The daily gazette., 1879-08-19
WILMINGTON. DEL. TUESDAY, AUGUST 49, 1872
Mrs. sprsxue's ssrsng Denial.

bfrs. SprAgIle 0shf Saturday sent fpr a
New York Sun correspondent In order
to correct several gross misstatemehts of
the late troubles which had gone out, as
well as 10 deny what she alleges to be
some atrocIous calumnies concerning
her. The following extracts are fiom
the reported interview:
81 did not charge my husband, as has
been stated, with untruthfulness, nor did
l make the verbal attacks upon him
which have been represented a, doing.
On the contrary / bore with meekness
the unm ,nly sneers and reproaches that
he sliOwered On me, not responding save
when my children's relations to NE were
touched upon. have my story to tell,
aad when the truth of this terrible busl-
ness is known i know that l shall be
justified. God knows that I have no
reason TO fear the truth, though for thir-
teen long years my life has been q con-
stant burden and drag upon me. For
years have had this thing weighing up
on me and have striven with all my
might to stand between my husbands
wrOng-d ing and the public. have
done 1t for the sake Of my CHI dren, not
for any affection that existed between
us for there has be m none for years.
This Whole miserable affair, into which
Senator CoDkling has been wantonly
dragged without . particle of reas N or
excuse, originated in business transac-
ton between himself and my husband,
Of 80 trivial nature that you would be
astonished that any sane man could con-
slider it source ofjealousy. For years
l have known Senator COnkling, ju.t as
I'm vxrctfiAss Sxf thar onA IF
my husband knew scores Of other pub
lie men in Washington. have known
him from the time was a chill T., and my
husband has known him for years. Two
years ago they were on peri city good
terms. was visiting at my house,
'Edgewood,' near Washington, and when
my husband came on to visit me, Sena-
tor 20, king WAS one of the gentlemen
who called upon ust Up TO that time
his name had never been mentioned by
my husband otherwise than with respect.
"a year ago last July MIR. Sprague sent
on to me in Washington lot OF young
coils ID young horses and fillies, which
he had picked out for his own use at the
winding up of his estate. He wished me
to use those l wanted for riding and
driving, and have the rest pastured
somewhere near the city. He came on
himself ard was looking ali ,ut for a
place to pasture them when Mr.. Conk
ling told him of some farmer in the
neig,borhood who was taking care ofhis
(Mr. Conkling's) horse. Mr.. Sprague
accepted the suggestion with pleasure,
and Mr.. Conkling introduced him to the
farmer. When October came the man
sent me his bill, which l forwarded tu
Rhode Island. The bill was sent again
and again, and always returned unpaid,
until l began to feel scandalized. Then
the man applied to Senator COnkling,
| and even threatened to sue him, having,
by his introduction Of my husband, be-
come surety for its payment. MIR. Conk-
! ling was finally forced to write 10 Mr..
Sprague, telling him the position in
which he was placed, and on subse-
| quent visit to Washington again called
on Mr.. Sprague and asked him to settle
it. He told my husband that he could
not be expected to pay any lady's bills,
least of all a married lady's, and that it
would be an insult to Inc to propose it,
but that he (Mr. Conkling) would glad
| ly give my husband the money to pay 1t
out of his own pocket, and let him repay
it whenever he would. When heard OF
this was naturally indignant and child
ed my husband for allowing the Senator
to make such an offer, and said that !
would sell anything l had to raise the
money rather than accept such assist
ance and yet this petty, contemplate
squabble was the commencement of all
my husbands jealousy against Mr.. Conk-
| ling. Even after that he consented to
receive him and voluntarily went on to
Washington in April last to get the SEN
atcr's legal opinion in regard to the
troubles between himself and his credi-
tors. There was perfect and entire cor
dality between them then, a.thoul h
these scandals, 1t is now charged, had
been known in Washington for years.
GLOW did Mr.. COnkling venture to
come to Canonchet under the circum-
stances ?"
"He came simply to use his influence
with nv husband to consent TO certain
policy in his management of the estate.
it was precisely the same subj ct OH
which Mr.. Sprsgue had voluntarily gone
to Washington and consulted him Mr..
Conking) i'm the April previous-as
stated in my published letter. l had
written to MIR. Conkling, asking him to
| uSc HIS liluuciiCC " butS CuuS anu 3sAi
Conkling replied that he would be Of
little service, but he was willing to try if
l wished it. / wrote to him that did,
and, as Mr.. Sprague himself has admitted
| /. was for the best interests ofthe estate.
l considered that there would be no i'm
propriety in his visiting us here for that
purpose. Mr.. Throop Martin, OF Auburn.
an old friend of Mr.. Conkling, and an
invalid of over seventy, was staying with
us, together with his wife and daughter.
could see no possible harm in the pres
ence of these guests, as my husband " as
constantly going and coming at intc. walls
of few days, and no effort was made 10
conceal the fact of the Senator's visit
from him. l met the Senator when he
landed from the boat at Narrigansett
and told him that his old friend, Mr..
Martin, was stopping with us, and that
We should be pleased to have him stop
o,er at Canonchet, especially as the Gov
ernor was expected home iD day or two.
He came and occupi room OH the
third floor on Wednesday and Thursday
nights preceding the trouble. On Fri
day morning, when l came down to
breakfast, / was told, 10 my surprise,
that Mr.. Sprague had come home sud en-
Iy at 3 O'Clock in the morning and had
left again. l paid no attention to this,
however, as his movements are always
yery ezra ic. lie comes in On you like q
| Ghost in the middle of the night and at