Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-28
SCANDAL.
The Senator sumner Fiasco,


A public man sometimes becomes so pub
lie that his private affairs command pub
licity which it would be an atfectation of
the press not to notice. Hence the Boston
correspondent of the New York Express
sends to that paper the following: Not
two years ago, the well known bachelor,
Charles Sumner, became Benedict. A
highly educated, and in many respects an
accomplished man, of good manners, and
better appearance, naturally enough he
stood high among the ladies of Boston, an d
he had no difficulty in winning the hand of
widow (from one of the F. F. VS. OF
BOston), who sacrificed no inconsiderable
Jointure in marrying him. The honey
moon had all the apparent charm that
honeymoons usually have, when Mrs. Sum-
ner went with her husband to Washington,
and new scenes ensued. Among the ac-
complished men composing the Diplomat
ic Corps in Washington was Baron Hols-
tein, of Prussia, whom the Prussian King
bad attached to the Prussian legation there
ito spy out the land" Naturally
enough he courted the acquaintance of
Charles Sumner, the chairman of the COM
mittee of Foreign Affairs in the Senate
who, at dinner party, introduced his wife
to the Baron, and who was placed beside
her at dinner. An acquaintance ensued
and friendship followed, such as natural
ly and honorably spring up between the
sexes. with kindred tastes and aspirations.
The Baron attended to the lady in matinee
and soiree, and in other public places, and
occasionally escorted her from the Senate,
where both had been to hear the Senator
speak. Mr.. Sumner, becoming displeased
with this acquaintanceship, it cannot prop
erly be called intimacy, wrote a letter to
Baron Holstein, in which, while complain
ing of it, report says, he insiLuated some
thing not honorable to the wife. The
Baron wrote back letter, In which, in
substance, he said, there was no cause for
offense whatever; he had been polite to
Madame, as he was to other ladies of SINH
lar accomplishments, and nothing had ever
happened which propriety or good taste
forbade. But if the Senator was not salts
fled with that, he was ready to give him
any such satisfaction as man of honor de-
manded. ...... .....Hs- .. 2
This correspondence was the beginning
and end OF part first, but Mr.. Sumner, re-
port says, then became cool to his wife, and
the lady and the baron became more re-
served in their intercourse. Then Mr..
Sumner, Chairman of our committee on
Foreign Affairs, wrote to the Prussian
Minister of Foreign Affairs. the distin-
guished Bismarck, that if he (B.) would re-
call the baron, he (S.) would be much
obliged. The adroit Bismarck yielded to
the potential position of the American
Chairman of Foreign Affairs, and the baron
was recalled to Berlin.
Mrs. Sumner next became acquainted
with this correspondence, and naturally
enough was indignant beyond all power of
description. Her Indignation naturally
rested upon the part of the correspondence
which it is alleged touched her honor.
The end of all this is, that Mrs. Sumner has
gone her way to Europc-their common
establishment being broken up, and an
other is taken by the Senator for the win
ter. a..r FH .ra
There is some scandal afloat beyond all
this relating both to the Senator and to the
lady-such as may be expected from early
denouements in such marriage affair-but
the basis of the reports in Boston is such as
send you. What 1 have written is in
everybody's mouth, and it may possibly be
erroneous in some of the details, but in
substance probably correct. l send it to
you tor publication, because what, if any
thing, Is wrong here, had better at once be
put straight, to stop the tongues of thou
sands that are making more out of a few
facts.