The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-24
FAMOUS CASES.
SOME CASES THAT ARE ATTRACTING
ATTENTION.
rne Phelps Dodge Case, Ont OF Which
tho Allegations In Mr.. Bayard's
Dover speech Grew-TaImage-
A New Recourse for Ii.
bel u The spragues.
spRAouE,s rARRIoArIoNs.

Mrs. Sprngue's Friend aud Dusluess Adj
wiser TeIIs n story Of the Wrongs In.
nicted Upon Her.
NEw YoRx, December 23.-Austin Cor
bin, whose name has been frequently used
10 connection with the difficulty between
Ex-Governor sprague aud Mrs. Sprague
has been interviewed, and says that as
Mrs. Sprugue's suit for divorce has now
become a matter OF publicity he thought
the time had come when her friends might
speak.
l am relation Of Mrs.sprague as well
rs her friend and business adviser. i
have known her many years, and what
she has suffered in her domestic relations,
and when it eliminated in this most in.
famous attack upon her at Canonchet, !
became convinced that her own life, il not
the lives OF her children, was in danger.
sent her word to leave as soon as she could
safely, and come directly to me, which
she did. Mrs. Sprague, after leaving
Oanonchet, and during the time In which
she could not be found. was at my place
near Babylon, Long Island. She spent
two weeks there with her three daughters.
Reporter-In hiding?
Corbin-Nots bit oil it. They came open.
ly there by public conveyance and were
daily driven about the country In the
vicinity OF my place, but they were under
the eye and protection OF half dozen
men employed on the property, who knew
who they were and would have made 1t
very unpleasant fol. any one who dared to
molest them"
Corbin said further that after leaving
Babylon Mrs Sprague went to- Edge
her fathers old home, in the early part OF
1870. She practically separated from her
husband because OF his treatment, but in
1870 she visited Canouchet at bis earnest
solicitude, as he said it would aid him in
securing him the property and would thus
be beneficial to the children, but she gain
ed nothing whatever from it except added
insult and wrong TO the great load that
had already been heaped upon her. This
last outrage at Canonchet was the crown
Ing iniamy OF all.
Reporter you do not believe in
this Canonchet scandal?"
Corbin-"On the contrary, know the
whole story as manufactured by Governor
Sprsgue to be entirely false, pure, una.
dulterated fabrication and yarn. That he
followed Mr.. Conkling with shot gun is
80 ridiculously untruthful and known to
be so by number OF people at CononGhet
at the time, that have no patience to dis.
cnss 1t. There was not shot gun in the
place. There was absolutely nothing
whatever in that story, q downright false
hood made out Of the whole CLOTH"
Reporter-"What, then, ia tho true story
of the Oanonchet affair, and what connec-
tion did Conkling have with it?"
Corbin-"The Csnonchet affair, as you
call it, so far as it is q scandal involving
Mrs. Sprague, Is lie out of the whole
cloth. have said that already. Conk-
ling, am told, was guest in the house,
invited there by Governor Sprague on
business, for Sprsgue was misbehaving in
his characteristic manner. Mrs. Sprague
was threatened, as said, and the house
was by no means cheerful place for any.
body. Conkling and the other guests,
therefore, left, but they did 80 without
particle OF trouble with Gov. Sprague, and
Mrs. Sprague, as l have said afterwards
came to me. This lady Is as innocent OF
any wrong in thought or deed as child"
Reporter-"How about the suit for di.
vorce? Tie bill charges some pretty Sc.
we're things."
Corbin-"You had better see Mrs.
Sprague's counsel in relation to this part
OF the case. He tells me that the material
he had for bill was go plentiful that he
found 1t difficult 10 determine where TO
begin to make bic statement, and says that
all he has alleged and much more is true"
Corbin said in conclusion that an effort
had been made, for the sake OF the chill.
dren, 10 effect peaCeable settlement, but
he had never offered, as alleged, to pre-
sent Governor Sprague with judgment
for $40, 600 in case he would consent to
divorce. Mrs. Sprsgue had plenty OF
friends who would stand by her to the
end.