Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-02-29
BLAINE SHIELDS HIS SON
He Blames Marie Nevins for
the Couples Separation.
THE SECRETARY DEFENDS HIS WIFE

i
has furnished 10 the United Pross a long
statement relating TO the marriage Of his
son, James g., Jr., to Marie Nevins and
their divorce He eays that be and his fam
ily have borne quietly every publication in
spired by the young lady, but the last out
rage Of the kind, embodied in tho decision OF
a judgeat Deedwood, Oak, soys Mr.. Blaiise,
assumes a character which makes Il imposi
bic TO remain longer silent.
The statement opens with letter written
by the secretary 10 Rev. Father Thonas
Duoey, of st. Leo's church, New York, who
oflciatod at the wedding. as follows;
Father Ducey nlamed.
AUGUSTA. Ne. sept. 70, 1870.
The Rev. Thomas l. Duooy Rector 81. Leo'a
Church lG hsst Twenty ninth strcct, Now
York.
sIn-On Wednesday morning last my young
est son. James G. Blaine, Jr, shocked me by
the announcement that on the prcceding Mon
day he had been united IN marriage with Miss
Marie Nevina; that you had performed tho
ceremony IN your own roctory; that my aou
and Miss Ncvina wSro unaccompanied by
friends OF rolaavos, and that two q your
household ssrvants were the sole witneasoe
My son wae horn Oct. ~ lHia, and Ia NOT
therefore nishteen years old.
Through my oldeet son. Walker Blaine, who
svest 10 New York soon ~ heard thoee un-
happy tidings. / iarn that james misrepro-
sentod his nre g. yOu, stating ttat he was
within a month or two q twentY-one But he
did not (according TO your own narrative 70
my son Waihor) ooooesl from you the vital
fact that he woa = minor; he did not ooncoel
from you, hut oIefily avOwcd. that ! had no
knowledge w-hoteSSr Of his intontton 10 get
, married and thRt his special design WIS b
, koep all knOwlede,o OF II from INC.
In this oonoeslnont be sought your aid and
4 allotment. and you held his secret under oon-
Hiderati0n from Saturday until Monday, agroo-
ing with my son Dot 10 sdyise any membor u
4 my family OF his rash purpose You took him
l. b. tho archbishop IN order that a dispensattnn
p might be secured b enable Miss Ncvina, who
, was reared Catholic b marry my son, who
Z was born haptized aud reared Protestant
Z In dofcnse q this conduct you Alleged 10 my
! son Walker tho conflienoe reposed in you ~ a
q / priest, by my son The ounndonce of The con-
u fessional is always reepeceed, hut by yvur uee
? OF condolences rcposed IN you outside the CON
,. feasional, .even by thoeo not Of the Catholic
J. communion. you porforce become an accom-
4 plico before tho act q any crime or imprudence
a 70 which you may listen.
i Itis not for mo 20 advh.e a minister OF yuui
i intelligence thot your position u absolutely un
tonahle; would b. dangerous % society, ane
would not DO respected by any court of tn
land
You further alleged in justification q youI
4 action that yOu had not performed tho cero
= would have dooo it. THIS is a common defena'
:. Of all evil doing nod h unworthy Of priost an
u a man. You mk,rht A. well justify your murdc
o OF man by chlocoforn, On the ground tina
~ otherwise a0rDo ooe else would muroor Inn
u with a dagger
"a A week asf0 my boy was unsicr my protection
!, tho most helplose. the Least responsible mofn
! ber Of my family, erratic, but controllatA
= through hi strong affectiors; an object Of con
~ slant watchfulnets 20 his parents hhs brOthor
~
q but not of despatr, because he has good abli
4 tiea ~ roadily infnenoed ~ the right a. % tn
:. srEessss all ha.u1usaa thu patience u love cal
,a never know wearinet.
Today, through your aeency, this boy IA yeors
- IN expeFieDca. In iudaulent In practtru3 capt
~ city, ieaves my house and my carr, bursene
q. with the Full responsibilities OF = man; with IA
st welfare q q vofnel IA bis keeping.
Fe cannot Queaoton the legality Of tho marriaf'
n, shall az a distance and a. every disadvantae
eDdearor ~ guide my son. But ~ a father liz
ing under do divine institution q the family
NJ q citizen living under the divine order Of >,
n ciety protoet against your At. AsasoryAu
IA OF Gcd, 70 whose ministry you are ordained,
III call God 20 witness before you and me; II wha
!, ever evils Feaultng from this deploraile MAJ
u, riage my SON may DO 10 the author or the vi
70 tim, the guik BE- on your bead.
~ JAMEs G. BLAINE
W Miss Nevins Pixed tho Wedding.
y When ] wrote this letter, Mr. Blaine sayt
X believed that Miss Neyins had no other N
10 sponsibihty IN tho marriage than 10 con
senting b my eons appeal and was blame
worthy for tiAs alone. Since then am pre-
% pared to say that the marriage was ayranee'
~ by her far more than by my sou; that sh
q did everything 10 promote it; suggeste,
~ every arrangement; anticipated and pro
ln vided for every emergency, and that, II
is fact, bat for her personal, active and un
ID tiring agency, the marriage would neve
10 have taken place. In this she shove,
y knowledge and forethought not 10 be ex
pected IN a woman Of twenty-One years.
Within ten days after her arrival in Au
gusta, within ono week from the day sh,
d first met my son, she was adjuring thus fo
several successive days:
n Write nothing until see you. Lot me know
=. NJ Onoe about tho law Cof marriago). I can
d. wait 10 hear. Il malos mo in. Can you ooml
O. 10 mo a momentf am alone. Do not send al
40 your oard- Did you see the lawst Do not keel
up tho SUSPENSE. TIE Bar HArbor house Is per
feet, bot I0ye tho dear old place here betber.
Don't ask any questions that may lead peopl
= 10 suspect anything Remember that we are il
"a the mouths OK every man, woman and child Il
70 Augusta Every word you speak Is rervato,
ls and mieconstrued Every look Of yours, ever
a flush Of your fnco Is talked Of. Look into tn
g. laws only. and perhaps one question at the hanl
q (wbere be obtained money for his marriag
3Ourney on my account by inducing the cashie
70 advanoe him money on a memorandum,
thing he bod ncyor learned 70 do before he me
Miss Eevin3. An elso can wait Oh, do b.
D. careful toel n0w an sorts OF droadful thing
Jr are said q ns We DO not know how vile tn
ie world is Do look up the laws Lot the res
Y keep.
n Did you look into the laws OF Massachusetts,
aud New York; I am sure not. Answer thi
tonight hive at last thought OF the only maj
on earth whom wo can both trust for witness
He n a nnAn can telegraph for TO come 10 Boz
III ton N we find it necessary. He Is a man, an
rs he adoroe every member Of my family. / hav
r, known HIN since ! was a child He could q
m any I4oce with us and none know. He ncve
NJ would breathe It as long as he lived. II you sa
10, WIN give him q little hint that / VIII nee
his servtoes for an emergency, but not tell hin
for what Do write me at once what the Nel
lorh heW woa, and the forfeit Answer at ono
n When they reached New York after the
~ n had hed from Augusta she cautioned my 80
- not to forget the twenty dollar gold piec
~ in little box for Ducey" and ITO look i
the pocket of your gray clothes for th
ring" In short she took charge of ever
matter and directed all the proceedings {
the last minutiae It was thus that a DO
"a Of seventeen years and ten months, in som
~ respects inexperienced even for his age, wa
tempted from his school books and his tutC
and blindly led 10 the altar by a youn
woman of fun twenty-one years, with entil
"a secrecy contrived by herself and with a
nc the instrumentalities Of herdevice cOmplei