Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-09-18
THAT SHOTGUN.


HOW m the Story About 1t as Connected With
mr' biaine's Marriage Originated.
From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat
TT; WORTH, Texas. Sept. 3.-John
randall one Of the stanchest Democrats
II bosque county, living at Meridian,
was pupil in the college ut George
Town, KY, when James G. Blaine taught
there. He was casually overheard day
or TWO ago TO say he knew the charges
against Blaine to be untrue, and the fact
coming to the knowledge of the repre-
sentative OF the Globe Democrat he took
tne train this morning and at Meridian
I0und Randall In conversation with Col.
William Fl0urnsy, of Waco, on the sub
Ject. Randall says Professor Johnston
was principal Of the school, and that
Blaine and Miss StanwOod were teachers.
Blaine in the male school and Miss Stan
wood in the female school. Johnston
became embarrassed financially, and the
directors found fault with the manage
ment, several acrimonious discussions
arising between Johnston and one of
the directors, who is now dead. On one
occasion this director came to the school,
and after words with Johnston-who
was much the older and physically weak
or man than the director attacked him,
when Blaine, who heard the quarrel,
came into the school room, and, up
braiding the director for his cOwardice,
administered sound thrashing, driving
him from the building.
THE SHOT GUN EPISODE.
The director went off, but returned
shortly with double barreled shotgun,
avewing that be would kill young Blaine.
Several pupils saw him coming, and no.
titled Blaine, who had TO run around the
building and in and cut of the rooms to
avoid being shot, when three OF the boys
got behind the director, disarmsd him,
and with the aid of several others gave
the director a second thrashlng.
Randall says Blaines attentions to
and that the pupils of both knew the af-
lection existed, the boys teasing Blaine
about it, and that it was known for
weeks beforehand that they were to be
married. No breath of scandal had been
heard. The scholars all understood that
when the session was over the couple
would be married, and as it had been
determined to end the session on the
day Of the shotgun episode, on the after
noon of the same day James G. Blaine
and Miss Stanw0od were quietly mar
ried, babe goodbye to their scholars, and
went north.
HOW THE STORY STARTED.
A worthless fellow named Hawkins
saw the shotgun business and heard OF
the marriage, so put the two together,
telling sOek-and-bull story Of how Miss
StanwcOd's father had made Blaine
marry his daughter.
Randall states farther that he knows
that Mr.. StanwOOd had been dead over
three years before the time of this wO-
mans marriage.
Some of the above facts came to the
knowledge of MIN Norton, Of Dallas, a
son of Hon. A. b. Norton, and knowing
that j. II. Johnston, clerk for the con-
tractor erecting the Federal building at
Dallas, was son Of Professor Johnston,
and was in position to know the facts,
went to him for then, but Johnston, not
wishing to be . witness in the IAdianap-
oils libel suit, did not have anything to
say, and did not want the public to know
that he knew of the circumstances.
Young Norton is now In HOustin. q dele
gate to the State Republican conven-
ton, and Informed Deputy United States
Marshal A. N. Woody that on his return
he would visit Randall and get his state
ment in full.
Randall. who is Democrat, and op-
posed to Blaine, says that the charge
made by the Sentinel is UNANIMOUSLY
false. When the marriage ceremony
took place the young girls brought flow
ers for Miss Stanw0Od's hair and dress,
and the boys gave the bridal party a
farewell cheer when they bid goodbye
to kentucky. The shotgun had nothing
to do with the wedding, and Hawkins
own conclusions of what he knew moth
ing about formed the basis for the whole
story.