Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-20
MRS. SCoVILLE.
How She Is Beseiged by Rsporters-Her
Letter to Mrs. Garfield--The Copy
Which Was Published Stoleu From Her


Desk.
[Chicago Times]
Upon receipt of the information that Mrs. |
Garfield has received Mrs. Scovlle's letter, a
reporter of the Times was dispatched to that
ladys residence to ascertain if she was aware
Of the manner of its reception. The reporter
was requested in dignifed and reserved man.
ner to state his business.
care you aware of the fact, Mrs. Scoville,
that Mrs. Garfield has received your letter?''
asked the interrogation.
81 suppose she has. The letter was regis
tered for Cleveland on Monday, and she should
have received it before this time" was the
r,ply.
''Then you have not seen newspaper re-
port to that effect?"
IL have not. am getting very tired of the
newspapers. They seem willfnlly to misrep-
resent me and my family all of the time, in
every manner possible A paper yesterday
stated that had written letter to Mrs. Gar
field in order that she might use her influence
with President Arthur in my brothers. behalf,
which is all sheer nonsense. l get no rest,
day or night, on account of the newspapers
and the reporters
Mrs. Scoville looked, as well as spoke, her
indignation. "YOu reporters" she continued,
"come here at all hours ofNthe night, and re-
sort to all manner of subterfuges to interview
and annoy me, and then make your interviews
as sensational as possible. A reporter came
here and tried to interview me when
I was so tired and worn out after
my return from Washington that 1 could
scarcely sit up, and when :ay daughter an
swered this bell and told him was indisposed
he said he would write us all up good for not
letting him in She told him eve would get
even with him if he did, and when he wrote
it up he said we
SLAMMED THE DOOR IN HIS FACE,
and quoted my daughters word, but said
nothing about his remarks to her. After
wards, he came here with what he pretended
was a telegram from Wisconsin and tried to
get in to interview me-"
The reporter assured Mrs. Scoville that he
had not come to make any Misrepresentation,
and her manner became finally more nnre-
served. She invited the interviewer into the
parlor, remarking that she would willingly
answer any reasonable questions.
"Mrs. Garfield declines to answer your let
ter, She says she bears no i'll will toward you
or Guiteau, but does not wish to be dragged
into notoriety needlessly. What do you think
of her declining to answer your letter."
"There was nothing in the letter that called
for an answer, and l did not expect an an
swer."
"What was your idea in writing Mrs. Gar
field. You deny the imputation some of the
newspapers have cast upon your motive for
writing the letter?''
81 have been wanting to write Mrs. Garfield
for the very reason that gave in the letter;
and, as stated in that letter, ] did write her
last July, but did not send the letter. | have
written as much as fifty sheets of paper from
which I have made drafts from time to time,
until had arranged it to suit my ideas as to
brevity and proper wording. felt it to be g
duty-it weighed upon my mind. wanted to
tell her how / felt for her in her great trouble
I wanted to show her that it was not the de-
graded wretch Guiteau, but poor, insane,
misguided boy, who killed her husband. l
don't see how my letter could be misunder-
stood"
sDo you think Mrs. Garfield would have
written you in reply to your letter if your let
ter had not been published?"
"She might have done SO, although there's
vast difference in our stations in life. She is
presidents wife, while am Guiteau's sis
ter; but we are suffering from a madman's
freak alike. Her suffering, no doubt, is more
intense than mine, as she mourns the loss OF
her husband, as only awife can, while |
mourn the loss to the nation of a great and
good man, and that his life was taken by
MY DEMENTED BROTHER"
"How do you account for the appearance of
your letter in print before Mrs. Garfield had
received it?''
81 was almost at loss to know how that
happened until found that one of the drafts
I had made of the letter was missing. I used
great deal of care in preparing the letter,
making a final third copy, which l
registered on Monday One of the
copies I put away for safe-keeping,
while the other was left among my papers to
show some of my friends. 1 was very much
surprised when found that letter had been
published, and, not being able to find the copy
had left among nay papers, came to the con-
clusion that some reporter had secured the
copy in some way unknown to me. Ever
since this terrible calamity, have been wri-
ting all over the house, whenever had a mo-
ment to spare. My writing materials and
manuscript were in almost every room, until
had finished the letter to Mrs. Garfield. l
changed my room then, aud began taking care
of my papers. About this time some of my
boarders left, and we were answering adver-
tisements of parties who wanted rooms and
board. My servant had the privilege of show
ing parties the rooms l had occupied,
and several times left gentlemen who called
to look at roorns in my library where my
desll stood open and the papers upon it
labeled and strewn about. On one or two oc-
casions, coming IN and finding strange gem
tlemen there and the servant answering the
bell for some one else, / have chided her for it.
l suppose in some way it was found out that
l had registered the letter, and some one or
two men arranged 30 call, and, after one had
gone in to look at the rooms, the other would
ring, and, while his call was beiug answered
by the servant, the other made free with my
papers. This is the theory the rest Of the
family advance as the only one
TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.
1t might have been taken several days be-
fore I registered the letter to Mrs. Garfield,
as every one in the house knew was writing
one, and it might have been kept quiet until
it was certain I had sent the letter and then
given to the press, for if it had been pub
lished before | registered the letter should
have written Mrs. Garfield another. | don't
know now whether l dld right or wrong to
write to her, but did what I considered my
duty. I am very tired of SO much newspaper
talk about our affairs"
The reporter intimated that some one had
been given copy of her letter to be sold to
the newspapers about the time that she regis
tered her copy.
s'That may be-" replied Mrs, Seoville. 81
understand that is the way the news is peddled
around from one newspaper office to another"
s'But it is said that you were cognizant OF
that fact, and were to receive part OF the pro-
ceeds of the sale of the letter."
"Where did you hear that story?' she asked,
her Indignation Icing clearly manifested in the