The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-26
4 BOLD CONSPIRACY.
The DETACHMENT of stanwoOd BIaine's Tomb

The DETACHMENT of stanwood BIaine's Tomb
stone.
Bar Harbor lAIel Special.
The DETACHMENT of the tombstone Of Stanwood
Blaine at Augusta. which has attracted So much
attention throughout the country, was only part
Of general conspiracy to involve Mr.. Blaine in
scandal The tombstone was defaced very
soon after the Chicago convention From a
thorough investigation that has now been made,
it is demonstrated that the cutting took place
the 18th Of June, The photographer who was
asked to photograph the grave and its surround
ings was not party to the conspiracy He was
asked merely to take the photograph by parties
who were strangers to him He suspected their
object however, when he came to examine the
stone lt was he who first discovered
the DETACHMENT. In order to prove
that his suspicious were correct he took a view
from the side which did not disclose the place Of
Che erased date. This negative was not accepted
and he was directed to make another photograph
50 as to show the blank date. The object Of the
conspiracy was to make it appear that Mr.
Blaine himself had had this date cut of. THIS
plainly, was very foolish move because If ary
date had been put on the tombstone at all Il
certainly would not have been one that could
have added any strength to the scandal At the
same time the record of the death of the child is
one which is open to the public in Augusta, SO
that nothing could have been cIumsier than the
attempt to put the burden Of such an act uDon
Mr. Blaine or his friends.
But this Is not all of the story The records
of the original suit for libel brought by Mr.
Blaine in 1857, have been stolen from the court
The editor of the Portland Argus, who recently
charged that Blaine brought suit for libel
against him in 1857, similar to the one now pend
ing against the indianapolis Sentinel was after
ward held up to public ridicule by the publica-
ton of the fact that in that same year he had
abjectly withdrawn the charges with the asser
ton that he knew nothing against Mr. Blaines
good name. To avoid the humiliating position
in which this old time retraction leaves him to-
day, the editor of the Argus has taken to manu-
featuring new facts to help out his case. He
claims that suit was brought against him in
1859 for libel and that 1t was at that time
that Mr.. Blaine was b1uifed off He
proudly refers to copy Of the original indict-
ment as q proof the last statement 1t now
appears that this original indictment has been
stolen from the records of the court. A certain
lawyer is suspected Of taking the papers. He
entered the clerks Office a few days before they
were missed and asked to take a look at the
papers In this particular case. A day or two
afterwards the editor of the Argus wrote for a
copy Of the Indictment and was informed that
it could not be found The editor has since
boaated that he has q copy Of the original in
dictment and it is fair to suppose that be has
an understanding with the lawyer
These are threads that have been unraveled
from this attempt to form conspiracy involr-
ing Mr.. Blaine IL it had not been for his
prompt, open daylight dispatch to Indianapolis
It is probable that the conspirators would have
succeeded in creating considerable scandal,
which would have been especially embarrassing
IN this State canvass.