Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-21
-,pp1s MlrcHEn1's HISTORY
en-. gyents in tho Oregon Senator
Elects Life.
Yrom the Chicago Trtbuns.


.-.,olitical centre. and his influence was
lfisrable. he went up the political
.55e~snd was elected TO the Senate in
The next year came the exposure
srts early life in Pennsylvania. and
matrimonial troubles. When
rent to Oregon ne had added his
.hs,,s name to his and was known
ginple- Mitchell. He had also married
tbad9ughter OF an Englisnman named
PIE without getting divorce from his
banerlvania wife. Price had come to
aragon from Missouri, and had acquired
Considerable property. Some years ago
W. got q divorce from his first wife, and, |
,nderstsnd. has recently returned to Ore
o., rom a "trip 10 England with bride.
uis divorced wife is living at Oakland,
81 with her daughter-the Carrie Price
~ whom Hipple-Mitchell Is said to have
,vritten those letters which his enemies
are now publishing. Carrie Price, have
ot1yavs heard, was a most estmable wO-
man as is her sister, Mrs. Nipple
Witphell She WAS the wife OF an army
cierk at Fort Vancouver, named Potter or
p0rtpr. who for a time was very close
friend of Mitchell. This army clerk had
come trouble with his wife--I don't recall
Tbat IL was about-and they were di-
vorcpd. He came to Chicago somewhere
in 1875 or 1879 and created a sensation by
irving to poison himself because some
woman vita whom he was madly in love
would not marry him. l think after ms
attempt at suicide the woman relented
and married him. Anyhow, Carrie Prices
husband disappeared from our midst on
the coast ana was forgotten.
THOSE LETTERS.
..When Hipple-MitchePs term in the
Senate expired, he settled down in Wash
NEON to practice law. He was Henry
Wizards attorney, and | believe had con-
siderabie to do with Northern Pacific
matters which came before Congress.
One Of his law partners In Oregon was
the present Senator DOlph. When DOlph
was elected, Hipple-Mitchell was candi-
date, and was very anxious to go back to
tbp senate. Willard and the Northern
Pacific people wanted Mitchell, but when
they found this was impossible they
settled on Dolph, who was their local at
tornev, Since 1t was all in the firm,
Mitchell had to be satisfied.
about two years ago it was rumored
that Mitchell intended to come back to
OREGON and resume his law practice there
with an eve 10 the SenatOrship in 1885.
Some Of the leading Republicans got eX-
cited over the rumOr and declared if he
came back his presence would be dis
urbng element, and would help to dis
y
was about starting for Washington and
the East to be gone some time. My per-
sonal and political relations were quite
friendly with Mitchell. / was also on
good terms with the other faction. One
day a leading Republican sent for
and sought to impress on me why
Mitchell should not think Of coming
back to Oregon to take part in political
affairs. He said there were documents in
ol dof he
ex-senator. | was incredulOus, and he
made an appointment with me the follow
ing day. At that time he produced the
letters, which have been published.
was familiar with Mitchel's handWrit-
ing, which is not very legible one.
confess | was staggered at the similarity
shown in the letters. Still / could see
how they might have been forged, and
suggested this. The man who showed
them to me said it was impossible. The evil
Il dences o. their commences existed. He
gave me to understand that the man who
had possession Of the letters got them di-
rect from Carrie Prices husband, that the
husband found them shortly after bis
marriage. You know one OF the letters
tells Miss Price to answer if she is still
single. The story was that the husband
had kept the letters secretly, even while
on the best Of terms with the family OF
Senator Mitchell. How they came to
pass cut Of his hands never learned.
after l had read them all carefully
the man who showed the letters to me
said: You tell Hipple-Mitchell that if be
wants to come back to Oregon, settle
doWn among us as private citizen, and
practice his profession the rest of his life,
al right, He will be welcome, and no
hand will be raised against him. But he
must not come back seeking to interfere
10 politics and break up the Republican
party | don't care what influence backs
MN, he shan't do it. II he tries 1t he will
De damned forever afterWard.'
MR.. MITCHELL GETS ANGRY.
u saw Mitchell in Washington and in
some matters of my own was very kindly
treated by him. Then one day | told him
the storm that had been raised over the
prospect of his being candidate for the
senate. He was furious when l told him
about the letters. lie declared they were
lorgeries; that they had been forged by
Cafne Prices husband, who was his
ullter enemy, and who, he said, was ca
l5oe OF any scoundrelism. He want
el 10 know if Senator Dolph was IA
A'har with the circumstances, and when
answered in the affirmative he was very
angry that the Senator had not informed
nm explained why DOlph had proba-
oy not preached the subject, and be be-
ua1i9 modified. But the idea that he
"OuI0 be prevented from going back to
oregon made him wild, and when he
sNoFe no man should undertake TO keep
5,h away saw he meant it. He kept
seuounclng the letters as forgeries, aud
threatened to make some one sweat II
"e{ We're ever produced.
business kept me away from Oregon
"uu aiso nom Washington till last June,
"Hel ! was at the latter place. 1 then
s@Iu tnat Mitchell was getting ready to
~ osck TO Oregon. The Legislature had
,aiisu 70 elect a Senator, and had adj
oulhed with the understanding that the
~ 80 session was to be called this winter,
go nas peen done. Hipple-Mitchell did
back, and his return
os 70 have created all the
,mOuon that was promised. His
snls certainly knew his candidacy
5ouu draw out those letters, as Il has
e' state Senator Joe SimOns, who is
AK ortlhg him, is in the Dolph law firm
sro SsnOws all about them. He says they
Rin,.,D9,.. keries, and may have convinced
ME- mat this is the case. Certainly
off,, friends must have prepared Il
M tnem IN some way, as they had am.
N0'ice Of what was to come.
A., DETERMINED ENEMIES.
have l.. me other hand, the people who
MIA upiished the letters are very deter.
ttn'''u ueh, and don't doubt that when
me- 'uFlte libel suit 20 settle the gem
wi,5 'e7s OF The documents that are ready
~ tuH Uronfg I Ia ,,ot \ Al, -.