The Indianapolis journal., 1890-05-07
G. CLEyELANDAND C.A.DANA
F.C. Crawford Says the Language of the
Ex-President Was Correctly Stated.
Mr.. Cleveland Did Call the Editor "A Senile Old
Liar and Thief, and Used Other Hard Words
Freely and Very Emphatically.
Now York special to St Louis eloOs-Democra,

Freely and Very Emphatically.
New York Special to St Louis GlobeDemocrat
the famous Dana interview with Cleveland.
will make the following statement in Frank
Leslie's for May 10:
Grover Cleveland has, / believe seen tit
with him published in the World of Thurs.
day, April IL He declares that he never
used the violent and incorporate language
ascrlbed 20 him in speaking or Mr.. Dana.
In view of Mr.. Cleveiand's denial II seems
to me that the writer of the interview should
be permitted 10 state his side OF the case.
My own re patation is as dear as Mr.. Cleve-
lands can Possibly be TO him, and In this
conEecsio u i wish to say that am deeply
grateful 20 my many newspaper friends and
others for their kindly expressions OF conh-
dence ir my integrity. assert on my hon.
or that Mr.. Cleveland was correctly re-
ported In the interview in question. he
was not misrepresented in any particular
/ did not write out all that Mr.. Cleveland
said, but what did write was faithful
and accurate report OF his conversation
Much of what was omitted was simply I'M
printable in any respectable journal The
circumstances attending the interview were
as follows:
Wednesday afternoon. April 16 L received
World. Mr.. James (. Graham, to 60 and in
terview Mr.. Cleveland regarding a story
published In the sun of that day TO the ef-
feet that the ex-President was under
special treatment. invented by DIR. Schwen-
niger. of Germany, for reducing flesh. Mr..
Cleveland was represented In the article as
gaining in weight at the rate of twenty five
pounds per month, and it was said that both
he and his friends were seriously alarmed
at his condition. i arrived at Mr.. Cleve-
lands Office, at No. 46 William street. a lit
tie after o'clock. inquired if Mr.. Cleye-
land was in. and. receiving an affirmative
answer from one of his clerks, sent my card
to him as the representative of the World
There could have been no misapprehemsion
as to the nature of nv visit. 1t was in no
sense social or personal call In few
minutes the clerk brought word back that
Mr.. Cleveland would see me, and J. was
ushered into his private office. We were
alone together for nearly three-quar'ters of
an hour and Mr.. Cleveland talked very free
ly and emphatically. Mr. Cleveland spoke
In his usual deliberate manner, and appear
ed to be in perfectly normal condition.
/ / began by informing him of the object of
my call. and told him that the World
would be glad to publish any statement he
cared to make. He had not seen the Sun
article The never read the paper. he said.
and would not touch it with a pair of
tongsl, snd gave him verbally the gist of
it. Mr. Cleveland straightened himself ND
and made use of a profane expires sion re-
fiecting on Mr.. Dana's mother. This was
omitted from the published in teryiew.
orous denunolation of the editor of the
Sun. He said he was blackgu ard. vaga-
bond and dastarcly scoundrel. He also
characterized him as "a senile old liar and
other profane words figured in Mr. Cleys.
lands remarks, but none of them, of
course. were published. After the conver-
sation had gone on for fifteen or twenty
was going to publish and told him the
substance of what he had said. He drew a
pencil from bis pocket, and picking up a
pad. said. II will write out something to
guide you." He then wrote the following.
which is the first paragraph of the pub
lished interview:
II have not seen the article you refer to.
and if 1t appears nowhere else but in the
seeing it. OF course the entire thing is
| lie. without the least pretext to excuse it.
Judge from what You say that the vener-
able editor OF the Sun supposes that he has
at last hit upon subject which can be
used to annoy me. In this he is mistaken.
He must be his own judge of social decen-
cies and proprieties. / am not sure that he
| should at this time of life, and in his APP
parently peculiar mental condition. be
molested In his amusement"
This did not end the interview. After
writing the above Mr.. Cleveland talked for
more than twenty minutes. Before Mr..
| Cleveland took up his pencil to write any
| thing, he had said In substance much of the
matter contained in the interview. In pre-
| pairing it for publication inserted it s fol-
| lowing his written paragraph. All OF the
| matter contained in the following para
| graph took place in the first stages of the
| interview:
continuing, Mr.. Cleveland said that he
| had endeavored, since coming to the city to
| reside. to mind his own business. He had
| not tried to force himself into prominence.
| and had, in tact, courted the retirement of
| private life. If he should accept all the in
| vltations for social enjoyment he received
l. L. L. l.
| and he had decided not to accept any. Mr..
Cleveland said that he had been treated
with great deal of kindness and consider
alton by the people of the city, and he ap-
| preciated it thoroughly.
81 do not care" Mr. Cleveland added
show much L am criticised for my public
acts. That is perfectly legitimate, and
| recognize the right of every man to differ
| on public questions. Theirs is line how
ever, it seems to me. where criticism and
| abuse should stop. The man who nvades
the privacy of a family and indulges in
coarse and wanton attacks on private citi-
| Zens Is no better than a hlghwayman. He
places himself on the level of the black
guard. and his vulgarities car have no
weight with decent people"
Regarding the frequent personal attacks
Mr.. Cleveland said that. while, he never
| saw them, every time one appeared a dozen
cranks: more or less, would write to him
about it.
ters," said Mr.. Cleveland, II know that the
senile old liar and thief, Dana has been al
it again. That is the only way keep track
of his mental rawlings. The object, 1 sup
pose, is to annoy me and my friends
| Mr.. Cleveland then alluded to his wife.
and said that Mr.. Dana had not confined
his attacks to himself. He made war on
women as well as men. The attacks on
Mr. Cleveland had not been made openly
or directly, but by Mr.. Dana's favorite
method. inuendo AMI indirection. Much of
the matter consisted of alleged praise of
Mrs. Cleveland. with the idea of making
contrast to his Mr. Cleveland'sl disad
vantage. CranKJs were sure TO send Mrs
Cleveland clippings. and they annoyed her
| very muck
Mr.. Cleveland said distinctly: ''The =
| -" old thief. Dana, has not hesitated
to drag my wffe's name into his scurrilou'
attacks. A ran who makes war on women
| is infamous
In the couI Sc of the latter part of the con.
| versation told Mr.. Cleveland that should
| like TO use more of his talk than he had
written out. / referred especially TO the
point he made about the attacks on Mrs
| Cleveland. He gave me permission 20 dc
so. He said: Il have no objections" Here
| is what L wrote in that connection. and i,
| is subst3 ntially what Mr.. Cleveland said:
There is only one thing" Mr.. Cleveland
resumed and tender expression lit up hil
face 'rlhat care anything about in thes,