Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-28
TEE MITCHELL SCANDAL
Chicago Trbuna

An-fs arc . Rood many Interesting
teinRs about that Oregon Senatorial
contest, said an old Pacific c0as; poll
aieias 70 Trlb&ss reporter YESTERDAY.
Inc fact that eI- Attorney General
Williams and sx Senator Hipp.s Mitch
81 are leading Candidates calls 10 hest
OF reminisce noes. They both belonged
70 TOE element which drifted across the
plains TO California IN the SOS, and
tnence vent up north and settled A,
rortisud, IN Oregon, which was run by
theIr clique. That vas To. political
center, and their influence was consid-
cradle. Both Of them went % the polit-
zeal ladder. Mitchell vas elected 70 tie
Senate IN 1872. The next year came the
exposure of his early life in Peunsyl-
vsnia and his matrimonial troubles.
when be went to Oregon be mad
added bis mothers name to It's owe
and was known as Hipple Mitchell.
he had also married the daughter
of an Euglishmau named Price.
without getting a divorce from his
pennsylvania wife Price bad come TO
Oregon from Missouri, and had acouIr-
Cd considerable property. Some years
age he got divorce from his first wife,
and, understand, has recently return
ed to Oregon from a trip to England
with bride. His divorced wife Is liv-
ing at Oakland (Cal. }, with her daagh-
ter-the Carrie Price TO whom Hipple-
Mitchell Is said to have written those
letters which his enemies are nov pub
fishing. Carrie Price, ave always
heard, vas q most estiuable woman, as
Is her sister, Mrs Nipple Mitchell. She
vas the wife ,of an army clerk at FoIt
Vancouver, named Potter or Porter.
who for a time was a very close friend
OF Mitchell. This army clerk had some
trouble With his wife-I don't recall
what 1t was about-and they we're di-
vorced. he came to Chicago somewhere
in 1878 or 1873. and created a sensation
by trying to poison himself because
some woman with whom he vas madly
In love wsuld not marry him. / think
after his attempt at suicide the woman
and married him. Anyhow.
Carrie Prlce's husband disappeared
from our midst en- the coast and was
forgotten.
THOSE LETTERS.
when Nipple Mitcheli's term in the
Senate expired he settled down in
Washington TO practice Jaw. He was
L
had considerable 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 Ripple Mitch
ell was a candidate, and was very anx
ious to go back to the Senate. Willard
and the Northern Pacific people wanted
Mitchell, but when they found this i'm
possible they settled on Dolph, who WAS
their local attorney. Since 1t Was all in
the firm. Mitchell had to be satisfied.
about two years ago 1t was rumored
that Mitchell intended to come back TO
Oregon and resume his Law practice
with an eye to the Senatorship in 1885.
Some Of the leading Republicans got
excited over the rumor, and declared
that if he came back his presence woald
be disturbing element, and would help
TO disintegrate the party. 10 November,
1888, / was about starting for Washing
ton aud the Esst, to be gone some time.
Ny personal and political relations
we're quite friendly with Mitosell. 1
vas also on good terms With the other
faction. One day leading Repabli
can sent for and sought to impress
on me why Mitchell should not think OF
coming back to Oregon to take part 10
political affairs. He said there were
in existence which would
forever damn the ex Senator. | was
and he made an appoint
ment with me the following day. At
that time be produced the letters which
have been Published. / was familiar
with Mitchelrs handwriting. which is
not very legible one. l confess | was
sta ggered at the similarity shown in
the letters. Still l could see how they
might have been forged, and suggest
ed this. The man WHO showed them 60
me said it was impossible. The evil
dence of their genuiDeness existed.
He gave me to understand that the man
who had possession of the letters got
them direct from Carrie Prices hus-
band that the husband found them
shortly after his marriage. You know
one of the letters tells Miss Price to
answer il shs is still single. The story
was that ths husband had kept the let
tiers secretly, even while on the best of
terms with the family of Senator
Mitchell. How they came to pass out
Of his hands never learned.
AFTER had read them all carefully
the man who showed the letters to me
said: You tell Nipple Mitchell that if
be wants to come back to Oregon, settle
down among as as private citizen, and
practice his profession the rest Of his
life, all right. He will be welcome, and
no hand will be raised against him.
But be must not come back seeking to
interfere in politics and break up the
Republican party. / don't care what
influence backs him, be shan't do it. II
be tries it, be will be damned forever
afterward.'
NH. MITCHELL 0Ers ANGRY.
al say 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 q
candidate for the Senate. He was fu-
rious when I told him about the letters.
He declared they were forReries; that
they had been forged by Carrie Prices
husband, who vas his bitter enemy,
and Who, he said, was capable OF any
scoundrelism. He wanted to know II
Senator Doiph was familiar with the
circumstances, and when l answered in
the affirmative, he was very angry that
the Senator had not informed him.
explained why Dolph had probably
not broached the subject, and
be became Modified. But the
idea that be would be pre-
vented from going back to Oregon made
him wild, aud when he swore no man
should undertake to keep him away,
sav he meant it. He kept denosncipa
the letters as foreeries. and Threatened
to make some one sweat il they were
ever produced.
Business kept me away from Ore
eou and alss from Washington tall last
June, when vas in the latter place. l
then heard that Mitchell was getting
ready TO 90 back to Oregon. The legis-
iasufe had failed to elect q Senator. and
bad adjourned with the understanding
that the extra session Was TO be called
this winter, as has been done. Nipple
Mitchell did go back, and his return
seems 10 have created all the commo-
ton that Vas promised. His friends
certainly knew that his candidacy
xonld draw ont thoSe letters, as 10 has