, 1880-12-28
A GREAT SCANDAL.
Important Statement to Our
Special Correspond
ent.
Gov. Sprague Speaks Ills Mind in Regard
10 Conktiug's Possession Of
llis Household.
Complete Review Of an Affair
as Celebrated as tho
Plymouth Case.
Kate Chase sprague as She Ap.
/. peared in the Zenith of
Her Beauty.
William Spraguo, the Young Sen.
ator and Owner tof Ten
Millions Of Money.
Dazzling Entertainments Of q Golden
House, Endowed with Every
Attraction:
Political Ambition OF the Wi!e.and. Daugh.
ter-Sena(oria1 Flasco OF the
Husband.
Death Of the Distinguished Father
-intemperance Of the Sen.
ator-Dark Days.
Coming of Senator Roscoe Conk-
ling, the Rejected Sllitor Of.
Former Times.
Death Of the Distinguished Father
-tntemperance Of the Sen.
ator-Dark Days.
Coming of Senator Roscoe Conk-
ling, the Rejected S,ltor Of.
Former Times.
Extraordinary Public Love-Making of
the Infatuated Pair Of
Notables.
Statement, Tor Tho First Time, al This Lats
Day, ot Tho Exact Facts Of Tho
Canonchol Meeting.
sPRAGUE SPEAKS.


our CORRESPONDENT GIVEN Ills FULL
VIEWS.
Special Dtspateh to mi Chicago Tribune.
Prov1pENcE, Il l., Dec. a7.-uoy. Spraguo
has Mt Inst decided to mike war to the knlfo
In tie comingdtyorce suit Of Ills wife agntnst
himself, and those who layo been saying
tint Ills defense would not !'o an aggressive
one will find themselvcs,b badly fooled. 1t is
true Tint,
u1' TO THE PRESENT TIstE, -,
Ills inclinatlons t,nye bcon III tile direction OF
simply charging his wifo with neglect OF
family dutics,i but now his purpose Is to
make tho bitterest kind Of u personal fight
agalnst Ills wife and ConklIng, and, unless ho
Ia badly fooled rs to tic naturo OF the owl
dclce Mt his command, the Developments to
10 n,ndo at tho trial will exceed III richness
anything heretofore limited Mt,
ro.SIollr
Gov. SprnRue mndo to TI1E Tn1nusE repre-.
sentative tho first statement regarding this
matter tint las passed his lips. Indeed, rs
llo said, 1t was only to-day TINT lto tlccitled
upon tho course TO be takcn. Ills entire
timo lloretoforn has becn taken up with legal
affairs relating to Ills estatel Ills highly-ln-
tercsting statement, this evening, WIS Us
follows:
"After tho collapse Of my fortune,
1 came home. and wanted to resign my posi-
t!on In tho Senate, but was not allowed to-
md served tho term. My fa,nliy affairs were
somewhat unsatisfactory, so far rs
THE DETERIORATION OF MY 1:FFol,Ts
In public and privato were concerned. Mrs.
6pra9le WINS never n part Of my business or
my politics, and ns to her actions ald move
monts. WINS to great extent unconscious.
She WIS abroad during n great portion Of my
married life, md w'ltlo WIS III politics my
l,ouse hero and at Washington was con-
tlucted almost entirely by her.
TIE THING THAT wKIanEp UroN siE MOST
IN my domestic affairs was that, Willie ablo
to manage everything connected with my
political nnl business life, could not COLI
troll my domestic aflairs. That WIS great
modification, but 1l1ycr mentioned It to 4
single person until found Conkltng III
possession OF my household ut Washington.
Then called upon Mrs. Spraguo's mrsonal
friends nndtho friends Of her father to sayo
I!or FROM whit had bcfUro boon nblu to pro-
tcct her,
WHEN coN1sL1sa wAa INTRODUCED INTO Ny
lIOUsE
found It utterly impossible 10 control her,
or save her from the subsequent conse-
quences. AS to tho deta!ls from tint tlno 10
tho tl,no Of Conkllug's being driven nut Of
my house, prefer you should gather thoil,
from othera." When questioned III to Ills
plan of action In tho coming trial, Gov.
Spraguo saltl, Mrs. 6prague's petition will
DO negatlycd-cyery part Of 1t. Tllere Is
nothing In 1t based upnn iacts. T'uklng tllnt
for granted, tho actlun tllat shall follow Is
forced upon ,ne by tho character OF that petit
tlon."
"6l.all you show fncts
IN 1lELATloS TO ANYTHING CRIMINAL
between senator Conkllng and Mrs,
Sprague ?'' asked tie reporter.
"You aro funny fellow to ask nc tl,at''
rejoiEetl tho Governor. 'ln all this smoke
tlero must bo good deal Of fire.
I SHALL. SHOW THE wIloLH RELATIONSHIP
md conncction--alld 1t Inns been constant
from tho summer. Of 1875, other than at
Washington"
"liaye you any letters from Conkliug to
Mrs. Sprague2"
~ have lot OF letters, but have not OK
am!ne1 them yot, so I can soy nothing oil
that point, l have bean
NELUCTANr, ON ACCOUNT OF THE cI1ID1tEN,
to examine tho situation, but have come to