The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-18
sPRAGUECO CONKLING.
what Mrs, Kate Has DO Say In Her De.
Tense.

]. Thew wltnessesto the scene between Go,
RI ernor and Mrs. sprague at Conductc
!, Hale's house, Narragansett Pier, on Thur
o day, say that II was stormy. lie said I
1t his wife: "Your man got away prett
Q quick that time, didn't he?" to which hi
j. wife made no reply. Subsequently, speak
! ingof Mrs Sprague's alleged extrayaRance
y Y he asked: "where is that 5000 you 90
! recently? Gsuppose you have squandere,
!, ali tbatT A friend Of Mrs. sprague VIII,
, was present says that the wife received
these remarks, for the most part, in silence
) and seemed more occupied in settling th,
. future Of her children than in induipin.
In mutual recriminations. She made n[
counter-charge Of inhdelity against The
Governor, as was at first reported.
During the past few days, since her re.
turn TO Canonchet, strict watch has
been kept upon her movements, although
she has been at liberty comparatively,
Tho Governor says she can go when and
where she pleases. She has been waited
on by. her maid and goyerness. and
allowed 10 see her children, and her hrIs.
band has only interfered to prevent her
communication with persons whom he re-.
CARDS as hostile to him. Among these
are Miss Fosdyk, the friend who accom-.
panied her from Providence, and
who has often before been a guest
OF CanonChet. Her messages TO these
have been detained; but Yesterday.
through the medium OF her French
maid, she succeeded in getting one tele.
gram sent from the Mount Hope Office.
Wien the news OF this action reached the
ears OF the Governor he was somewhat
incensed, and threatened TO discharge the
maid, but on q second thought relented.
To-day he told your correspondent tbat
he was perfectly willing that bis wife
should see any one she wished, and that
his sole desire in keeping these 'Isecret
messages" from her was 10 insnre her
peace and quiet, For the past few days
she had been in very excited condition
aud he could not consent 10 her keen;ny
up private correspondence with nersons
honor Of his family.
a party Of lawyers and personal friends
OF Coy. sprague were standing at the H.
6rary window when your correspondent
drove up to Canonchet to-day. Mr.. Haz.
zard, the venerable senior counsel OF The
Governor, Dir. Robert Thompson and Mr..
Arthur Watson were among the number,
A ring at the door brought two Of them
out, but itwas long time before ihey
could be induced 10 communicate with
Mr.. Sprague. Atlength the correspondent
was invited to step into small retiring
room where the Governor was sitting
Mi. Sprague's lace betrayed traces OF the
distress he had 80 recently suffered, but he
rose and welcomed his visitor cordially
with outStretched hand. He said yery
little, beyond the fact that he hopei by
keeping his wife quiet and composed for
two days aud beyond the reach of dis.
tressIng influence to induce a frame OF
mind IN which she would come to an
understanding upon her future position
toward him. 1t is believed in Lhe village
however, that Mrs. Sprague was under
lock and key and restricted in her liberty,
and he was willing the public should
know that such was not the TACT. For his
own part he proposed to say nothing, The
Goyernorthen turned to Mi. Watson. who
is his nephew by marriage, and said:
Take this gentleman 10 Mrs. Sprapue.n
The correspondent was taken una wind
ing staircase ot richly carved oak TO the
second floor, where broad doorway omen.
ed into an elegantly furnished apartment.
half parlor and half library, with Inv
window looking out on the lawn. Mrs.
Sprague occupied an arm chair near tue
table, and rose to receive her guest. She
was extremely pale, but her manner be.
trayed only tho slightest trace Of agitation.
Once or twice her lips trembled, but In
general she preserved most admirable
elt.poise, speaking calmly and earnestly
and with degree OF native elegance aud
grace which would have made powerful
impression on the most obdurate. Her Ian.
guage was remarkably clear and well
chosen, and no ono who has listened 10
her Tor ten minutes can doubt that she
wrote, as she avows she did, the whole Of
the Providence letter, which has been
attributed TO her lawyers.
81 have sent for you," she said. "be.
cause wish 10 correct some false ilnpres.
sons which have gone abroad in regard
to my conduct at Thursdays meeting.
l did not charge my husband, as has been
stated, with untruthfulness; nor did ID
make the verbal attacks upon him which
| have been represented as doing. On
the contrary, bore with meekness the
unmanly sneers and rcproaches that he
showered on me, not responding save
when my children's relations to me were
touched upon. Il have my story TO tell,
aud when the truth OF this terrible busi.
ness is made known know that shall be
Justified. God knows that have no rea.
son to fear the truth, though for thirteen
long years my life has been A constant
burden aud drag upon me For years.
have had this thing weighing upon me,
and have striven with oil nv might n
stand between my husbands wrong doing
and the public. i have done il ior the
sake Of my children, not for any affection
that existed between us, for there has been
none for years
This whole miserable affair, into
which Senator Conkling has been wanton.
ly dragged without particle Of reason or
excuse. originated in a business transac.
ton between himself and my husband OF
so trivial nature that you would be as.
tonlshed that any sane man could consider
u source OF jealousy. | have known
Senator Conkling just as, from the posi-.
lion oil my father and OF my husband, [
have known scores otother public men in
Washington. L have known him from
the; time was child, and my husband
has known him for years. Two years ago
they, were on perfectly good terms. Twas
visiting at my. house in Edgewood, near
Washington, and when my husband came
on to visit me Senator Gonkling was one
OF tho gentlemen who called unon M.
Up to that time his name had never been
mentioned BY my husband otherwise than
4 with respect.
"a year ago last July Mr.. Sprague sent
on TO me In Washington alot of Young
colts and young horses and fillies which
he had picked out for his own use ut the
winding up Of his estate. Ho wished mo
TO use those wanted for riding and driy.
ing, and have the rest pastured some.
where near the city. Iio cams ON him.
self, and was looking about for the place
TO pasture them when Mr.. Conklinr told