Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1867-10-30
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THE SUMNER SCANDAL.
The Cause of the Separation of Sumner
and his Wife.


The Cause of the Separation of Sumner
and his Wife.
A public man sometimes becomes so
public that his private affairs command
publicity which it would b. an afectation
of the press not to notice. Hence | send
you the following; Not two years ago the
long known bachelor, Charles Sumner,
became Benedick. A highly educated,
and in many respects an accomplished
man, of good manners, and better appear
ance, naturally enough, he stood high
among the ladies of Boston, and he had no
difficulty in winning the hand of widow
from one of the F. +. of Boston,) who
sacrificed no inconsiderable jointure in
marrying him. The honeymoon had all
the apparant charm that honeymoons usu
ally have, when Mrs. Sumner went with
her husband to Washington, and new
scenes ensued. Among the accomplished
men composing the Diplomatic Corps in
Washington was Baron Hostein, of Prussia
whom the Prussian King had attached to
the Prussian Legation there, ITO spy out
tle land" Naturally enough he courted
the the acquaintance of Charles Sumner,
the Chairman of the Committee on For
eign Affairs in the Senate, who at a din
ner party, introduced his wife TO the Ba-
ION, and who was placed beside her at
dinner. An acquaintance ensued, and a
friendship followed, such as naturally and
honorably spring up between the sexes
with kindred tastes and aspirations. The
Baron attended to the lady in matinees
and soirees, and in other public places,
aud occasionally escorted her from the
Senate, where both had been to hear the
Senator speak. MIR. Sumner, becoming
dlspleased with this acquantanceship-it
cannot be properly called intimacy-wrote
letter to Baron Holstein, in which,
while complaining of it, report says he in
situated something not honorable to the
wife. The Baron wrote back letter, in
which, in substance, he said there was no
cause of offence whatever-he had been
polite to madame, as he was to other la
dies of similar mplishmcnts, and moth
ing had ever happened which propriety or
good taste forbade. But if the Senator
was not satisfied with that, he was ready
to give him any such satisfaction as a man
OF honor demanded.
This correspondence was the beginning
and eLd Of first part but Mr.. Sumner, re-
port says, then became cool to his wife,
and the lady and the Baron became more
reserved In their intercourse. Then Mr..
Sumner, as Chairman of our Committee
oi Foreign Affairs, wrote to the Prussian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the distin-
guished Bismarck, that if he, (Bismarckl
would recall the Baron he (Sumner) wo'd
be obliged The adroit Bismarck yielded
to the potential position of the American
chairman of Foreign Affairs. and the Ba-
ron 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
re ted upon that part Of the correspon-
dence which, it was alleged, touched her
honor. The end of all this is, that Mrs
Sumner has gone her way to Europe
their common establishment in Washing
ton being given up, and another is taken
10y the Senator for the winter
There is some scandal afoat beyond all
this, relating both to the Senator and the
lady--such as may be expected from early
documents in such a marriage affair-but
the basis of the report in Boston is such
as | send you. What have written is in
everybody's mouth, and 1t may possibly
be erroneous in some Of the details, but
in substance probably correct. send it
TO you for publication because what, if a0y
thing, is wrong here had better at once be
set right to stop the tongues of the thou
sands that are making more out of a few
facts.--BostOn October 2D Correspond
ence of the Nep York Express.