The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-08-22
SPRAGUE--CONKLING.

band TO be y Most DespIcable Beast
Alleged Meeting and Row Between
Husband and Wife.
Special Dispatch to Chicago Tribune.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., August 14.-FOl-
lowing is the statement of Mrs. Senator
Sprague in relation to the unfortunate
difficulty at Narragansett Pier, which she
has given permission to be published:
LAS you must have surmised, Gov
Sprague's dissolute life and dissipated
habits long ago interrupted our marital
relations, though / have striven hard
through untold humiliation and pain to
hide from the world, for my children's
sakes, the true condition of a blighted,
miserable domestic life. About year
ago even this poor semblance abruptly
terminated after a disgraceful Orgie and
arrest at Nantasket beach, with the cir
cumstances OF which many people in
Rhode Island are not unfamiliar.
then sought with my little girls the
neighbOrhood of old friends and the |
shelter of my honOrcd fathers home. |
There, dwelling almost in the shadow of
his tomb, / felt more secure, less unpro- |
tected. Here, kindly sympathy sought |
me out, and though covert malice point |
ed some cenSoriouS comments, relief
came, and our circumscribed means |
were adequate to our simple and quiet |
mode of life.
"Gov. Sprague's Irregularities having |
been charged upon him by the trustee |
administering his embarrassed estate, |
the contribution toward the maintc- |
nance of myself and children, without |
word of explanation to me, was sud- |
denly cut down to palpably inadequate |
sum. Even this WAS RENTED but for a |
few months; then, owing to a complete |
rupture between Gov. Sprague and the |
trustee, all remittances ceased, and for |
six months no more money has been |
contributed toward the maintenance of |
his family or household by Gov. Sprague. |
In addition to greater wrongs, unpaid |
tradespeOple to whom he was indebted |
have been urgent in their demands for |
payment, but he gave no heed to the in
debtedness, even answering, when press
ed by me to find a way to meet these |
Just demands and relieve me of impor-
tunities, that must look to my power
full Washington friends for aid and, to
my deep distress and modification, per-
mitted, after long delay, bill for car
riage hire for his mothers use during a
visit to me in Washington, to he paid
by the gentleman who had recommend
ed TO us the stable from which the car
riage was hired.
This and other more unmanly eXhi-
billions have been incidental to the past
year, while the brutality of recent events,
repetitions of similar scenes of violence
and outrage enacted in former years, has
finally driven us from the door, and fill
ed the public prints of the country with
a scandal too cruel TO be endured with
out redress.
"Gov. Sprague's causeless and shame
full persecution of the children's teacher
is literally true as he tells the story-the
al amir hs,en o..
Sprague's unwillingness to be subjected
to the restraint at the table and in the
household observances of the constant
presence of IA gentleman.
THE attempt to complicate Mr.. COnk-
ling with the matter is absurd. The two
men, Conkling and the teacher, never
met / believe have never seen each other
Sprague's indecent affront to the guests
in the house was most gross and without
provocation. Mr.. Martin, whom had
met in "A very precarious condition of
health, en- route for Narragansett pier,
induced to go To Canonchet for quiet and
good nursing. He WAS removed under
Governor Sprague's threats of murder, "A
thing to be done at the imminent risk of
his life.
Mr.. COnkling was, of course, us un-
conscious As l that Governor Sprague
sought occasion to enact the tragic role
of the injured husband, for ut their last
meeting, not long since, Gov Sprague
had sought from Mr.. Conkling not only
legal counsel. but accepted at his hand
favor such Us only the friendliest conf
dence could warrant.
I'm his determination to overthrow
Mr.. Chatfcc 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 4. IL w. Sprague books of the Quid-
mic company, refusing To return them
Mr.. Chatfee, in return, refused until
these books were returned To permit
Gov. Sprague TO hold any business rela-
tions with the concern, and, of course,
refused to permit him to draw any mon
ey.
This was the situation Ofaffairs which,
10y coming to Rhode Island, / had hoped
through some influence or other brought
TO bear on Gov. Sprague TO help to set
right, and to secure by some means q
maintenance for the four children for
whose wants and education have been
and am now bearing the undivided bur
den. A conference with counsel employ
ed by the firm achieved no results.
"Prof. Licnk, under contract with me
for three months, was neither permitted
TO perform his duties nor paid and dis
missed. We had no oStensible means
for living at Canonchet without incur
ring additional Indebtedness, to which l
refused 20 be party. In this awkward
and painful dilemma, 1 requested Mr..
Conkling, who had been already con-
suited bS Mr.. Sprague, and upon whose
judgment and advice have safely re-
lied in my own matters, to see Gov.
Sprague and try TO ascertain what point
there is in the proposed programme OF
opposition, and what results were likely
to follow that would benefit or provide
for the children. Mr.. Conkling stopped
at Canonchet for this purpose, and was
awaiting Gov. Sprague's return to seek
an interview with him when the now
notorious outbreak occurred.
"If any hostile words were exchanged
between Mr.. COnkling and Gov Sprague
at CanOnchet, they alone know what
they were, for no one else heard them.
What transpired in the village ] do not