The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-10

fact which should add 10 the force of their
! testimony, for saying that his associations
were those of a gentleman, and that he was
even then, at the age of seventeen or twenty,
regarded a young man OF ability and prom
Use. We understand that he is connected Dy
affinity, if not by blood, with some of the
leading families of Kentucky, and we know
that outside of his connections he left many
warm friends in the State, who have since
observed his public career and promotion
with as much pleasure as is consistent with
political differences. We may add that even
so far as reports above referred 20 are con-
cerned, Dame Rumor, with all her ingenious
malice, adds TO his credit highly honorable
and pralseworthy action. That Mr.. Blaine
Is leading member of the Radical party is
evinced by his election TO the Speakerlhip,
but we have not heard that he entertained
that bitter feeling of revenge and hatred to-
ward the South which seems to prompt the
most members of his party, and men who do
not are so rare among the Radicals of the
North There are none at all in the South J,
that they seem to deserve all of the COM
mendation of the Southern Democrats"
At BelleYiew, which is only two miles
from EmInence, II. Todd Batterton, one of
the best known and thriftiest farmers of that
region, was met. as had been intimated,
Mr.. Bstterton was found to have a very warm
spot still for the man whom he had known
under such pleasant circumstances.
81 always found Blaine to be hearty,
whole-souled fellow" said he. land we have
had great many jolly times together.
think, however, he made a very serious mis-
take in writing that letter about the
WILLIAMSBURG SCANDAL
Or rather in the way he wrote it,
DO you think that he should have re-
main ed silentg
Yes, think that would have been his
best course. Where a man has a very vul-
nerable spot, he ought not to court fight
Now. as TO that statement that he married at
the end of a shotgun, don't think it can be
proved. l am sure / never saw any proof of
it or heard any, and don't believe it. But
as to the seduction, why it's very foolish for
him to make an issue OF it or deny it. be-
cause if it came to matter of proof he'd
have nothing to stand on, and he'd be over
whelmed. Why venture to say that hun
dred witnesses would have to testify fatty
against him on that if they were put upon
the stand, although four-ffths of them would
hate to have to testify at all.'
"ATe you satisfied he was not married in
MillersburgP'
Why, of course I am. If he had been
married don't you suppose would have been
told of it? But that's all nonsense, for you
can rest assured he won't claim that he was
married there. That's where he made the
mistake. He ought never to have let the
scandal go so far when he could have pre-
vented it. When I read his letter and saw
that he had instituted suit thought first I
would just sit down and write letter urg-
ing him not to take any chances on that
point, because of the large number Of wit
nesses who are available against it. But then
l reflected that he's a clear-headed man and
las fully considered the subject, and like as
not he don't intend to try the case, but Just
let it stand while and then dismiss it. So
l kept nay advice to myself"
In the Bourbon County region there are
many old citizens to be found, who, when
asked for "reminiscences, grow fdgety aud
declare that they do not remember anything
about the case, but not one was met who
would give direct denial to the statement as
TO the young lady's apparent misfortune.
Several Blaine papers have secured very eX-
haustive vindieations by sending CORE
spondents to Georgetown to interview citi-
Zens. who almost uniformly declared that
they, heard little and knew less of any scan
dial. This is accepted as satisfactory evil
dence that the story has no foundation.
The fact is, that it was not until the prin-
ciples had left Georgetown for good that any
compromising events in connection with the
Blaine affair were brought to the notice of
the public, and the whole affair occurred
many miles away from Georgetown.