The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-18
Mr.. WATTERSON AGAIN,
New Points of the Hill Letter In an Inter.
view Kokomo.

view Kokomo.
KoKoMo, Ind, March 14.1[Special. =
The Dispatch OF this evening prints an
interview with Henry Watterson, had at
the conclusion of that gentleman's lecture
here last night, in which he evades
answering two very pointed questions
concerning the much discussed Watterson-
Hill letter and declares his purpose to
"wash his hands of the whole affair" and
to refuse to discuss the matter in the
future.
The two questions were those raised by
recent telegram from Keokuk. Ia,
printed in the New York World-did Mr..
Watterson, having written the letter. ever
mail it to Governor Hill? Did he first
submit It to ex-President Clevelsnd2
Mr.. Wattsrson is reported as saying:
ITO add to anything / have said viii be
but profitless iteration. The letter was
written, as conceived, in the best inter
ests of the democratic party, and after ma
ture consideration. More than this do
not care to say, nor have l any care to
know what Interpretation has been put
on it by others"
"But, colonel" insisted the reporter,
there is telegram from Keokuk, Ia, in
which some new questions In the contro-
versy are considered"
MIR. Watterson was shown a telegram
printed in the New York World under
date of March IL, in which il was set forth
that he had, early in January, in CONVEX
sation with certain prominent democrats
of Keokuk, said that he had written let
ter to Governor Hill which, by the de-
scription of its language and import, cor
responded exactly with the one which ap-
peared soon after that time in the eastern
press, and which Governor Hill denies
ever having received. According to the
Keokuk correspondent of the World, Mr..
Watterson further said that after hay
ing written the letter doubts arose
in his mind as so whether it would most
help or hurt matters, and not being able
to satisfy himself on that point he mailed
the letter to Mr.. Cleveland and asked for
his advice in the matter. Mr.. Cleveland
kept the letter two weeks and then re-
turned it with the remark that he doubted
the advisability of sending it. Mr.. Wat
terson thereupon threw it in the waste
basket, from which he no doubt supposed
it would never be resurrected. How the
letter finally got into print he probably
does not know, but that it was either
fished out of the waste basket receptacle
OF the Courier Journal office. or that copy
of it was surreptitiously made while it
was in Mr.. Ceveland's possession,
there can he no doubt. 1t will be re-
membered that in his reply to Governor
Hills deniel of the receipt OF the letter Mr..
Watterson nowhere saws he sent it. He
declares that he wrote it and beyond that
his denial is evasive.
~ have seen this telegram BEFORE" said
Mr. Watterson. "In fact, the matter was
telegraphed to me from the HOrld Office
before it appeared in that paper. You
know how such things come about. In
all likelihood the telegram had its
origin in New York rather than in Keokuk,
and at no great distance from the Office of
the New York World
"But, Colonel, is it true that the letter
never was mailed to Governor Hill? Is it
true that it was first submitted to Mr..
ClevelandP"
~ must insist upon adhering strictly to
my resolution and refuse TO discuss the
matter further | positively wash my
hands of the whole affair. 1 have said
all care to say-all that consider neces-
sary or of propriety to say"
Mr.. Watterson's manner was positive
though he showed no irritation, and it
was evident that, so far as he is concerned,
one of the political sensations OF the hour
will be buried at the earliest possible mo-
ment.