McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-09-25
BLAINE'S LITTLE LETTER.
Proceedings Ia the Court at Imdid"dpoIis-A
Letter From Mr. blaine to Walter
Made Public.


Made Public.
In the United States court at Indianapolis,
atsorneys for Mr.. Shoemaker filed bill Of
discovery In the Blaine-Sentinel suit. The
bill begins by citing the fact of Blaine bring
ing suit against she Sentinel, and repeating
the original complaint In the suit, the Senti-
nels answer and accompanying interroga-
tories and the reply of Blaine's attorneys. The
bill then states that after filing the interroga-
tories, Shoemaker's attorneys, on the 9th of
September, moved the court for rule against
Blaine to answer the same within q specified
time to be fxed by the court, which motion
was argued on September IA and overruled
The bill then goes on to say that in order to
sustain the defense of justification pleaded by
Shoemaker ii will be necessary and material
for the orators to show and prove that Blaine
had Illicit relations with and seduced the per-
son whom he afterwards married, the result
of said Intercourse being the birth of child
in about three months after said marriage.
The bill goes on to say that orators are in
formed and believe the marriage of Blaine and
Harriet Stanwood occurred on or about March
90, 1851. in Pittsburg, Pa; that the marriage
was ciandestinely arranged, secretly perform
ed and hastily accomplished; that no license
was issued by any authority for such mar
rage, none being required by the laws of
Pennsylvania at that time. That no public
reason that one Bryan, the minister who Of
ficiated at the same marriage, has been dead
several years, and that If any private record
or memoranda of the marriage WIS made, the
same has been lost or destroyed, the particu-
lars of which marriage are fully known to
Blaine. The bill then states that for some
time before the date of said marriage, Blaine
WAS professor at an institution of learning at
Drillersburg, KY, that Miss StanwOOd was an
instructress in female school at the same
place and that they there became acquainted.
Ilf,fb iQd la ad nod
Miss StanwOod as sutton; that he gained her
confidence and illicit relations ensued; that a
short time before said marriage Jacob STAN
wood, brother or uncle of Harriet, or some
other person or persons unknown to the ora
tors, waited on Blaine and charged him with
being the cause of Miss Stanwood's condition,
and threatened him with personal violence
unless he married her; that Blaine made no
denial of the charges, and in consequence of
being threatened agreed to marry her; that
one or more persons were at the interview
between Blaine and her relative. but these
persons were unknown to orators. The bill
then states that after their marriage Mrs.
Blaine went to Augusta, Me-, where child
was born about June Is, 1851, and that said
ed by Blaine as bis SON. Orators further say
they have good and valid defense as stated
in their plea of Justification and that the facts
stated in their answer are true, and that the
same can be fully established by the answers |
of Blaine to the interrOgatories heretofore |
all the circumstances being fully |
known to him, and n full and complete dis |
cOvery of said facts from and by Blaine Is |
to orators in their defense in aid of |
such other testimony as may be prOcurable. |
Unless this is done orators cannot so fully set |
put and completely show and prove the facts |
necessary to their defense. Orators, there |
fore, pray that full and complete discovery be |
made by Blaine in relation to the facts here |
tofore stated, and to that end he be summon: |
ed to answer the same under oath. The bill |
closes by asking that writ of subpoena be is |
sued out of chancery for Blaine. and that he |
De ordered to answer particularly the inter- |
rOgatOrieS, and that the proceedings be stayed |
until such time as Blaine may answer. That |
IN case Blaine fails to answer said bill, or fully
and truly to answer the Undergraduates, |
and restrained. The bill was not filed till |
o'clock, and court adjourned without taking
action.
Hon. William Walter Phelps takes the re-
sponsibility of giving to the public the follow
ng private letter addressed to him nearly two
weeks ago:
AUGUSTA, Me-, September 10, 1sS4.-Mr. dear
Mr.. Phelps: have your favor of the 4th ad-
Using me that the continuous invention and
vide REGULATION of evil reports render it ad-
7isable lin your Judgment not to wait the |
slow process of the law, but to speak directly |
% the public in my own vindication. In this |
opinion many others, on whose judgment L
ely, concur. l shrink instinctively from the
although 1 feel sure l could
strengthen the confidence of all who feel
friendly to me by bringing to view the simple
bread of truth which is concealed in this end
esS tissue of falsehoOds. You can imagine
low inexpressibly painful it must be to dis
,uss ones domestic life in the press, although
think with you that under the circumstances
could count upon the generosity of the pub
ic to justify a statement which otherwise
night seem Objectionable. L can, in any
went, safely commit the facts to you for
personal communication to those friends who
interest in my affairs. The leisure hours of
o-day, when this campaign is ended, and we
Wait only for the election, gives me the OPP
Pdefns M
kentucky, in the spring of 1913, when was
)ut eighteen years OF age, first met the lady
Who for more than thirty-four years has been
ny wife. An acquaintance resulted at the
md of six months. in an engagement which,
Without the prospect of speedy marriage. we
sought to keep to ourselves. Two
ears later, in the spring of $780, when l was
plans to leave my profession in
and establish myself elsewhere 1
vas suddenly summoned to Pennsylvania by
he death of my father. 1t being very doubt
III if 1 could return to Kentucky, / was
threatened with an indefinite separation from
Ter, who possessed my entire devotion. My
me wish was to secure Ter to myself by an
ndissoluble tie against every possible con-
urgency in life, and on the 30th day of June,
$50, just prior to my departure from Ken
ucky we were, in the presence of chosen and
rusted friends. united by what knew was in
ny native state of Pennsylvania perfectly
egal form of marriage. On reaching home l
ound that my family, and especially my be-
owed mother, strongly discountenanced my
business plans as involving too long a separa-
ion from home and kindred. Icomplied with
Ter request, that l should resume ut least for
time my occupation in Kentucky, whittier
returned in the latter part of August. Dur
ng the ensuing winter was troubled by mis-
wings which were increased by legal con-
utations, and became alarmed lest doubt
night be thrown upon the validity of our
marriage by reason of noncompliance with
he law of the state where il had occurred. I
'or had learned that the laws of Kentucky
made a license certified by the clerk of the
ounty court an indispensable requisite of
egal marriage. After much deliberatiOn and
Fith anxious desire to guard against any en-
arrassment resulting from our position, for :
Which 1 was responsible, we decided that the :
implest and at the same time the surest way !
Tas to repair to Pennsylvania and have an /
ther marriage service performed. This was
one in the presence of witnesses. in the city :
f Pittsburg, in the month Of March, but was r
ot otherwise made public for obvious rea- r
ons. 1t was soIemnized only to secure an
+hr Ry--t l