The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-13

neighboring eyes. When Blaine had so
delivered the last letter sheet, his secre-
quickly arose and glided out of the house.
"You remember that Immediately up
on his receiving the letters from Mr.,
Mulligan Blaine retained the legal sers
vices of Judge Jere Black 1t was then,
as now, an enigma to me why Blaine, if
innocently in possession of those letters,
should employ lawyer though | believe
he retained two-Matt Carpenter being
the other. 1t was just after Blaine had
the Mulligan letters that a gentleman
walked into Jere Blacks room and said
Blaine is reading the Mulligan letters to
the house. What that cannot ber 1t is
true, said the caller, he was reading them
when left Black, in tone of disgust,
said. Why the man must have gone out
of his witsp
BLAINE Is A SLICK FELLOW.
''Jere Black and l boarded in the same
hotel and in neighboring rooms. The
next morning was in his room, we being
quite intimate as friends. when he was
reading in morning paper what Blaine
had read to the house. | well remember
the half smile and the twinkle of the
bright eyes Of the astute old lawyer as he
pursued down the columns what his client
had read. What does the old gentleman
think of the Mulligan letters? | asked of
Chauncy Black an hour later. He thinks
Blaine is slick fellow, answered Chaun.
CIV in a significant manner"
so you think Blaine played an All Sin
game on the innocent house?" | queried.
Il think Blaine played right bower
from his sleeve, replied the ex congress
man with a laugh. IF he did not why
have the Mulligan letters mean the
original oncs-never been produced?
Why would not Blaine submit them to the
committee investigating the affair? When
core spondents of the press desired to
compare their reports of Blaine's reading
with the letters themselves, why were they
not allowed to do so? Who, besides
Blaine, from the moment of his obtains
ing them from Mulligan. has ever seen
the lcttersl | believe Jere Black, in the
capacity of Blaine's counsel, saw them.
anu tlldl loLdIh hIlCN u NCl Dltllil
of them to the house would have cOnsum-
ated Blaine's ruin. The so called Multi
gan letters which appeared in the Con-
gressional Record from Blaine's own rcn>
ditiOn of them are bad enough, but in my
judgment they are white compared with
the originals, which no one was allowed
to see.
AN AGGRESSIVE POLICY.
There is much talk by Blaines hero
worshipers of how he walked down the
aisl OF the house. etc, making his de,
fence. But that part of his performance
was given after his private secretary, with
the sheets he had been reading from, were
safely out of the house and beyond detcc-
| ton. Then he felt safe to assume the
aggressive which, alone, he was shrewG
/ enough to understand, could save him il
anything could. With the evidence of hi;
fraudulent game played on the house vel
out of the way, how dramatically he rant
ed in the role Of injured innocent To ont
knowing Blaine as | did his sinistc
methods they were entertaining as thost
of performer of legerdemain tricks
What do you think of my spcech?" ht
asked me shortly after he had finished
jim responded you surpass anyOn,
| ever knew in capacity for slipping on
of scrapes.'
"Do you know anything of the reason
why investigation of the Mulligan lettel
affair was not pressed to a conclusion by
the house committee | queried
For fullest information as to that vol
should call on Proctor Knott of Kentucky
By the way the Indiana Democracy
should import Knott to speak and asl
him to make the Mulligan letters hi
theme His would be the great speech o
the campaign. Get him to tell of III
Candwell dispatch and what superinducel
Blaine sunstroke Knott received wha
purported to be cablegram from London
signed Josiah Candwell, eXOneratin
Blaine from completely in the Little Roc
bond transaction. Knott suspiCioned tina
the fine hand of Blaine might hav
wrought in the construction of the mess
age, and he held it for development A dc
velopment soon appeared in Blaine
charging Knott with suppressing tele
gram addressed to him as chairman o
the committee. Knott went to New YOr
and procured positive evidence tina
Blaine had dictated or inspired cable
gram to London requesting the sending Q
the message which Knott received. KnoI
was ready reproduce the cablegram alon
with evidence In few hours NOR
Knott would have confronted Blaine wit
the document, when lol friend rushe
into Knots presence with the announce
ment, Blaine has been Frustrated.
WAS IT sUNsTROKE OF KNOTT?
THE reports of the physicians who sa
Blaine at the time Cf made as they talk
J ed to intimate friends) would not convit
old Sol Of the charge Blaine made again
him. Two of them declared Blaine
symptoms unlike those of any patieI
they had ever treated for sunstroke
Knott was estopped from pressing Il
investigation by Blaine's friends, decla
, ing it cruel mean, ETC., to do so whe
Blaine was dangerously ILL., and possibl
might die. To private circle of frient
Knott insisted that the great orb of df
was not justly chargeable with the strok
which kept Blaine from appearing befol
the committee, and furthermore that h
had no physical ailment from which h
, was likely to be Immediately retired fro
political life. Blaine was within few da,
well enough to travel, and taking FrenC
leave of the committee, betook himself
Maine. Again his friends protestt
against further action by the commits
: in his absence. Knott was ready ar
e anxious to adduce the evidence of Blaine
y parentage of the Candwell dispatch. B
: Blaine remained away, out of Knott
I committee to the end of the session. "
e MInE hMhRE nRuHIsTg