Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-13
HUNTING BIG GAME.
A lONG-SUPPRSSED SCANDAL AT
. LAST OPENED UP. $50.
sx-GOS. Sprague on the Rampage at a
Watering Place-SenatOr COnkling
Ordered Out of the House and
Shot at--Variations Of
the Story.

UfuereQ Oul VI llc UOuSc anu
Shot at--Variations Of
the Story.
The intimate relations existing be-
tween Senator Conkling and the wife OF
ex-senator and Ex-Governor Sprague
have been talked over in undertones IN
Washington society and political circles
for upwards of three years. 1t has
been limited at darby in newspaper cor
respondence quiet frequently, but a
feeling OF regard or pity for "the woman
in the case" has induced the press gen.
orally 10 suppress, instead OF paradlng,
accessible information. Last spring,
when Senator CDnkling so energetically
advocated the bill to relieve Mrs.
Sprague's estate from taxation, every
body was set to talking.
Mrs. Sprague wanted the assessment
of her country estate, known as Edge
wood, reduced, and the penalties that
had accrued because of non-payment OF
taxesremitted, 1t required an act ofCon-
gress 10 effect this, and Conkling was a
man of power in the then Radical Sen
ate. He very readily accepted the COM
mission given him by the lady and
worked with such diligence as to pass
the bill through the Senate. The
House, however, did not accept il so
readily, and the result was compromise
in the conference. The high contracting
parties met frequently at the Capitol, as
was natural, but it was not long before
employees of the Senate stated Gin con-
fidence" TO one and another that Mrs.
Sprague wa $ in the habit of meeting MIR.
Conkhng in his committee room (he
was then chairman of the committee on
commerce), and that they were some
times locked in there together.
This reached the ears OF some OF the
reporters, who, upon Investigation,
found the statement to be true. Conk-
ling's trusted agent was clerk under
Secretary Gorham, named Griffith. lie
would bring Mrs. Sprague to the Capt.
toll in a carriage and escort her TO the
committee room, and then notify Conk-
ling, and while the couple were together
Griffith would stand on the outside and
prevent intrusion.
During last winter and spring both
parties seemed to grow more and more
regardless of public opinion. Mrs.
Sprague boldly displayed her Partially
for the distinguished senator, and her
conduct at the Capitol became subject
OF comment even among grave and rev.
erend senator's She was often TO be
seen in the Senate gallery, and general
ly occupied q front seat. 1t was rare
that she failed to be on hand when
Conkling was advertised for speech,
and was often on such occasions demon
strative in her expressions of approval.
During the closing days and nights OF
the extra session Mrs. Sprague was
regular attendant upon the Senate. She
was invariably accompanied by the
faithful Griffith, and on more than one
occasion, in full view of the reporters
gallery, wrote notes to the senator,
which her attendant would deliver to
him at his seat. Then the lOrdly sena-
tor, smiling acceptance and approval to
his fair correspondent in the gallery,
would indite replies, which Griffith
would promptly deliver. Scenes OF this
character have amused the reporters
several times, and caused them TO lose
sight entirely of the business before the
Senate.
The night the difficulty between Sena-
tors Lamar and COnkling Mrs. Sprague
BETRAYED her deep interest in the latter
to the most careless spectator. She &C.
cupied her usual seat in the gallery dur
ing all the weary hours of the session.
When Mr.. Lamar gave COnkling the lie
and the latter advanced 10 reply, she
arose i'm her seat and leaned over the bal
cony, witha blanched face, and suddenly
dropped i'm her seat, and il was whis-
pered that she had tainted, but this was
not true. Her alarm was apparent to
everybody, however, and the moment
Conkling ceased speaking she sent
Griffith TO him with message. Mr..
COnkling found time to send word back
TO her by the same messenger, which
seemed TO reassure her All this &C.
Cured in full view of many scrutiniZing
ewes, and from that night the relations
between the twain became a common
topic of conversation on the floor OF the
Senate. 1t was rumored soon after,
that Mr.. Sprague had heard OF the night
scene at the Senate, and had declared
his intention to bring the affair to an
issue. Apparently this rumOr did not
reach Conkling, for he remained in
Washington for some time after the adj
journment, and spent the larger portion
of it at EdgewoOd. 1t was common
thing for frequenters of the road to
meet them driving after the Senator'S
fine team, and about the time of Mrs.
Sprague's arrival at Long Branch the
telegraph gave notice of Mr.. Conkhngs
presence there. He seems, however,
to have gone too far, when he followed
the lady to her husbands residence,
near Providence. The matter it is now
believed will 60 to the courts, and not
withStanding the efforts of the agent Of
the Associated Press to cover up the
affair at Narragansett Pier, the whole
truth concerning it is likely to be made
public.