Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-12-14
MRS. WHITNEY Is MAD.
SHE TAKES MIR. DEPEW TO TASK
FOR REPEATING A STORY.

FOR REPEATING A STORY.
The correspondent of the Chi
cago Tribune at Washington re.
ports an interesting and remarka-
BILE interview with the wife Of Sec
rotary Whitney, regarding the dis
agreeable stories which have for a
long time been persistently circu.
lated regarding the domestic rela-
tons OF President Cleveland.
Knowing that Mrs. Whitney has
been one of Mrs. Clevelard's most
intimate friends since the marriage,
the correspondent determined to
call upon her and learn, it possible,
what she knew about the true III
wardness of tn @ matter. NJ RS.
Whitney received him graciously.
81 am glad, very glad,' she said
warmly, ito have this opportunity
to be quoted on this subject. i
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. Ny indignation has
been 80 great that / could hardly
refrain from rushing into print.
| have held my peace, however, mp
to this time, and would continue TO
do SO were it not for the fact that a
dinner party in New York only two
weeks ago no less gentleman than
Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew amused
the guests by repeating MANY OF
the vile stories about the Presl-
dents conduct towards his wife.
1t is incredible that a man OF Mr..
Depew's standing and character
should help give currency to such
vile stories, but this instance shows
the manner in which the whole
scandal has been stirred mp. l do
not believe Mr.. Depew would un'
dertake personally to vouch for the
stories which be told at that dinner,
but he told them, and doubtless
most of those that heard him have
since been telling them over to
their friends. Oh! it is shameful !!
"The only story told by Mr.. De
pew on tn 8 occasion, in which
names were used, or any particular
story which one could take hold OF,
was the old story about MIR. Wat
terson, of Kentucky, taking Mrs.
Cleveland to the theater one night.
According to the story, the Presl-
dent was angry because bis wife
went to the theater, and on her
return he upbraided her and called
her wicked ma IS, and finally
slapped her face. This incredible
story was told by Mr.. Depew as
having been started by Mr.. Wat
terson himself. A gentleman who
was at that dinner party and knew
Mr.. WattersOn, wrote him for the
facts. Mr.. Watterson replied that
he had escorted Mrs. Cleveland to
Albaugh's Opera House; that the
President himself did not 90, be-
cause he was so busy with his work,
aud that on their return to the
White House the President had
chatted and laughed gOod.natured-
", and cour.eously thanked Mr..
Watterson for his kindness. Thus
that story was disposed of, and if
the people who tell these lies would
only give some names or parncu-
lars, one after another could be
taken up in the same manner and
efiectually disposed of. But when
man like Mr.. Depew, who, one
would think, has too much princl'
pie to do such thing, becomes the
means of spreading such stories
about the President of the United
States, think 1t time, indeed, that
some one competent to speak comes
out in public and denOunces every
one of the stories as utterly false
and baseless.
GLOW the ISLANDERS ever started
in the first place don't pretend to
know" continued Mrs. Whitney,
"but we have always understood
that many of them had their origin
ION tie hill | shouldn't wish to
say that Mr.. Ingalls, has knowingly
set In circulation a false story, but
he has been bitter and ylndictive
against the President. To us, who
know the President and his wife
vel. and even intimate, who know
the whole romance OF their mar
rage and Of their welded lite, it is
incredible that any one should for
a moment believe that he has been
cruel to his wife, aud has ever been
so much of a brute as 10 strike her.
Mrs. Cleveland has often talked to
me of her relations TO her husband
before their marriage, of his tender
watchtulness over and care tor her,
OF her respect and childish affectloD
for him, of her looking up TO him,
and of his looking forward with
some hope to what actually fol
lowed. TO us who know the facts
there has always been something
sweet and pretty about 1t all-her
years of gayety in girlhoOd, her ex
perience abroad as handsome and
winsOme girl, but always thinking
of him, and finally coming back to
him. She didn't marry him be.
cause he was President OF t h G
United States, and would doubt
less have married him had he not
been a famous man, though, OF
course, it was only natural that his
high station had certain glamour
aud attraction for her.
awe had an excellent OppOrtO-
nifty TO judge OF the TENDERNESS and
sentiment of their relations while
they were with us OIL our Southern
trip. For week We lived together
on the train. We were all amused
at their lovtr-likeneSs. The Presi.
dent never passed her without
stopping to pat her on the head or
TO put his hand under her chm and
lift her face towards his. She new
er passed him without loving
touch or kiss, or a good hug. We
laughed "a little ~ them, aud told
them that they were spooDey IN
the good old fashion. Sometimes
Mrs. Cleveland would be sitting in
one end of the car reading book.
If she CHANGED to look up aud see
the Presi lent alone, she would
4. "A IL.