The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-10
1.-THE Guilty Pair"
From the Chicago Tribune !

From the Chicago Tribune.
It is evident that at the time of their
marriage scandal had been busy with
Mrs. BelknaYs fame, but tfaiter the nup-
tials scandal ceased its defamation.
Whatever these rumors may have been,
OF whatever truth they may have had.
matters little now. They have no im-
mediate connection with tho present
calamity, although the air is again tull
of them. The causes which have led to
the downfall of the Secretary date back
TO the time when the siren who first fas-
cinated and then ruined him went to
Paris with wealthy spendthriit friends.
She spent the season in that gay city,
feveling in its pleasures, courted and
admired by foreigners, eating of the ap-
pie of pleasure in the Eden which she
had found. The gay widow returned to
this country, a devotee of luxury, fash
i0nable protligacy and personal display,
and in the Washington receptions she
soon became one of the most conspicu
GUS figures. Then followed the marriage
to Secretary Belknap (who had been
previously married to her sister), al
most before the funereal baked meats
were cold. Tue siren had captiyated
him long before. Her last ambition was
now gratified. She was the wife of
Cabinet officer; but a Cabinet officers
salary could not support the magnif-
cence Of her style.
The personal adornmeDts OF dresses,
diamonds and laces with which she
sought to heighten her fatal charms, the
prodigal expenses of her brilliant re-
ceptiOns, the costly Injuries with which
she surrounded herself, must be paid
for from some other source than her
husbands slender salary, and then Eve
ate OF the forbidden fruit. How she OBJ
tanned the money to support her luxuri-
GUS life has already been told. 1t was
disgrace, however, which she could not
and would not endure alone. She had
fascinated her husband before. 1t was
|no difficult matter to do it again. 1t
probably did not require great persua-
sion to induce him to yield to the tempta-
tion aud to eat the fruit with her.
The two were now sharers In the pro-
ceeds OF bribery and blackmail, and for
brief time the giddy whirl OF their sen.
suous lives was kept upon the money
extorted from the post traders, for there
must have been more than one victim OF
the woman's prodigality.. Then came
the first peal which in one instant fore
told the coming storm, with Its inevita-
BILE sequence OF shame, disgrace, down.
fall and ruin. The miserable woman, in
the midst OF her fneries and splendor,
saw with woman's intuitive glance the
precipice before her and the threatened
ruin or her husband, who had been the
infatuated instrument she had used fol
the qualification Of her desires. She
sought TO ward of the blow with hel
weak hands. She went with her babe
through the st ,rm and the darkness tC
plead with a member Of the Military
Committee, who was the husband OF one
of her school-day friends; but all in vain
she pleaded, ana begged, and laved. II
was all in vain tnat she cried in piteous
tones that the fault was all her own;
that her husband was innocent; that she
alone should be punished. Neither her
Establishments nor her tears could avail
her more. The blow fell, and swift as
LueiIer out Of heaven the Secretary oI