Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-22
MRS. SPRAGUE'S STATEMENT.
concerning the Sensational Episode at
Narragansett Pier.

ment Aug 10th:
AS you must have surmised. Gov.
Sprague's dissolute life and d;ss;nated
habits long ago interrupted our marital
relations, though l have striyen hard
through untold humiliation and no;,,
to hide from the world, for NV child.
ren's sakes, the true condition of .
blighted, miserable domestic life
About year ago even this poor SEM
blance abruptly eliminated after dis.
graceful orgie and arrest at Natasket
Beach, with the circumstances of which
many people in Rhode Island are not
unfamiliar. | then sought with nv
little girls the neighborhood of old
friends and the shelter of my honored
4 fathers former home. There dwelling
almost within the shadow of his tomb,
felt more secure, less unprotected.
Here kindly sympathy sought me cut,
and though
COVERT MALICE
pointed some censorious comments, re-
lief came, and our circumscribed means
were adequate to our simple and quiet
mode of life.
Gov. Sprague's irregularities having
been visited upon him by the trustee
administering his embarrassed estate.
the contribution toward tho mainte-
nance of myself and children, without
a word of explanation to me. was sud-
denly cut down to palpably made
auate sum. Even this was RENTED
but for few months; then, owing to q
complete rupture between Gov. SpragGe
and the trustee, all remittances ceased,
and for SIX months past no money has
been contributed toward the mainte-
nance of mis- family or household by
Gov. Sprague. In addition to greater
wrongs, unpaid tradespeople to whom
he was indebted haze been urgent in
their demands for payment, but he
gave no heed to the Indebtedness, even
answering, when pressed by me to find
a way TO meet these Just demands and
relieve me of opportunities, that |
must
LOOK TO MY POWERFUL WASHINGTON
FRIENDS
for aid; and, 10 my deep distress and
modification, permitted, after long de-
lay, a bill for carriage hire for his moth
er's use during visit to me in Wash
ington, to be paid by the gentleman
who had recommended 10 us the sta
BILE from which the carriage was hired
"This and other more humanity ex-
hibitions have been incidental to the
past year, while the brutality of re-
cent events, repetitions of similar
scenes of violence and outrage enacted
in former years, has finally driven us
from the door, and filed the the public
prints of the country with IL scandal
too cruel to be endured without re-
dress.
ov,Spragues causelcss and shame
full persecution of the children's teach
er is literally true as he tells the story,
the real animus being, as confessed,
Gov. Sprague's unwillingness to be
subjected to the restraint at the table
and in the household observances of
the constant presence of gentleman.
THE ATTEMPT TO CoMPLICATE MIR. CoNKLGNG
with the matter is absurd. The two
men never met; | believe have never
seen each other. Gov. Spragues IN
decent afiront to the guests in the house
was most gross and without excuse.
Mr.. Martin, whom ! had met in very
precarious condition of health, en- route
for Narragansett Pier, induced 10 so
to Canonchet for quiet and good nurs-
ing. He was removed under Gov.
Spragues threat OF murder, q thing to
be done at the imminent risk of his
life.
Mr.. Conkling was, of course as I'M
conscious 10 | that Gov. Sprague sought
occasion to enact the tragic role of the
injured husband, for at their last meet
ing, not long since, Gov. Sprague had
sought from Mr.. Conklng not only le-
gal counsel, but accepted at his hand g
favor such as emily the friendliest conf
dence could warrant.
In his determination to overthrow
Mr.. Chaffee as trustee, and hoping to
Join forces with the creditor interest to
drive him from his post,
GOV. SPRAGUE HAD CARRIED AWAY
from the counting room of A. u w.
Sprague books of the Quidnic Compa-
ny, refusing to return them. MIR. Chat
fee, III tuin, refused until these books
we're returned to permit Gov. Sprague
to hold any business relations with the
concern, and of course, refused to per-
nit him to draw any M oney.
This was the situation Of affairs
which, by coming 10 Rhode Island, |
had hoped through some influence or
OlnCF brought 10 Dear On nov. ppTdSuG
to help 10 set right, and TO secure by
some means maintenance for the four
children for whose wants and education
| have been and am now bearing the
undivided burden. A conference with
counsel employed 10y the firm achieved
no results.
Prof. Linck, under II contract with
me for three months, was neither per-
mitted to perform his duties nor paid
and dismissed. We had no ostensiblc
means for living at Canonchet without
mourning additional Indebtedness, to
which | refused to be party. In this
AWKWARD AND PAINFUL DILEMMA
requested Mr.. Conkling, who had
been already consulted by Mr. Sprague,
and upon whose judgment and advice
have safely relied in my own matters,
to see Gov. Sprague and try to aseer-
tain what point there is in the proposed
programme Of opposition, and