Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-09-26
THE BLAINE LIBEL SUIT.

The most absorbing and at the same time
humiliating piece Of political literature now
before the people of the country would up.
pear 10 be the Blaine libel suit with its
several phases and appendages. 81 far, the
Developments have forcibly demonstrated
that the case has assumed magnitude and
Importance which Mr.. Blaine neither sought
or believed would be reached, when in his
usual dramatic style he directed the suit to
be instituted. In the seclusion OF his home
at Augusta, Maine, the magnetism Of the
Plumed Knight has not been sufficient To
stay the progress Of the cause or stem the
current Of public criticism InleeI, from
some cause Mr. Blaine became exceedingly
restless and travelled ahead Of the progress
Of the suit in letter ostensbly 10 friend,
but really Tor the public. which makes him
appear in degraded type Of manhood
The case is rapidly driving in the direction
of a conclusion. and very large portion OF
the press are not slow 10 expressing the
opinion thai Mr.. Blaine will lose.
The answers of Mr.. Blaine u the inter.
rogatories propounded by the defense have
been filed ia The cause and are now before
the public. We attach them To this article
without further comment, prelerring that our
readers should form their own opinion The
following is the answer of Mr. Blaine:
The lady married, Harriet b. Stanwood,
lived ia Kentucky from the spring OF lS48
To the spring Of 1851. engaged AS teacher
in Col. T. f. Johnsun's female seminary /;
the first Two years at Georgetown, the last
year nj Milletsburg.
My wife left Kentucky in March, 1851, ac-
coDpanied by myself as far as Pittsburg,
Pa; thence Travelled alone 10 New York,
where she was met by her brother, jacob
Stanwood, and under his protection pro.
ceeded 10 her mothers residence in Augusta,
Me, where next met her February 8, 1862
! was married in Millersburg, KY, on the
Both Of June, 1850. in the presence Of Sarah
q. Stanwood and $. l.. Blaine The mar
rage was secret. Having doubt subse
quenty of IFS validity under the laws of
Kentucky, which then strngently required
license from the clerk Of the county court.
had the marriage solemnized a second
time in Pitisburg, Pa On the Goth of March,
1861, in the presence Of John V. Lemoyne
and David Bell.
Jacob Stanwood was the eldest brother of
my wife. ! met him for the first time In
February, 1852 had two letters from him
alter my marriage, and before | met him,
one warmly welcoming me as member of
the family; the other inquiring if he could
promote my business interests by the loan
Of money.
My first child, son, was born In the
house OF his grandmother on the 18th of
June, 1851. His name was Stanwood Blaine.
lie lived with his parents in 1852, 1853 and
part OF 1854 In Philadelphia He died on
July 3lst, 1854, and was buried in the Stan.
wood family lot in Forest Grove Cemetery,
Augusta, Me.
monument was placed by my direction
over his grave year after bis death, thus
inscribed: "Stanwood Blaine, son OF James
G. and Harriet S. Blaine. born June 18th,
1851, died July 31st, 1854"
l have not myself seen the stone since the
first week in July, but have reason 10 be.
lievc, and do believe, that since that date
many letters and figures thereon have been
defaced, and that the figure /, in the year
1851, has been entirely removed. have no
means OF ascertaining by whom this was
done, but have reason 10 believe, aud do be-
lieve, that photograph was taken OF the
defaced stone by the procurement Of one Of
the publishers Of the New Age. Demo.
cratic paper published In this city. and that
copies of said photograph were sen: TO
divers and snndry persons. including the
Indianapolis Sentinel, defendant OF this suit.
JAMES q. BLAINE
la connection with the above and bearing
Z upon Mr.. Blaine's assertion as 10 the doubt
AL validity Of the first marriage under the