, 1880-12-26
His Blows to Be Aimed at His
Arch-Enemy, Roscoe !
Conkling.
Hints as to Prominent Facts That
viii Appear During the
Trial
With Reference to q Duel That Failed
Through Friendly Inter.
ference.
IN PROVIDENCE,

| PROVIDENCE, K l., Dec. 3s5.--Tne Spragu
divorce case, which is expected to come
trial in about q month, promises an endles
amount Of gossip for people In all parts 6
the country, and especially in this locallt.
where all the parties interestedkither directl
| or Indirectly are SO we'll known. The charge
of inddelity made BY Mrs. Sprague agains
her husband were of such a sweeping natur
as to rouse q storm OF indignation agains
her IL Providence, where all the womei
with whom the Governor is alleged t
have been unnecessarily intimate
| originally hail from. Their his
| tories we're given In TIE TRBUSE1
New York dispatches yesterday, and repc
ttt1on IS not necessary. There seems to be nj
! doubt that previous to his marriage Gov
Sprague was on intimate terms with Mis-
Walt, this being freely admitted by hi.
friends, and they do not deny very strenuousl,
| that the Intimacy was renewed after tem
pora-y suspension caused by his marriage
! Tie woman is connected BY the marriage o1
her sister
WITH THE REST FAMILIES
of the State, and. While Mrs. Sprague may
have been fully justified in dragging
this phase OF her family troubles
before the public, she has un.
doubted1y raised against her cause
avery formidable opposition, since the first
families Of Rhode Island now regard her rs
their: natural enemy. The TRIBUNE man
had talks to-day with several persons, at
least two Of whom are to be depended upon
as knowing everything they say to be true,
and learned that
A TERY EXTENSIVE NINE OF SCANDAL
which promises to exceed In richness any
thing yet heard Of III connection with this
matter, will be laid bare to the public gaze
when the divorce snit comes to trial.
During the Fast two weeks great change
has coine over Coy. Sp1ague. Freyiols to
that time he was extremely careless and even
slovenly In his dress, and also patronized the
flowing bowl to an extent that sometimes ex-
ceeded his ability In that line; but now he
has spruced up. and Is believed to have en-
tlrely abandoned the use Of liquor.
talked this evening with member Of the
SDraRue family, one who has been familiar
with the troubles OF Kate and her husband
from their inception. and learned many
things Of interest that have not heretofore
been made public. The sensational episode
at Narragansett Pier, in which Senator
Conkling, a German tutor. and Gov. Sprague's
shotgun played such prominent parts, was
gone over. My informant said the facts
were that Sprague started after the German
with shotgun, but never had any idea Of
firing the weapon, his intention being sim
ply'to
BADLY SCARE THE NAN,
so that he would desert Canoncllet and IN
unpaid bill for services at the same time
Conkling was never threatened with the
gun, but Gov. Sprague did take out his
watch and hold in front Of tho Senator's
nose, thereby conveying a delicate hint that
1t was time for him to goa conclusion to
which Mr.. Conkllng seems to have assentcd
with great alacrity.
About six months previous to this Gov.
Sprague quietly went to Washington and
entered his wife's house ct EdgeWood at
midnight his route being by way Of the back
door. He burst suddenly into Kate's cham
Der. but the gentleman whom he expected to
find thers
WAS ABSENT.
VINO That party was can easily be imagined.
What will be the Governors answer to his
wlfe's bill is not known. The pretended in
teryiews with him In two New York papers
were wholly without foundation. but 1t Is
believed he will soon brenk silence and tell
his side Of the story. He was to have come
to Providence from Canonchet to-day, but
missed the train, and cannot get here before
Monday morning.