilulr in Itlder and Driver. The Lesser Evil. Mr. Nolan has received a long tongue-lashing from Mr. Qulgloy, nnd his friends were urging on him tho wisdom of vindicating his honor by a prompt use of his fists. "Ilut he's moro than mo equal," said .Mr. Nolan, dubiously, "and look at tho sl?e of him." "Sure, ami you don't want folks to he saying Terry Nolan is 11 coward?" demanded a reproachful friend. "Well, I iliinno," and Mr. Nolan gazed mournfully about him. rather that than to havo them sayln; day after to-morrow, 'How nnturJ Terry looks!'" Dr. Parkhurst and the Immigrant An Hngllsh visitor was talking to tho Hov. Charles II. Parkhurst ihp other day about the recent Tamrrtiny, victory in the Now York city oleclun. "I suppose It was duo to tho lmnl- grant vote," said tho Eugllshmna. "That'B how Adam and Evo nccoimt- od for it. isn't It?" replied tho doc or. "They snld It was tho fault of tholm mlgrant Into the garden. But If AJam and Kvo had boon decent peoplojtho immigrant could n t have trouiled them. Laziness of Great Men. If early rising were a condltLi nf fame, our biographical dlctlijnarlcn would be much Blondercr volurni than they are; for It Is n deplorabjo fact that many of our great mon ar na re luct&iit to loiuo their plllovvsIn tho morning us any of their obsciro fel. lovvmen. Lord Mayor's Valuable Badge. Tho badge worn by tho lord mayor of London Is studded with diamonds to the value of .CI 20,000 i A , ,i V A fl 1 H m Ctli ' JS . K x ( 1 ''' S.4Aw 1 -V 1 V s 1 i All VjJIi n ?YZt m m ir 'h J J . t-R .SI .. :"xl: -$Ji -?il rswCTr