The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-18
MRS. MARIA HALPIN.
She EmphatfcaIly Afirms the Truth of the
Charges Against MIR. Cleveland.
Buffalo evening Telegraph

Sne Empnatlcally Afhrms the Truth of the
Charges Against Mr.. Cleveland.
Buffalo Eyening Telegraph.
When the Telegraph unrnasked Cleveland it
did not know where Maria Halpin was When
it succeeded in locating her member of the
Telegraph staff was detailed to visit New Ro-g
chelle N. Y, to get, if possible, from her own
lips the story of her relations with Grover Cleve-
land. He found New Rochelle place Of some
5000 or 5000 inhabitants, on the New York &
New Haven Railway, seventeen miles from New
York, and largely populated by families of men
doing business In the metropolis. Here Maria
Halpin, whose name for the past few weeks has
been conspicuous in the newspapers of the
country, has lived in seclusion for several years
as housekeeper for uncle-in-law, James A.
Secord, elderly man, by trade a car
penter, and she has there lived a quiet
honest humble, and useful life. The
Telegraph representative talked with number
of responsible and well-infoFmed citizens of the
village, and they all gave the same testimony.
Maria Halpin had lived among them for years,
and had conducted herself with oropriety had
made friends, was esteemed good woman, and
until the recent exposure growing out of Grover
Clevelands nomination for the presidency, was
not known to have blemish on her life. In fact,
when it was first reported that she was the
woman in the Cleveland case. those of New
Rochelle's inhabitants who knew the quiet de-
corous, unobtrusive housekeeper at the modest
Secord home, could hardly believe that she was
the Maria Halpn in question. Having satisfied
where she lived, the Telegraph representative
turned his steps toward the Secord
dwelling He found it to be a modest frame
building, on street adjacent to one Of the vii
lage cemeteries, and he was met at the door by
James A. Secord Mr. Secord is man seem
ingiy about sixty years old, of plain address,
who has grown gray in New Rochelle Mr. Sc
cord jealousy guarded his niece from newspaper
men, and, as ne seemed endowed with the gift
to large degree, of determining their profess
sion, they could not gain access to her, although
not few had tried. The Telegraph represent
alive was turned from the door after few mo
ments parleying, but citizen of Buffalo gained
an audience with Maria Halpin, as the bearer of
message from friend, ard received from her
statement, of which the following is an i'm
portant part
MARIA HALPIN's STATEMENT.
81 was employed at Flint g Kent's when Gro
yer Cleveland persistently sought and finally
made my acquaintance. was not as stout as
der that endured all suffered in the years
from 1874 to 1877 My child Oscar Folsom
Cleveland, was born September IA, 1874. Gro
yer Cleveland is his father, and to say that any
other man is responsible for his birth is infar
nous. The attempt to connect the dead Oscar
Folsom with me or my boy, of which l hear. is
cruel and cowardly. / had but very slight
acquaintance with Oscar Folsom It does not
seem possible, after all have suffered for Gro
yer Cleveland and my boys sake, that the at
tempt will be made to further baeken me in the
eyes of the world. No one knows the extent of
my sufferings After my child was taken from
me begged Cleveland on my knees to let me
have sight of my baby. He was immovable. /
found where the boy was, and one day rushed
in upon his. keeper, snatched HIM up,
and ran away before they could stop me. My
sufferings subsequently,, my frritEess efforts to
have him (Clevelandt fulfill his promise of mar
riage, his neglect of myself and child, my ahduc
ton and violent treatment by his hired TOOLS are
truthfully but only partially told in the Buffalo
Telegraph of July 81. 1t would be impossible
to cover events that made up those years of
shame, suffering and degradation forced upon
me by Grover Cleveland
The above is the part of Maria Halpin's state
ments bearing most directlyupon the points in the
Cleveland Halpin case brought out clearly in the
Telegraphs terrible tale. It is substantially her
language. and it Is exactly her sentiment. The
statement was made on the afternoon of July
90 1884, and lodged with the Telegraph, duly at
tested, a few days later The gentleman to
whom she made it says in the course of long
interview with her she wept bitterly as she told
of her wrongs. Her manner and appearance
carried the conviction of sincerity.
When told that it was reported she had made
or was about to make a statement generating
Governof Cleveland from the charges preferred
against him in the Telegraph Of July II, Maria
Halpin drew herself up as If preparing for a sH-
prene effort, and replied in q most impressive
and earnest manner; 'sMe make a statement ex
onerating Grover cleveland Never. would
rather put bullet through my heart She
said she could not truthfully make any such
statement, and Grover Cleveland would not dare
ask her to huTailiate herself again that he might
enjoy honors and wealth, while on his account
she was exiled from kindred and friends. pa
tientfy waiting for death to end her misery
She then went into details of what she had suf-
fered from 1874 to 1877, at the hands Of Cleve-
land or his agents, that would melt a heart of
stone. Her statements are fortified and cofrob
grated by facts known in the case. and by cir
cumstances and records bearingupon that event
full period OF her life