The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-12-14
GROVER and | ARE OUT
Serious Scandals Regarding Do
mestio Life at the White
House Circulating,
But they Are Branded as Mali
cious Falsehoods by Those
Who Should Know.
Conduct Hinted at Which,
True, Would Make the Presi-
dent an Outcast.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1O.-The cores
pondent of The Chicago Tribune tele-
graphs his paper as follows: For more
than year the most scandalous and dis
tressing stories concerning the home re-
lations of the president of the United
States have been current. These stories
in one form OF another, but always black
and hideous, have been passed from
mouth to mouth.
At the st. Louis convention which
nominated President Cleveland for re-
election pamphlet in which these stories
were summarized in sweeping and saw
age fashion was secretly circulated by
the Democrats from New York. During
the campaign no Republican journal of
good standing made the slightest refer
ence to the stories, which, if true, would
utterly disgrace and remove beyond the
pale Of gentleman the president Of the
United States.
The president and several of his init
mate friends have been asked to deny
| these stories once and for ALL but through
motives of delicacy and propriety have
declined to doso There is not public
man in Washington who has not been
asked as to the truth of these tales dur
ing the last year, and many of them, Re-
pub1icans as well as Democrats, | regret
to say, have in reply merely shrugged
their shoulders, smiled, and said they
did not know.
The orgy stories have been discussed
in drawing rooms and at dinner parties
here, in New York, everywhere. 1t has
been asserted that the president is in the
habit of beating his wife and that she
has often been compelled to cake refuge
with friends
Believing that these hideous stories are
without the slightest foundation in fact,
/ have, with view to refuting them
completely, finally, and authoritively,
investigated such of them as have taken
on form and tangibility.
Mrs. William G. Whitney, the wife of
the secretary of the navy, the present So
cial leader in Washington, a woman of
rare gifts of mind and heart, has been
Mrs Clevelandls most intimate friend
SINCE she came to the white house
bride. In reply to my inquiries Mrs.
Whitney said warmly:
ssI am glad, very glad, to have this
have been often tempted to speak or
write concerning these stories about the
president. In fact, have found it hard
to keep still, and have several times
asked Mr.. Whitney to let me have my
say for the public ear. My indignation
.. has been so great that / could hardly
: refrain, from rushing into print. have
,, held my peace, however, up to this time,
but when such men as Chauncey Depew
will repeat the vile slanders at dinner
!, parties, think it is time to speak.
: "The only story told by Mr.. Depew on
!, this occasion, in which names We're used
10. ,io1
: take hold of, was the old story about
MIR. Watterson, of Kentucky, taking Mrs.
a Cleveland to the theater one night. Ac-
: cording to the story the president was
l. angry because his wife went to the thea
TIE and on her return upbraided her anc
7 finally slapped her face. This incredible
! story was told by Mr.. Depew as having
= been started by Mr.. Watterson himself
A gentleman who was at that ainnel
s party wrote to Mr.. Watterson and oh
is tanned complete denial. Thus tina
story was disposed of, and if people wht
u tell these lies would only give. som,
n another could be taken up in the sam
% manner and as effectually disposed Of.
'And, then, they say the presiden
is gets drunk. This is as false as all tn
SO rest. He is not a drinking man. don
ot believe he was ever intoxicated in hi
y life. He is a temperate man. Some
is times he takes bit Of whisky and waite
to with his friends or guests, but he doe
not drink, as the word is commonly used
70 and know it. Nor is he given to ovel
n eating OF any such bad habits. I SUI
1g pose because the president is so larg
at and is so unfortunate as to have a fac
1T that is not without some grossness he
us set down as a gross man of inordinat
us appetite and bad temper.
ill s.But the stories have continued,
ng notice, and have heen growing eve
to worse. Why, they had it that Mr.
Folsom had to fly to Europe; that til
nd president drove his wife out of the Viii
ut House and we had to take her in: TIL
d; Secretary Fairchild was once called on
rt. help patch upa peace. Now there is l
to truth whatever in any of these stories.
~ "NIrs. Cleveland has lived an excee
DIV ingly open and accessible life since h
ny marriage" concluded Mrs. Whitne
ay "She has had much company, has be-
ch free in receiving friends and callers, al
Sta no one has yet found her seeming to
Dol anything than that which she is, a hap
NC wife. You have my permission to quo
all have said, and hope this is the le
He Of the whole wretched falsehood."
,ad