The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-30

and this was what prompted him to
name $4,000 as the sum that would
be forthcoming In the hands of Mr.
Cumming, Elisha Atkins partner, for
the return of the letters then in Null
lgan's possession.
81 came back to Boston and laid Mr.
Blaine's offer before Mr.. Mulligan
but he was immovable. He spurned
the proposition, and seemed to be
more settled than ever in his deter
mination to hold on to the letters"
MORE PROOF.
This view of the great importance
Mr.. Blaine attached to the possession
of the proofs against him held by
Fisher and Mulligan is reinforced and
emphasized by the letters obtained to-
day, written by Mr. Blaine from his
sick bed in Augusta to Fisher.
In order to inform the reader as to
the true relevancy of these letters, it
is necessary to recall the incidents inn
mediately connected with their con-
tents: On June 3, 1876, Mr.. Blaine
made his dramatic explanation to A,
100000 of his countrymen, and read
the letters he had practically stolen
from Mr.. Mulligan. At the request of
Mr.. Blaine the committee Investigate
ing his case adjourned from Saturday,
June 10, to the following Monday, in
consequence of the absence of his col
leagues, MeSsrs. Hale and Frye. On
Sunday, June II, Mr.. Blaine sank down
GU the church steps. complaining of a
pain in his head, and saying he was
afraid he had sunstroke. On Mon
day, June IL, the committee met and
dismissed the witnesses for two weeks
on account of Mr.. Blaine's illness. On
Tuesday, June 10, Mr.. Blaine sent the
following dispatch:
EUGENE HALE, Cincinnati, o.:
am entirely convalescent; suffer.
Ing only from physical weakness.
Impress upon my friends the debt OF
gratitude feel for the unparalleled
steadfastness with which they have
adhered to me in my hour of trial.
[Signed j.. G. BLAINE.
national republican convention June
16, and on the Monday following,
June 10, Mr.. Blaine made ratifica-
ton speech in Washington.
SICK AGAIN.
AS the date for the reassem bling of
the committee of investigation ap-
preached, Mr.. Blaine's health failed
rapidly, and at 1:30 p. M. Tuesday,
June q, he left Washington by spec
ial car, for his home in Augusta. On
the same day Messrs Fisher and Null
ligan arrived in Washington to con-
tinue their testimony. A dispatch to
| the Boston Herald of that date says:
"They were greatly annoyed at being
detained until Friday, to which date
the committee had adjourned.
The special car IN which Mr.. Blaine
travelled went direct 10 Augusta, so
that he was not seen at New York or
Boston en- route. He reached home
Wednesday, June 28th, and that very
night wrote the following urgent let
ter to Mr.. Fisher which is here pub
lished for the first time, the small caps
being Mr.. Blaine's:
WANTED TO SEE HIM.
WEDNESDAY, 18th, Evening.
MY DEAR MR.. FISHER-I want to
see you just as much as before you
went to Washington. You can leave
Boston at 1890 and return the same
night if you desire, though / would
prefer to have you stay over. COME
DIRECTLY TO MY HOUSE. It is,
think, as important for you to see me
as for me to see you. Come this week;
don't fail; come tomorrow, if possible.
Yours. J, G. BLAINE,
This letter clearly indicates the
malady of which Mr.. Blaine was a
victim.
VERY BAD OFF.
A dispatch to the Boston Herald,
dated Augusta, June 20, says that Mr..
Blaine enjoyed no serious set back by
hio
the rest and freedom from excitement
he so very much needed. 1t continued:
"Dr. Hill, his family physician, says
that there is no organic trouble, but
that the nervous prostration, compli-
Gated with malarial effects, is more Sc
we're than he had calculated from
what he had read of the case: He has
adopted careful line of treatment,
prescribing absolute rest, even forbid
! ding Mr.. Blaine writing a letter. He
gives him no assurance that he will be
able to take any part in the pending
campaign"
This was on Thursday, and yet the
following letter, written two days
later, shows that MIR. Blaine knew
better what medicine he wanted than
his family physician. Here, too, the
1Ud1lCS Cl1O Ouls ..
AUGUSTA, Saturday evening, LIST
July, 1876. "My dear Mr.. Fisher-I
write from my sick bed. 1 want very
much to see you. l am very sorry
you did not come to Washington
when requested. Can't you come to
Augusta by train Monday? Express
train leaves eastern station at nine
o'clock, reaching here at p. m. You
can return same evening; or, if you
can't come by 9 o'clock train, there is
a train that leaves at IL or 1870 noon
and gets here about 8p. NJ; you can
return same night. Do come quickly.
Say nothing to any one. but do come.
Yours sincerely,
[See over. j. G. BLAINE.
Important to you as well as my
self that you come very soon. On
the other side of the sheet. Don't
let any human being except your wife
know you are coming down; but do
not fail to come. Whatever you do,
do not fail. You will regret it if you
don't come"
Could anything be more abject in its
pleading than this? But it was not
the last of this remarkable series of
letters. On the following date he
wrote again as follows:
SUNDAY EVENING, July 2, 1885,
Ny DEAR MIR. FISHER: If you have
not started when this reaches you, 1
pray you leave for Augusta at once.
1 am very sick, but I know what 1 am
talking about, and it is largely for
your sake that desire to see you and
to see you at once. Don't delay. 1t
may be too late. Don't refuse a sick
man. j. G. b.
You can go back on return train.
One hour will do here. Come di-
rectly to my house; don't go to the
hotel
Can any one read these letters, urg-
ing, beseeching and furtiyely threat
eniDg Mr.. Fisher. and not see into the
very heart of Mr.. Blaine's disease
Mhe Investigation was only delayed
by his sickness, it was not abandoned.
He felt then that he could
ct walk out from his sick-room a
well man until the terror of Mulligan
aud Fishers knowledge against him
was removed. He knew Fisher was
man with tender heart, and he also
knew how to flatter Mrs. Fisher, who
had the stronger will of the two.
| Anyone familiar with Mrs. Fishers
| - F,,1I