The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-07-23
MRS. KATE CHASE sPRAGUE
Some RecOIIections-Her Only Act
of IudiscretiOD.

The despicablc efforts of certain journals
to continue the unjust persecution of the
lady whose name heads this article are con-
stantly meeting with rebuke An old
Washington detective who was in posi-
ton to know the inside in matters both po-
litcal and social furnishes the AoRPayeH
with some facts in the celebrated divorce
case which at one time attracted so much
attention. When Chief Justice Chase sue
ceeded in marrying his accomplished
daughter Kate to Governor Sprague, then
a United States Senator, Sprague was sup
posed to be immensely wealthy and soon
thereafter commenced housekeeping in
grand style upon farm owned by the
Chief Justice, u few miles out from the
city of Washington.
An attempt was made TO initiate the
landed aristocracy of England in the
management of this rural retreat. There
was head farmer or steward, with n
large force of understrappers and the
summer resort. There was lodge
keeper, butler housekeeper, head
chambermaid, governess, Il musical in
structor, a hostler, n stable boy, Il head
gardener etc, II force of more than forty
persons. The farm soon became the
iavorite resort of society and literary
people, IA well as of politicians.
Mrs. SpraglIe was charming hostess and
her house was sort ola refuge from the
noise of the city and the vexations of
political life Senators, judges, men of
science and letters were daily visitors, but
no persons were there as frequently as
Carl Schurz, Conkling, Bayard, Herman,
Thurman and Potter, member of the
House from New jersey, one of the purest
men in Congress at that time. When
the divorce case was commenced
skilled detectives were employed by
Governor Sprague'g attorneys TO inter
view this army of domestics for the pur-
pose of breaking down the character Of
Mrs. Sprague. Nearly all of she entire
force were ut different times approached
and importuned both with money and with
promises of political preferment by
Sprague's agent, who represented to then
that Sprague was Il man of great wealth
and that by helping him as witnesses il
his suit they would get good pay and tina
he would give them continuous EN-
ployment at double the wages the,
were then getting. One man, whC
had married German girl that had beer
Mrs. Sprague's maid and had travelled witt
her when abroad, was offered $4,000 t.
swear that Conkling and Mrs Sprague haC
in Boston and other places been guilty o
indiscretions. The miserable husband triet
to persuade his wife to swear to all the,
wanted, but her sturdy German characte
revolted and she refused to be party Il
the perjury that was asked of her Ant
to the credit of the honesty of the entir
army of servants working for tn
family, not one was found who woul'
or could testify to II single indis
Greet act, with a single exception, and thi
one testified that on one occasion she hat
seen Mrs. Sprague-for moment only
sit on Carl Schurzs lap, which act was to
ridiculous for belief and was only calcr
lated to provoke an incredulous smile
One and all said Sprague was drunkard
Q Isaac, an educated and intelligent colore
. man, who was Sprague's body-sevant, sal
] that he had known Sprague to hay
. DRINKS of three days duration, and tina
when able to walk he would follow Mr.
- Sprague about the premises, using towar
her vulgar and indecent epithets, and tina
her universal custom was TO simply get OF
of his way. What fearful penalty hi
this poor woman paid for her fathers tow
e ering ambition III Council Bluffs MOI
pareil.