The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-18

dignart, and chided my husband for ALLOW
ing the Senator TO make such an offer, an
SAID that l would sell anything l had [
raiso the money rather than accent sue
assistance, and yet this petty contemptibl
squabble was the commencement OF All m
husbands jealousy against Mr.. Conklin,
Even alter that he consented to receiy
him, and voluntarily went on TO Washinr
ton In April last TO get the Senator'S legaa
opinion In regard TO the trouble between
himself and his creditors. Therp was pei
feet and entire cordiality between then
then, although these scandals, II is nov
charged, had been known In Washington
for years.
There Is not q word OF truth In all o
the atrocious reports. Mr.. Conkling neye
paid me any attention that q wife coulC
not honorably receive from her husband'l
friend, and II Is false 10 say otherwise. MIR
Sprague was simply worked upon by Iii,
business troubles, which had been culmi
mating for years, and by his indulgence In
strong drink. He regarded every one nc
matter how honorable, who was n friend
OF mine, as an interloper and intriguel
against him. This jealousy and hatred oI
mat poor German showsthe workings ot
his mo1omania. Why, lie wrote letter
to Mr: Chase, friend OF mine, shortly be,
lore the affair, saying that he did not care
about Senator Conkling, but that he was
determined TO kill both him and Professor
Linck." S'>'''N'
"Did he write such a letter!"
$50 Mr.; Chase tells me, and have
every reliance upon. his word. Mr,
Sprague is Just as Jealous on the subject oi
Professor Linck as he Is tho case Of Mr.,
Conkling, as he indeed would be iealous
ol any one else whom he iancied INV
friend" ' '
, "How did Mr.. Conkling venture To
oonr,o3nchet under the circumstances?"
He came simply to use his influence
with my husband to consent TO a certain
poicyin his management Of the estate. II
was precisely the same subject on which
Mr.. sprague had voluntarily como TO
washington aud consulted him (NIr.
Conkling) In April previous, as Is stated In
my published letter. / had written 10
Mr.. Conkling asking him to use his In.
huence to this end, and Mr., Conklino re-
piled that he would be Of little service, hut
willing to try II wished 1t. / wrote to
him that did and, as Mr.. Sprapue him
sell has admitted, it was ior the best
interests OF the estate, | considered tbal
there would be no impropriety in his
visiting US here for that nnrp6sc NIr
Throop Martin, of Auburn, an old iriend
OF MIR, Conkling, and an invalid Of over
seventy, was staying with us, together
with his wife and daughter. l could see
no possible harm in the presences Of these
guests, as my husband was constantly 20.
ing and coming at intervals Of
few days, and no effort was
made to conceal the fact of the
Senator'S visit from him. met
tho Senator when he landed from the
boat at Narragansett, and told him that his
old friend, Mr. Martin, was stopping with
US, and that VIC should be pleased 10 have
him stop over at CanonChet, especially AZ
the Governor was expected home in a Clay
or two. lie came and occupied room OF,
the third floor on Wednesday and Thurs.
day nights preceding the trouble. On Fri.
gay morning, when came down 10 break.
last, | was told, TO my surprise, that MIR.
sprragIe. had come home suddenly at three
clock III tho morning, aud had loft again.
paid no attention to this, however, as.his
movements are always very erratic. He
comes In on You like ghost in the middle
OF the night, and at tho most unreasonable
hours and humors, and IN the same dis.
quletlng manner. ! had learned TO be
used to these freaks, but Mr.. Coukliug,
when told OF the Governors visit. seemed
surprised at such conduct. Thought no
more Of it, and busted myself about nv
household affairs, while Senator Conklinr
took seat on the lounge in the room and
was looking overthe newspaper.
After giving my orders / turned 10 MIR.
Martin, who was sitting in the room, and
at his request sat down to read n little to
him. Just then Mr. Sprague came up the
staircase. He walked slowly into the
room, Mr.. Conkling rising 10 meet him.
Some words passed between them-what
l did not hear but tho tone OF which
aroused my attention. l rose 10 my feet,
Mr. Conkling walked straight across the
room to where stood, and said. 'Mrs.
Sprague, your husband is much excited
and | think 1t better for all OF us If i
should withdraw. II my departure NAV
put you in any danger say so, and / wifi
stay whatever the consequence,b He
spoke in very calm voice, although /
knew he must have been excited. told
him not 10 mind mo, but that if Mr.. Spra.
que was in a passion 1t would be useless 10
argue with him, and might only lead 10
violence. g.
meanwhile Miss Martin had passed Mr.
Sprague coming TO tho house, and was
trlghted almost out OF her wits by his ston.
ping her and telling her that that there
was going TO be a tragedy up at the house,
She hurried down to the Pier and ordered
up barOuchc tn take away her invalid
father from such a dangerous nlace. Tho
barouche and small CarryaIl camo back.
Poor old man Martin struggled TO his feet
and tottered 10 the head Of the stairs. II
called to Mr. Conkling 10 stop and helm
the poor old gentleman back to the room.
which he did, kindly and tenderly: 30
that 1t was perfectly trnc that he did keop
an invalid gentleman to avoid the conse.
guences Of Mr.. Spraguc's uncaIled for out
burst When MIR. Conkling walked down
stairs and out on the platform, my eldest
daughter, Ethel, followed him and nut her
arm around him and said, Don't 90 M.
Conkling." Mr. Sprague stood about fifty
feet off on the edge Of the piazza, eyeiny
US IN desperate sort OF a way. knew
had done nothing wrong, and / tried TO be
as calm as | could, When Ethel wanted
Mr.. ConklinD 10 htaT, said: mo, Ethel
Mr. Conkling will 80, but no one shall hurt
"My husband all the time kept quiet
What he said up stairs, and what Mr.
Spragle said to Mr.. Conkling at Bellinp.
toms, do not know. Mr.. Sprague tooI,
bis gun with him in tile buggy when
he went after Mr.. Conkling. / know il
was loaded, for Willie, my bow, came 10
me Just atterward and said: Mamma
papa's gun Is loaded with three slugs and
L no shoots any ono hell kill them sure
Then he told me that he had no caps nnd
asked him (Willie) for some. but ho
didn't think it best to give them 10 his
father. l have reason 10 be grateful thai
no one was murdered. '""'
"Thcre is another iaIsehood That has
been extensively circulated, and tbat l.
that Mr. Conkling indorsed that sla,enSr1 S Il
which uttrihuta1 Tho tvhnin F. nrt q. '