The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-05
THE COLERIDGE SCANDAL.

The Letter Written by Lord Coleridges Son
to His Sister, and Her Reply.
The following is the letter written by the Hon
Bernard Coleridge, son of Lord Coleridge, to his
sister, Miss Mildred Colerdge, which led to the
action for libel brought by Mr.. Charles Warren
Adams.
II write to you, not only as your brother, but
chiefly as my fathers son, because l feel it my
duty. | write in order that when misery and
unhappiness come upon you, as come they will
you may not have it to say that you were not
fully warned, and that matters were concealed
from YOU
'Are you aware of the character of the man to
whom you about to give yourself upl His
family, one and all, will have nothing to say to
him. Is this all without reasonl Do you know
that he has failed throughout his life Why is
thisl for he is a man of undoubted ability 1t is
because of his utter want of character and
principle Do you know anything of his past
historyl Do you know of his behavior on the
voyage to the Capei
'Do you know that he ran away with a girl
who was under aeel Do you know that so strong
was the indignation at his conduct that the
bishop of Cape Town ordered his clergy to refuse
to marry him, and that consequently he. with
his high church professions, was married by a
Presbyterian Do you know of the life which he
led that unhappy girl after she became his wife,
and how she lived to rue bitterly the day when
she consented to what you are now contemplat
ing-a marriage in defiance of the wishes and
entreaties of her friends and relativesl Do you
know what sort of person his daughter isl I'm
der such circumstances, and with such father,
it would be wonder if she otherwise; but
do you know that she has an rreconcilable tenn
per, that she is boarded out of charity by her
relatives to rescue her from her fatherl Have
you considered that, as soon as his home be-
comes yours. they will be glad of the opportun-
ity of ridding themselves of the burden cast
upon them, ard will send her back to her fatherl
Are you prepared to live with herl Do you
know that Mr. Adams has violent temperi
Can you disguise from yourself, in your
ity, that it is money and position, not you.
which he is scheming to obtaini Are you ignor
ant that he has admitted that in his eyes you are
devoid of personal attractions, that you would
not make at all good wife, aud that you would
be white elephant to himl
what would you think in another case of
man, who. while never tired of proclaiming that
the instincts of a gentleman are absolute
makes himself at home and accepts hospitahties
in his house in the absence of the master when
he knows that the master refuses to meet himi
The facts to which have alluded | have from
those who have every opportunity of knowing
them TO be true.
"They are communicated In confidence. Do
not put Mr. Adams upon me; care not fig
for all his bluster. | am not going to indulge in
correspondence; have no appetite for, and shall
answer no letters There are sometimes things
which have to be said, and have felt il my duty
TO say them. take no pleasure in writing this,
write solemnly, and with full sense of re