American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-08-30


was willing to try if / wished it. 1 wrote
to him that did, and Mr. Sprague himself
the estate. considered that there would be no
impropriety in his visiting us here for that
purpose. Mr.. Throop Martin, of Auburn. an
old friend of Mr.. Conkling, and an invalid of
over seventy, was staying with us, together
with his wife and daughter could see no
possible harm in the presence of these
guests, as my husband was constantly
going and coming at intervals of n few
days, and effort made to conceal
the fact of the Senator's visit from him. 1
met the Senator when he landed from the boat
friend, Mr.. Martin, was stopping with us, and
That we should be pleased to have hln1 stop
%yer 1 9honGne6 espeea,y as the 10y
and occupied II room on the third floor on
Wednesday and Thursday nights preceding
the trouble. On Friday morning, when came
down to breakfast, was told, to my surprise,
that MIR: Sprague had come home suddenly at
| 1 paid no attention to this however, as his
movements are always very cratic He comes
night, and at the most unreasonable hours
and humors, and in the same disquieting
frcaks but Mr. e conkIing, ~ when i told of the
Governors visit, seemed surprised at such
1ondnct thought no more OF ii ana busted
Senator Conkling took seat on the lounge in
the room and was looking over the newspa-
per.
Martini who was sitting in the room, and at
his reqest sat down to read n little to him.
Just then Mr.. Sprague came up the staircase.
He walked slowly into the room, Mr.. Conk-
ling rising to meet him. Some words passed
between them-what did not hear. but the
tone of which aroused my attention. L rose
to my feet. Mr. Conkling walked straight
across the room to where 1 stood, and said
Mrs. Spragne, your husband is very much
excited, and think it better for all of us If
should withdraw. If my departure puts you
in any danger so say, and will stay whatever
the consequence He spoke in n very calm
voice, although know he must have been eX
cited. told him not to mind me, but that If
Mr.. Sprague was in a passion it would be use
less to argue with him, and might only lead
s"Meanwhile Miss Martin had passed Mr..
Sprague coming to the house, and was fright
ened almost out of her wits by his stopping
her and telling her that there was going to be
to the Pfer and ID ordered o np barouche to take
away her invalid father from such a danger
all came back. Poor old man Martin struggled
| to his feet and tottered to the head of the
stairs. 1 called to Mr.. Conkling to stop and
room, which he did, kindly and tenderly; SO
| it was perfectly true that he did keep an in
valid gentleman to avoid the consequences of
Mr.. Sprague's uncalled for outburst. When
Mr.. Conkling walked down stairs and out on
the platform, my eldest daughter, Ethel, fol;
| lowed him and put her arm around him and
stood about 50 feet off on the edge OF the piaz-
"a, cycling us in a desperate sort of n way.
knew had done nothing wrong, and 1 tried
to be calm as could. When Ethel wanted
Conkling will go, but no one shall hurt either
him or u.s.
My husband all this time kept perfect 81
lence. What he said up stairs, and what Mr..
Sprague said to Mr.. Conkling at BellingtOn's,
do not know. Mr.. sprague took his gun with
Conkling.. 1 know it was loaded, for Willie,
my boy, came to me just afterward and said
Mama, papas gun is loaded with three slugs.
and if he shoots any one he'll kill them sure
Then he told me that he had no caps, and
asked him (Willie) for some. But he didn't
think it best to give them to his father. 1
have reason to be grateful that no one was
"There is another faIsehood that has been
extensively circulated, and that is that Mr..
Conkling Endorsed that statement which at
tributed the whole affair to my husbands ha-
tired of Mr.. Linck. j know from gentlemen
who were present when that dispatch was
He has neither sought to conceal or to spread
any knowledge he possesses of this wretched
NATTER
SENATOR sPRAGUE's SIDE OF THE CASE.
Senator Sprague has been in consultation
with his lawyers. and absolutely declined to
make statement for publication, but an init
mate friend relates the substance of what oc
Cured between Mrs. Sprague and Senator
Conkling Friday, August 9Th, the story
came from the lips of MIR. Sprague himself. Its
publication t Memid not be permitted even now
Sprague's version of the affair is as follows:
He had been down in Maine on Il business
trip, expecting to be absent until Saturday
night. He finished his business before he ex
pectcd to, and returned late Thursday night,
pme S n o1
morning he learned for the first time. and
up at his house, and had been there day or
two. The Governor was angry beyond meas
fend was c the intmase Citations rel 50 be
tween Senator Conkling and his wife,
which had him oTg hFf 1s
lations were no secret to him. He had seen
the scandal growing and becoming more and
duct of Senator Conklina toward his wife at
Washington. Bitter words had often been
spoken between his wife and himself because
intimucV
obnoxious to him was that intimacy, and
what were his feelings TOWARD Gonkn ,;t but ut
all the scandal and the violence to his feel .
ings, that she should invite him to be a guest
at his house during his absence, and TINT
Conkling should have the brazen eHrontei.y to
come there at all, incensed him beyond all
measure. As he expressed it, Senator COnk-
ling was trying to do for his home in Rhode
Island what he had already done for his home
in Washington, and he had determined to put
an end to it mt once and forever.
With this deliberate intention he hurried
back to CanOnchet as soon as he heard COnk
ling was there. Near the barn he met Linck, the
German Professor, but he declared positively
of shooting him. He did not even have his
gun with him at the time. He did not order
Linck to leave the house, and was opposed to
his being there-nOt, however, because he had
any thing against the man himself, but be-
cause he could not afford to have such an mt :
tachment to his establishment, and he felt
that the display of such extravaganza at Can
onchet was injuring him in his efforts to save
his feet again financially, but he had hardly
gave Linck a Thought Probably he did speak
angrily, he said, for he was very angry but
against Linck.
He found Conkling in the house alone, and
ordered him out on the instant. Conkling re-
fused to go; A few high words ensued, and
then he tsRrague) went upstair to get ms
sion caps for his weapon, and went off to the
village to get some. As soon as he could pro
cure them he hurried back, and Conkling was
still there. He again ordered him to leave,
and Conkling refused to go. and tried to moli-
fly Sprague and excuse himself from leaving
SO suddenly, on the ground that he had no
carriage for himself his baggage, which
was not even packed. Thereupon Mr.. Sprague
drew out his watch and told Conl<ling that he
If he was r not out by that time he (Sr spragne1
would blow his bruins out. At that moment n
carriage appeared i'll sight, which had evil
IDENTIFY been sent for while senator Sprague
absent in his search for the caps. At any
rate, Conkling Immediately got EltO it and
drove away, leaving his buggy behind him.
What happened afterward in the house is not
related, except that Conklings luggage was
hustled out of the house mt short notice.
hanging around the place, and determined
to make him fully understand that he
(Sprague) was thoroughly in earnest, and that
it was not a mere passing fit of rage, the Gov
ernOr, soon as he had said his say mt the
house, and had ordered Conklings luggage
out jumped into his own wagon and drove
OFF toward the pier to find Conkling, and he
carried his gun with him. He found Conkling
pacing up and down in front OF a cafe; Jump
to come to him, and said curtly: g want
you" Conkling came, and another scene en-
IDENTIFY seeking to avoid attracting observa-
ton, and tried again to pacify the former
denounced Conkling violently, and told him
plainly that he had enough of his intimacy
with Mrs. Sprague, and did not propose to
Conkling that he had broken Il promise he
once made in Washington, to give up his ac
auaintance with Mrs. Sprague.
Ilxrf Low mt 81 nrfi i'm