Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-14
THE EVENING STAR,
.Au. gust Ii. ISL
Kate ChaSc,s Antcce> dents.

h0te ChaSc,S AnteCeuentss
columbus Special to Chicago Times
| me Narragansett Pier sensation, fl which II
! is allege0 that Kate Chase Sprague Is an IN
nappy actor, is sweet bit for gossipSs, and
iecaiis from the almost forgotten past story
10 which the name OF this talented and faSci-
natlhg woman figured most unpleasantIy in
ccnnectlon with gay young society married
man man Atthe time OF the old scandal Salmon p.
party, and man from whom the greatest Of
,hlhgs Ia political sense was expected. He
liVed In AN elegant residence at the head of
state street, and dispensed hospitality In a
| quiet way, for he was not then very well fixed
flnanclally. Miss Kate, his oldest dauyhter
presided over his establishment in a Gueenly
stiil school girl. Miss Chase was hardly
beautiful OF face, but her eyes were or the
SPARKLING Kind, which impressed all with
whom she came In contact. Her form. OF the
willowy pattern, was declared by the gal
lants to be perfection. She was piauant
in appearance and brilliant In reparfee
men, they In some instances drew down
upon her the Ill viii OF her female associates
Miss Kate was her fathers idol and con1dant
ard be rarely attended public entertainments
unless his fair daughter was at his side AS
tie governors daughter Miss Chase had. OF
course, the entree of the best society, but for
some reason she was not popular with ladies OF
her set. But that seemed to make little differ
ehce, for girls of her type care little for the
laIols OF persons OF their own sex. and her
enemies, While they might dislike the woma 4.
cringed to the governors daughter. and henc,
She nved In an atmosphere of flatJeIy The
ollghtness of the sprightly Kate attracted
ualong DINERS me attention OF rapid and
Meatny young married man who had recently
taken to wife the beautiful daughter OF an ohio
Io!lticlan and journalist, who at the time was
ao leader IN ne councils OF the democratic
before the fair school girl noticed the prefer
ehce shown FOR her society by the dashlng ben
edict. According to the old time gossjps the
married admirer began his atteptio1s nv little
cvlities then mild ilirtations, and finally the adj.
mirer, growing more enamored, was in the habit
OF driving his boOded team past the school witch
Miss Kate attended and taking her to ride.
He grew bolder and finally called at her fathers
mansion. Things went on In this way until it
was the current remark in society circles that
nothing good could come OF his acquaintance
1t was the common talk at the time that this
adnlffer would wait on the street and pick her
up at any time during the fore part OF the even
Chases ears, and he forbade the married man
his house. But even after this, II Is alleged the
indiscreet couple were In the habit Of making
engagements by signals with handkerchiefs
The lady would stop at the house OF a friend
and he would drive past in buggy, slowly, and
meetings would be successfully made by flirting
whipping to the admirer was well circulated at
the time, and believed by many. The facts OF
the whipping, as current at that time, are as
follows:-Gov. Chase had forbidden the enam-
ored Benedict from visiting his daughter, owing
to stories he had heard Of his Boosting OF his
familiarity with Kate. The Benedict paid no
to the executive mansion. One afternoon.
about three o'clock, In February, 1859, Gov.
Chase was absent from his home, and the ad-
mlrer caiea H., 70 take Miss Kate to ride The
Kate In the room together. When the admirer
heard OF the governors arrival he crawled under
the sofa, but be was pulled out by the governor
and horsewhipped with whip from his own
buggy 1t is stated that the effects OF this whip
pirg kept the Benedict In the dark for several
days.
THE FIRST MEETING
OF Miss Kate Chase and Governor Sprague, of
Rhode Island, was on September 10, 1860 at the
unyeiling Of Perry'S monument, at Cleveland
He became enamored OF Kate and at once COM
menced negotiations for her hand. After he
had paid his attentions for some time he heard
OF the Columbus gossip and ceased his atten-
lions Tor perhaps year. One day Gov. Sprague
met gentleman from Columbus In Washington
and asked him about the charges against Kate
and he was assured that Kate might have been
little 1nd1Screet In her young days, but she
lady in Columbus society. Governor Sprague,
On hearing the foregoing assurance, called to
see Kate the same evening, and continued from
that time to wait upon her until their marriage.
The scandal at the time divided the city into
parties, nabobs and canaille taking sides pro
and con. Some OF the young women who had
that there had been something more as basis
for this story than mere objection TO the
habits or condition of the gallant, but the prom
fnence OF the parties was sufficient to hush the
Chase family to Washington
MISS KATE'S SOCIETY TRIrMPHs
made her Columbus enemies cease to talk and
content themselves with enjoying the fortunes
Ct one they had attempted to ruin A lady
who, at the time OF the scandal, was a wei
known society woman and an acquaintance OF
Kate Chase, remarked tonight, when refer
ring to this story: II don't know what there is
IN the recent scandal, but / am satisfied the
evil things said about Mrs. Sprague during her
residence here were simply the work of c0terie
hF, vr-ov ino1 30
the lady beauty, talent and social position
Why. Miss Kate. as She was then, had a dozen
beaus where her associates had one and that
alone was enough to make the other girls jeal-
GUS. l knew Kate Chase well, and always
looked upon her as magnificent girl, a little
too independent to care what the world said
diplomatic In her youth as She has since be-
come, but was outspoken, and at times almost
defiant, II any one attempted to turn her from
now, but shall never believe they were in the
old times OF which we have been taking"
CHARITABLE OPINION.
There are scores of people here who honestly
believe that Mrs. Sprague is In this case more
sihned against than SHINING.
DEFENSE OF MISS KATE CHASE
Especial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gszstte
COLUMBUS, August Every sensational tele-
grams we're sent from this city last night, pur-
porting TO give detailed history Of the ro-
nances Of Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague. while yet
young Lady In this city. The reports, as tele.
IL,
but the revived gossip which was In circulation
at the time. Soon after Governor Sprague be-
came the sutton for Miss ChaSe'S hand. and was
accepted, the rumor reached the ears OF the
governor, and, In order to ascertain the truth OF
the reports, he sent to this city a personal
friend for the purpose OF aScertaining the true
state OF affairs. The gentleman remained In
the city three weeks. his business unknown to
all the time. He investigated as thoroughly as
any one interested could, and found the reports
to be base ISLANDERS, without responsible source.
People who knew Miss Chase at the time assert
that she was, perhaps lndiScreet at times, but
strongly deny the statement that she ever CON-
promised her character.
He WANTED TO GET OUT OF MEMPHIS
Memphis newspapers do not appear TO be mar
gined with black and full Of tristful rhetoric
They are sprlgItly. The Aralanche, half sheet,
prints incidents like the following:-An was
peace in the offer of President Porter yesterday
evening. The labors OF the day were over and
an air Of gentle repose pervaded the whole
apartment. The urbane Bigley had hosted his
eyeglasses and was sitting I'm the depths OF a
luxurious armchair with his feet perched upon
the table, reading the exciting brevit1es In the
i,,Gyer The Sardonic Mccoy was combing his
curling locks before the mirror. The spell Of
silence IVES broken by the entrance Oh a DISNEY
eled citizen, evideut..yy laoorins under mental
excitement. He leaned over the railing and
addressed the urbane Bigley: "Cap'n, want to
n yphQ clyoa 81