The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-08-21
SCANDAL IN HIGH PLACES.
EX-GOv. sPRAGUE THREATENS SENA
- TOR CONKLIN0.

EX-GOv. SPRAGUE THREATENS 0ENA-
TOR CONKLIN0.
The Intimate Relations So Mech Talked
about Result In Family Broil-a Ger
man Tutors Life Endangered By DFun-
Il ken Passion-Ars. spragus's stassnsat
Since Friday, the 9Th inst, the eastern
papers have been discussing at length a
very unpleasant affair which occurred at
Canonchet, the residence Of ex-senator
Sprague, neal NanagansettP Pier, r. l. But
from its political bearing conflicting &C
counts have rendered the facts difficult to
obtain. The public is familiar with the
many stories current of Senator Conkling' .
airtations with Mrs. Sprague, as also the
complicated state If Gov. Sprague's
finances, and his dissolute habits of life.
All this eliminated in the occurrence that
has excited the gossips all over the coun-
try, and which involves Hon. Roscoe Conk-
ling as a very prominent feature, and the
teacher of Mrs. Sprague's children as the
immediate cause of the outbreak. During
the residence of Mrs. Sprague, with her
four children, in Washington, q Ger
man professor named Linck was employed
as instructor to her children, and pre-
coded Mrs. Sprague to Rhode Island.
But he won the dislike Of Gov. Sprague,
who ordered him from the place, and subse-
quently kicked him out of the house. But
after the arrival of Mrs. Sprague he call
ed at rrequest-she hoping an adjustment
could be arranged-but he met Gov. SpraQue,
Who was feeling the effect OF his morning
potations, and the Governor pursued him
with a double-barrel gun. threatening
to kill him, and at the remonstrance Of
Senator Conkling. who with other friends
of the family was a guest Of Mrs. Sprague,
the Governor became exasperated, and
used very insulting language to his wife
and all present, ordering Mr.. Conkling from
the premises, and threatening to shoot
HIM if he ever came in his way
again. After this, and after Mr..
Conkling's departure, Mrs. Sprague
took her three younger children
and left her husbands house, repairing to
hotel. All the parties were very reti-
cent about the affair, refusing to answer
the questions Of inquiring correspondents;
but after the correspondents had given
their own account Of the scandal, Mrs.
Sprague comes forward with the follow
ing statement. The matter is exciting
much comment in political circles, and
further Developments will be sought with
anxious interest:
MRS. sPRAGUE's STATEMENT.
LAS you must have surmised, Gov.
Sprague's dissolute life and dissipated
habits long ago interrupted our marital
relations, though i have striven hard
through untold humiliation and pain to
hide from the world. for my children's
sake, the true conditions of blighted,
miserable, domestic life. About a year
ago even this poor semblance abruptly
eliminated 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 neighbor-
hood of old friends and the shelter of my
honored fathers former home. There,
dwelling almost within the shadow of his
tomb, felt more secure and less unpro-
tected. Here kindly
SYMPATHY SOUGHT ME OUT
and, though covert malice pointed some
censorIous comments, relief came, and our
circumscribed means were adequate to our
simple mode of life. Gov. Sprague's ir-
regularities having been visited upon HIM
BY the trustee administering his embar-
raised estate, the contribution toward
the maintenance of myself and children,
without word OF explanation to me, was
suddenly cut down TO palpably made
quate sum- Even this was RENTED but
few months. Then, OWING to a complete
rupture between Gov. Sprague and the
trustee, all remittances ceased, and for
six months past no money has been con-
tributed toward the maintenance OF his
family o. household by Gov. Sprague. In
addition to greater wrongs,
UNPAID TRADEsPEOPLE
to whom he was indebted have been urg-
ent in their demands for payment, but he
gave no heed to the Indebtedness, even
answering. when pressed by me to find
way to meet these Just demands and re-
lieve me Of opportunities, 81 must look to
my powerful Washington friends for aid"
and to my deep distress and modification
permitted, after long delay, bill for car
riage hire for his mothers use during
visit to me in Washington to be paid BY
the gentleman who had recommended to
us the stable from which the carriage was
hired. This and other more unmanly ex-
hibitions have been incidental to the past
year, while the brutality of recent events,
the repetition Of similar scenes of
VIOLENCE AND OUTRAGE
enacted in former years, has finally driven
us from the door, and filed the public
prints of the country with scandal too
cruel to be endured without redress. Gov.
Sprague's causeless and shameful perse-
cution of the children's teacher is literal
ly true as he tells the story, the real ami
mus being, as confessed, Gov. Sprague's
unwillingness to be subjected at the table
and in the household to the constant pres
ence Of gentleman. The attempt to
complicate
MIR. CoNKLING
with this matteris absurd. Gov. Sprague' 3
affront to the guests IN the house was
most gross and without excuse. Mr.. Mar
tin, whom had met in a very precarious
condition of health en- route for Nara
gansett Pier. induced to 20 to Canouchet
tor quiet and good nursing. He was re-
moved under Gov. Sprague's threat of
murder to be done, at the imminent risk |
Of his life. Mr. Conkllng was Of course as |
unconscious as | that Gov. Sprague
sought occasion to enact the tragic role Of |
the injured husband, for at their last
sought from Mr.. Conkling not only legal
but accepted at his hand favor
such as only the friendliest confidence
could warrant. In his determination TO |
overthrow Mr.. Chaffee as trustee, and |
hoping to Join forces with the creditor in
terest to drive him from his post. Gov.
Sprague had carried away from the count
ing house Of A. 4 W. Sprague the books
Of the Quidnick company, refusing to re-
turn them. Mr.. Chaffee, in turn. refused,
until these books were returned, to permit |
Gov. Sprague to bold any business rela-
hons with the concern, and. Of course,
refused to permit HIM TO draw any
MONEY.