Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-06-20
from the PhIia;eiphi Press.
THE OREGON SENATGRsALs scan

DALI
There is a new and not particularly
fragrant scandal linked with the
United States Senate. This time it is
not a CHI lrge of bribery nor of any po-
litical crime. The offence is a social
one, and the story of it quite a ro-
nance. Some twenty or thirty years
ago there lived in Franklin, Butler
county, this State, an intelligent and
industrious young man, John Nipple,
who combined the profession of school
teacher and lawyer, and who met with
much success in their practice. Grow
ing prosperous, he abandoned school
teaching, which is not associated with
prosperity, and becoming a Junior
partner of the Hon. John Thompson,
devoted himself entirely to the law
In the same village there lived young
and pretty maiden, between whom and
the young pedagogue in the days of
his adversely there existed an intimacy,
which as time heightened, ripened
into affection on her part. Whatever
might have been the young mans
earlier feelings aud intentions toward
the maiden, they underwent a change
as he began to grow rich and respecta-
BILE. His sweetheart We; pretty but
poor and ignorant, and he played her
false. There was the usual scandal
and nine days village talk, and per-
haps other moral and physical forces
brought to bear upon the young man.
for, so the story goes, there was soon
after marriage ceremony i'll Franklin
to which he was one of the parties, but
not of his own free will.
This affair brought the young man
under a cloud and put an end to his
brilliant prospects. He was gifted
with large ambition and naturally be-
came depressed under these circum-
stances. Consequently nobody was
surprised when it was discovered one
bright morning that John Nipple had
abandoned his wile this practice had
already abandoned him. and shaken
the dust of Franklin from his feet.
From time to time letters reached his
old friends, giving his whereabouts in
the far West, and informing them that
he had resolved to begin life anew.
Al irregular intervals too, he RENTED
small sums Of money to his wife. Soon
both his letters andrcmittances ceased.
and nothing was heard of him until
1866, when the wife was called upon
by Nipples former law partner, the
Hon. John Thompson, a politician of
some note III the western part Of the
State and an elector upon the republic
can presidential ticket last year.
Thompson told her that Nipple de-
sired a divorce, but that IS he had no
grounds upon which to ask for it, she
would have to make the first applca-
ton. He offered her $500 to do this,
and to release Nipple from all claims
,I,n 1t I
scented and in the course of time the
divorce was granted.
PER CONTRA
from the Philadelphia Evening BuI3e;inl
Mr.. John Nipple Mitchell was elect
ed to the United States Senate by the
Oregon Legislature. last winter, and
took his seat in the Senate chamber on
the 4th of March of this year Re-
Gently some of his enemies discov-
cred that he had been divorced
from his wife while he lived in
pennsylvania, many years age, and
had changed his name before marry
ing again III Oregon. Upon the basis
of these somewhat unpleasant facts a
horrible story was created to the etfe It
chat Mitchell deserted his Pennsvl-
partner, Hon. John l.. THOMPSON. of
State, and subsequently committed
bigamy in Oregon. This narrative
was published i'll half the papers in
the country, and, as might have been
expected, it created intense excitement
in the State which elected Mr.. Mitchell
to the Senate. There was Il general
demand for his resignation but he de-
clared his innocence and his ability to
prove it, and he ha done so. Admits
that he was induced by domestic diff
culties' to leave this State, and he ac-
knowledges that he changed his name.
which was John Mitchell Hippie, 10
John Ripple Mitchell. This he did
under the impulse of intense suffer-
ing, and lie now regrets il as unueces-
sary and foolish. Judge Thompson
supplied him with a complete vindica-
ton from the charge of robbery. and
has expressed his firm confidence in
Mltcheifs integrity and ability, while
other well-knOwn citizens of Philadel-
phla and Pennsylvania endorse him as
an honest man with n spOtless record.
To the part culars OF his domestic
troubles, Mr.. Mitchell with admirable
taste declines to refer; but il is certain
that he was divorced from his first
wife long before he married the sec
ond time, and the evidence presented
in his behalf indicates that the grounds
upon which he procured a release from
his matrimonial obligations were OF a
kind that justified his action. His
vindication ought to satisfy his consti-
tuents, and it should make the public
Journals, which are SO eager tO. AID the
work of blasting the regulations of
prominent men, a little more careful
about accepting with confidence I'M
proved charges against such persons.
Mr.. Mitchell has been cruelty injured,
and it is but simple Justice to give the
widest publicity to the fact that his
lnnQcence-is now finally established
Very Amusing.
Detroit has what IL pojia ~ f,,nDy