The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-12
ANOTHER DEFENSE,
which Proves More Interesting than Any of
Its Predecessors.

New York Special to Cincinnati commercial Gazette.
And we have a third remarkable defense of
Governor Cleveland. The first remarkable effort
was made in the New York Evening Post, which
gave the history of the matter and decked it out
with appropriate doctrine. The second was the
report detailed in the World, as it was made by
the now distinguished Mr.. King, who was rec
commended for Office TO Governor Cleveland by
Henry Ward Beecher and investigated the
story that Mr. Beechers lacerated nerves might
be soothed. The third is some account of the
evidence in the case and is the most interesting
Of the series This appears in the Mercury. You
can Judge Of the political character of the Mer-
curry from the following editorial paragraph
from this days issue.
"Henry Ward Beecher has investigated the
charges brought against the private character of
Mr.. Cleveland, and announces that he shall con-
tinue to give his support TO the Democratic
nominee. While acknowledging that Mr.. Cleye-
land may have been guilty of youthful lndIsere
ton, Mr. Beecher approves the manly manner IN
which he has faced the consequences of his error.
and protests that he will not be turned by y
single fault on the part of the candidate of his
choice to the support of a man like Blaine,
whose entire public life has been stepped in of
fetal corruption. In this connection it may be
mentioned that Mr. William Purcell has made
famous moral leper aspersion on the Governors
character discard in another column does
him honor
The chapter of the delicate history displayed
in the Mercury is not wholly consistent with
that which has been made known by the friends
of Governor Cleveland, for the widow Halpin
turns out to have been very handsome and
charming woman, who has recently been pur-
o,,aJ a nd drivay, FROM bar boroa HI, xvicLad and
designing Republicans, one of whom was the
Rev Mr.. Ball, who has been so much interested
in the case A Saratoga dispatch to the Mercury.
dated the 9Th says:
THE engrossing topic among the politicians
here this week has been the attack upon the pri-
vate character of Governor Cleveland At first
the effect was undeniably disconcerting to the
friends of the Democratic candidate for the pres
idency, and they seemed to be at a loss as to
what course was best to take, while some of
them have acted most unwisely in disseminating
so called 'defenses But the scandal has largely
wrought its own cure, and will ere long play
itself OUT What the Democratic masses have a
right to complain of is the mismanagement of
the canvass by the accredited leaders of their
party. It was generally understood that the
campaign was to be an aggressive one, bold and
unfimching; bit at the very outset the Demo-
Gratis find themselves put upon the defensive.
This has had somewhat of disheartening effect,
because it has the appearance of bad general
ship. The question is asked, Who is responsible
for the conduct of Clevelands campaigna One
saws Dan Manning another Barnum and Til
den; and still others say that Cleveland is a
pretty obstinate man, and has things run to suit
himself"
n should he made clear that the Mercury is a
paper of the strongest Democratic sympathies,
and il gives full particulars Of some interesting
incidents, headlined as follows;
Widow Maria Halpin. Her mysterious dis
appearance from New Rochelle Hounded by
detectives Republican efforts to employ her
AGAINST Cleveland. Their intrignes baf1ed A
cottage that was under constant surveillance
Some startling deyelopments.n
The story IL that until within a few DAYS the
Widow Halpin lived in the village of New Ro-
chelle, Westchester county. New York. Being
identified with the Buffalo woman Of that name
she has mysteriouslv disappeared We quote
the Mercury.
1.-THE maiden name of the now celebrated
widow was Maria Crofts, and she was an orphan
child. At the age of twelve years she was taken
by her aunt Mrs. James Albert Secord, of New
Rochelle, into her home and adopted by Mr..
Seeord as daughter, he having no children of
his own. Maria grew up to be plump, pretty and
decidedly attractive She was what in the semi
scientific phraseology of the day is called a
magnetic girl and attracted large circle of ad-
mirers from the towns and villages around.
But though she was full of life and of a free,
Jolly disposition no breath of scandal blighted
the delicate flowers of her fair fame She went
through the ordeal of acting the village belle un-
scathed and in due time selected from her host
Of admirers a young man named Halpin, who
belonged to a respectable New York family.
Shortly after their marriage they went to live in
Buffalo, where the young husband obtained
position which enabled them to live in very
comfortable if not stylish way. As is known,
the husband died, leaving Mrs. Hapin with
three children. She continued to reside in Buff
falo, and it was at this period of her life that
she made the acquaintance of Grover Cleveland.
The particulars Of her life for some time after
this going to Niagara Falls, where she was es-
tablished in business, her subsequent visits to
Buffalo, the removal Of her child from the or
phan asylum, and her commitment to an asylum
have all been detailed to the public already, to
the most minute circumstance. Mr.. Secord's
residence is very pretty cottage on Main
street, It stands in from the street and is