Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-19
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
To Inquire Into Cleveland's Habits.


concerning the Cleveland scandal:
AS Republicans and Independents
residing in Buffalo, and having pc
cuiar means Of knowledge, we have
been called upon by private letter and
otherwise for information in regard
TO the scandals which have been put
in circulation respecting Gov. Clcve-
lands private life. We have felt it TO
be duty imposed on us by circum-
stances to examine these stories in de-
tail and to make formal statement
Of the results. No such examination
would have been necessary to satisfy
ourselves, but it was due to those
who have read the charges against
Gov. Cleveland without knowing
personally his general character and
reputation in this community, and
without knowing either the position
or the means Of information Of those
who have made the charges, that we
should not put forth n ore general
statement without previous investi-
gaticn.
We have, therefore, through a COM
mittec appointed from our number
for that purpose, carefully and de-
lib, ,rately made an investigation, and
we have taken every available means
to ascertain the precise facts in each
case, The general charges of drunk-
enness and grpes immortality winch
are made against Gov, Cleveland are
absolutely false, His reputation for
morality has always been good.
There is 40 foundation for any state
mont 10 the contrary.
lie was sought OFT and nominated
for the Mayoralty against lli, Will,and
was supported for that position by
The larger portion Of the educated, in
/ lligent and moral citizens of Bufa-
10, without regard to politics and on
purely personal grounds. After he
had gone through the contest he was
again put forward as one of the most
distinguished citizens Of Buffalo as a
candidate for The Governorship, and
again received the support Of the
same class Of his fellow citizens. In
this community, where he had lived
for 20 years, and where his life was
known and his character well under
stood, this support would not have
been given 10 him had he been either
. drunkard or libertine, We are
able TO speak from personal kpowl-
edge as his acquaintanGes of long
standing, and to say that his general
private life has been that of quiet,
orderly, self=Pcspecting and always
highly respected citizen,
Since he assumed his present Office
his visits TO Buffalo have been few
and of short duration. II is suscep-
tible of absolute proof and has been
proved to us, that upon no one o.
these visits has anything occurred
to justify the statements which have
been made by his detractors, The
charge that he has recently taken
part in drunken and licentious de-
bauch in Buffalo, on the occasion of
such a visit, is entirely false. We
have been particularly careful and
thorough in Our investigation of the
alleged betrayal, abduction and inhu-
man treatment of woman of this
city as detailed in local newspaper
The circumstances out of which
this story was fabricated occurred
eight years ago. The woman in queS.
ton was at that time a widow be.
tween thirty and forty years Of age,
with two children, the younger OF
whom was ten years old. The facts
of the case show that she was not be-
trayed, and that the allegations res
pccting.her abduction and ill-treat-
ment are wholly false. We deem
these the only features of the charge
in connection with this matter which
constitute public question, requir-
ing any declaration on our part. Oul
examination of the other charges
which have been made against Gov
Cleveland's private character, shows
that they are wholly untrue. In ev-
cry instance in which the reports
and insinuations have been tangible
enough to furnish us Il clue to guide
us in our investigation they have
positively proven to be false.
The attack upon Gov. Cleveland
character is thoroughly discreditct
when we consider the sources from
which it comes. 1t was first public.
ly made in Buffalo by a newspaper
of no standing whatever. We have
twice called upon the editor of thi
paper and asked him to produce his
proofs, the names, dates and othcl
particulars, which he publicly statet
he was at liberty to show. lie de
clines to do so or to facilitate inves
tigation into The truth of his owl
charges or those contained in tn
anonymous letter which lie pub
lishcd. He admitted that he had IL
evidence to support any accusatio
against Gov. Cleveland except in tn
one instance to which we have par
ticularly referred. lie rested his cas-
| L