The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-11
The Difficulty Between Senator
COnkling and Ex-senator
Spraguc.
The Latter Draws Pistol on Conk
ling and Compels Him to Leave
the Sprague House.


foe in the fight which is said to have occurred
The two men referred to are Senator Roscoe
tonkling, of New York, and ex-senator and
ax-Goy. VIM Sprague, OF Rhode Island In
order to do full justice to all parties concerned,
Ii may be as well to repeat the following ex-
tract from tonight's Bulletin:
Some excitement was caused In this vicinity
this morning by exaggerated reports of an
unpleasant occurrence last evening at the reg
fdence Of ex-Gov. and ex-senator Sprag,la.
It appears that Mr.. Sprague has a violent an
tjDathy toward a German gentleman, unc0n-
nected with the Cabinet in any way. and
teacher Of his children. Going to his horse
last evening under extreme excitement, Mr.
SpraEue had an alteration with this teacher
ordering him from the house, and, it Is said
loading gun, attempted to shoot him, to
which the teacher not unreasonably objected
Senator ConklinR, who WAS en- route to Provi-
dence, and had casually stopped at Narragan-
sett On some legal business, attempted, with
q number of other persons to calm Mr.
Sprague's feelings, but without effect until the
unnatural excitement had subsided One re-
suit OF the disturbance at the Sprague man
sion ls the temporary removal of the family
to q neighbOring hotel.
Another story, however, is told by a clergy
man at Management Pier, and the following
are as near as can be learned, the particulars
from this point of view 1t is we'll known
that Ill feeling has for some time existed be-
tween ex-senator and Ex-Governor sprague
and Senator Conkling, presumably on poIiti-
cal grounds On Tuesday last, Senator Conk-
ling arrived here on private business, ia no
way connected with Mr.. Sprague's affairs,
and called as a friend OF the family at
Sprague's house.
For some days past it has been known that
Mr.. Sprague has been laboring under visible
excitement and absent from his home In com
rNQ3xy with fttn, IJr st,4a
roads. He is believed to have been with
these friends yesterday and had left them In
a very excited state of mind, when he went to
his house and found Senator Conklng there,
with whom he had a political msunderstand-
Ing as to the rights Of naturalized citizens in
Rhode Island.
Local stories of the affair are naturally eS-
aggerated, and 1t is q difficult matter to OBJ
tain any trustworthy information. From
what, however, Is believed to be well in
formed source, It Is learned that Mr. Spragne
addressed some unseemIy language to Sena-
tor Conkling, who courteonsly and consider
ately forbore to reply MI. Sprague there
upon producing pistol told Conkling that |
unless he left the house in a very brief given
time he would blow his brains out Mr. Conk- |
ling then retired from the scene.
1t Is said further that there was hostile |
meeting subsequently at the Cape, but this |
cannot be verified and probably is not true |
This matter is the talk of the clubs to-day, |
and Ii Is on everybodE's tongue. | send it |
just as 1t is told What the upshot of the |
matter will be cannot now he forptold Truth |
will, sooner or later come out, as there were
many witnesses and the air is full Of IT,
1t Is true that ex-GoF. Sprague is a man Of |
violent temper, and may have acted hastily |
In the matter, but his friends here assert to-
night that he regards himself as being gross
~ insulted by Senator Conkling, and means |
to insist upon full public apology. It Il known |
that he has Of late been talking with friends |
of the troubles which were proving On his |
mind oil hot hnh @L,t
time had arrived when the duelIo should |
again be put in force in this country He is |
understood to have said there are certain in |
suits which can only be wiped out with |
blood.
How THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED IN pRov1,
DENCE- -sPRAGUE's ACCOUNT OF THE
AFFAIR.
PROVIDENCE, Aug. 10.--The SpragIle-C Conlx-
ling affair at Narragansett Pier Friday Gre
ated general furore when it was made pub
iic Saturday evening. All sorts of stories
were reported and nothing definitely got at
Senator Spragne, as soon as h. got through |
with the Wallace committee, left for the Pier
and has been there ever since, The place is
so Isolated that it can be only reached by six
or eight hours drive over a tedious country
road Only one newspaper reporter got to
aim Oh Saturday, and be was hilffed very
successfully. The report he got from Sprague
was that when the Senator came home Friaay
noon he found a German tutor in the house
formed a great aversion. In mo-
ment Of rage he took double-barrpled shot
gun, and threatening to kill him, drove Linke
from the house.
The family made quite an uproar. and Sen
ator Conkling, who happened TO he calling
Just then, in the matter OF purely legal bust
ness sought to bring Sprague to IA reasona-
Ole state OF mind when Sprague went for him
and forced him to beat a hasty retreat After
that it Is reported that Sprague and Conkling
met and parted in friendly way. That is
one story. "M...a..+. +.m0-
:, Another, that lacks confirmation, is that
Sprague came home and found Conkling III
MS house and seizing a shotgun. gave Cunk-
ing thirty seconds to yamooee which he did ,
Long after midnight dispatches were received
rom papers all over the country, asking for
particulars, and stating that they would pay {
any sum for an authentic account Of the
allair. Dpinlons are various and the Linke
story Is much discredited. Conklng was ,
99ere Saturday, but got out Of town that night.
Linke WAS here all through to-day, but has /
also vanished
THE TRUE CAUSE OF THE ROW. i
NARRAGANsETT PIER, Aug. 10.-The sum L, ,
nef residents of this fashionable watering !
Y, pace are in a culver of excitement over the
.ieged fstic encounter between Senator
yonk ling, Of New York, and EX-Gov Sprague,
y y this State. How much truth there Is In
ahe report Is very difficult to ascertain, for
,very one questioned processes entire igno-
ah'e or absolutely refuses to talk. AS far as ,
ls possible to learn the story is as follows q
uev Sprague and family occupy an elegant
'unlG1er ~ mansion at Narragansttt Pier this
eassofl, as In years past and are enjoying the
ooi ,1S pfeezes and lovely view which this rest
,ehce affords. Ii is stated that for few Q
iais past the Governor had been absent II
lp lpon business, and upon his return found "
'ehatof ConkliDg guest at his house. hay- II
" oeen there, SO it Is understood, for quite
number Of days, and Of course without his ID
h1oWledge OF consent. 4
mepoft has 1t that Gov. Sprague waNed very a
Hsfy and ordered the Senator out but that &
oscoe refused TO go. Words came thick and al
vi vi, ana i Is alleged that the Governor told el
king that he had Seen AT that ne cared Df ii
W. a. Il Washington, and wanted nothing u
II, II OF the house. CoDking not complying "
~ his order, be ran up stairs for revolver, W