Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-06-18
The Troubles OF Johu Nipple Mitchell,
United States Senator from Oregon.

United States Senator from Oregon.
The United States Senate knows on,
Of the Senators from Oregon by th'
name of John Nipple Mitchell. 1t i.
not material who it was that announced
that the Senator's name is not Mitchell
but John Hipple. The revelation of the
fact of an assumed name on the part o,
one so prominent as United States Sen.
ator. has caused more than the usual
amount of conjecture and scandal. What
acts did he. in by gone days that should
cause him to change bis name. How
much did he detraud creditors Was he
in prison? Did he steal Did be muir
derl What did he do All such ques-
tions were asked in prominent circles.
To bis credit, be it said, his case is not
rmbIaced in the catalogue of questions
iust mentioned. Misplaced affection, trou.
hlous domestic relations, and the aban-
donment of wife, was the cause of the
change of name.
Some years ago John Nipple was a
promi. Ing young lawyer in Butler coun-
", this State. He wooed and married a
girl in the village in which he practiced
his profession. 1t was not a happy
union. They did not live agreeably.-
Unexpectedly to the community. Nipple
left the village. Only those on the most
Intimate terms knew of his whereabouts.
They settled his business affairs quietly.
For time, through third parties, he sent
money to his wife. Finally he proposed
a divorce, through his friends. The wife
did not demur under the offer of FIVE hum
dred dollars. They were divorced, and
that's the whole story.
There may not be much in a name.
The change cf name in Nipples case has
brought him with prominence before
the reading and intelligent people of this
country and Europe. The change Of
name was not made, it is presumed, be
cause he sought prominence, but rather
because he sought obscurity. Some peo
p'e want to put him out of the Senate
because of his case.
The Senator published the following
statement over the signature of John
Nipple Mitchell, in the Portland Orego
pian of June End
Inasmuch as certain articles have ap
peared in newspapers of recent dates re-
tlecting in serious terms on my conduct
IN my native State (Pennsylvania) in
early life, l submit to the people of Ore
gon, who have known me intimately for
thirteen years. the following statement
and evidence in answer to the charges
made in such articles.
In so far as the charges, first put in
circulation by an anonymous correspon
dent, impute to me any dishonest act, /
deny them, aud each and all of them
positively, unequivccally and absolutely,
and pronounce them and each Of them
wholly false And | submit to the peo-
pie of Oregon. that though it is a fact
that had my misfortune, in early life
and encountered domestic troubles of
painful character, resulting in separation
aud divorce-troubles which | trust your
generous indulgence will permit me to
pass in silence-it is my privilege to be
able to say that in all the time that l
resided in Pennsylvania, l committed no
wrong, nor did any act, that has ever lost
TO me the confidence or esteem either of
my former law partner there-Colonel
John NJ. Tbompson-whom the articles
10 question charged me with wronging.
or of any Que who bad the intimate
knowledge of my history that be had
esd 60 far as all the charges against HE
are concerned. l prefer, rather than CIV
ing my own version, to abide the testi-
rnony herewith submitted. coming as it
does from men Of prominent position and
unimpeacbsble integrity, most of whom
know personally my whole history in
Pennsylvania from earliest boy hood,
and all of whom have full knowledge of
my reputation there now.
ANY charge or pretence that ever
wropged my former partner. Colonel
Thompson, or any other man in Penn
sylvania, or elsewhere, out of one cent
or any amount whatever, or ever attemp-
ted to do go, is untrue. That ever had
any difference Or difficulty with that gen.
tleman, as charged. or in any manner or
for any reason, is equally false. On the
contrary, l have always had, and still!
have. his confidence and respect.
1t is true that at the time left Penn
sylvania the law firm of which Col.
Thompson and my self were the only
had all unsettled business, in
cluding an amount of outstanding ac-
counts in which l had one half interest.
The firm was also indebted in certain
amounts. Before leaving the State /
transferred to my partner all my interest
IA said firm. together with certain other
Property. which at that time was believ-
ID 10 be amply sufficient to meet all de- .