The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-01
BLAINE AND NEVINS
The Secretary Says Jimmy Was
Inveigled Into Marriage.
HIS LITTER TO FATHER DUCEY
He Hauls the Priest Over the Coals-Grace
Widow Blaine Will Make Reply
Mrs Nevins' Statement

Since the separation CT my son and his
wife, three and half years ago, my fam
lily have borne every misrepresentation
slanderous attack and newspaper inter-
view ii has pleased the now divorced wife
to inspire. The person aimed at has been
Mrs. Blaine. We perhaps have been at
fault in allowing public discussion of pri-
vate matters. together with regard for
the future Of my grandson, to permit so
much calumny to go unanswered. The
last outrage of the kind, embodied in the
decision of the judge Of Deadwood,
ASSUMES AN OFFICIAL CHARACTER,
which makes it impossible to longer re-
main silent. To do so would be to accept
and perpetuate a great wrong to my wife,
and greater wrong to my grandson, than
even publication of the truth can infiict.
a letter / addressed to Thomas /. Ducy, at
the time of the marriage, gives important
facts bearing upon that event;
AUGUSTA, Me-, Sept. 10. 1886.
Rev. Themes I. Ducey:
Last Wednesday morning my youngest son,
son, James q. Blaine, jr., shocked me by the
announcement that on the preceding Monday
YOU had united him in marriage in your own
rectOry with Miss Nevins; that my son and
Miss Nevins we're unaccompanied by friend or
=
the sole witnesses. My sons announcement
was the 6rst knowledge that any member OF
the family had of even an attachment for Miss
Nevins, whose character is not at all in cues
ton, ana Of whom, except for this rash mar
rtage, ! have never heard breath OF censure.
My son is but seventeen. He has been living
here under the daily care of tutor, who was
lifting him Tor college. In order 10 continue his
studies he desired to remain here during the
summer, while the rest of the family were at
Bar Harbor. Monday, August 10, Miss Nevins,
her sister ana father. came 10 Augusta. Eight
cen days afterwards my son, who had never
heard or her until she came here,
LEFT his HOME
without permission or the knowledge Of the
family, and accompanied Miss Nevins to New
York. The next day they presented them
selves TO you for marriage. While he mlsre-
presented his age TO you he did not, according
10 your own statements, afterwards made, con
ceal from you the fact of his minority, or the
fact that his family knew nothing OF his in
tended marriage. You agreed not 10 inform his
family. You look him to the archbishop IL
NeVlns, Catholic, might marry my son, Pro
testant. You knew was within a moments
reach by telegraph, yet never gave the slightest
animation TO me, the most interested and re
Sponslble party, of what was going In de
Tense Of this conduct you alleged the confidence
reposed IL yon, as a priest, ~ my son. The
confidence OF confessional is always respec
TED; but, by your use OF the confidence repOseC
il you outside OF the confessional, even by those
not of the Catholic communion, YOU perforct
become an accomphce before the act of an
crime or lmprudence which you may hasten
You further alleged that if you hau not per
formed the ceremony, some one outside of you
communion would have done it This is a com
mon defense OF evlldoing, and is
UNWORTHY OF A PRIEST AND A MAX.
A week ago my boy was under my protection
the most helpless, least responsible member o
my family; erratic, but cOntrollable through hi
strong affections, and object of constan
watchfulness to his parents ana brothers ant
sisters; source OF constant anxiety but no
despair. because he is OF good Abilities a
readily Influenced TO right as wrong, and be
cause the patience of love can never knox
WEAKNESS. To-day, through your agency thi
boy IA years, IN experience. in Judgment i
practical capacity, leaves my home and care
bur1ened with the full response bility of a man
with the welfare of a woman within his keepin
am powerless. / cannot question the legaiit
OF the marriage / shall, at distance and dis
advantage, Try to guide nv son. But, as
father loving under the divine institution c
the family, as citizen, loving under the dlvin
order OF society, l protest against your act.
call God TO witness, between you and me,
whatever evils resulting from The deplorabl
marriage my son may be the author or victim
the guilt be on your head.
JAMES G. BLAINE.
When I wrote the foregoing letter l be
heyed that Miss Nevins had no other re
sponsibility in the u arriage than in cor
am prepared TO say that the marriage wa
arranged by her far more than by my sol
SHE DID EVERYTHING TO PROMOTE IT,
suggested every arrangement. anticipate
and provided for every emergency: in fac
but Tor her personal, active, untirin
agency the marriage would never hay
taken place. In this she showed a know
edge and forethought not to be expecte
IN woman ST twenty-one years.
WITHIN ten days after her arrival in Al
gusta, within week after meeting IN
son, she was thus adiuring him for seyera
successive days:
Write nothing until l see you. Let n
know at once about the law Cof marriage
! cannot wait TO hear; 1t makes me III.
''C2n you come 10 NE moment! Am alon
DO not send up your card.n "Do not as
any questions that may lead people to su.
pect anything. We are in the mouths
every mau, woman and child in August
Every look, every flush OF your face
talked of. Look into the laws only Il
morrow and perhaps one question at Il
bank" where he obtained the money Fl
his marriage, on my account, by inducir
the cashier 10 advance him funds on b
memorandunl-a thing he never learned
do before he met Miss NeYins. ''All ell
can wait.
DO BE CAREFUL.
You DO not know how vile the world
Do look up the laws. Did you look up Il
laws OF Massachusetts and New York?
am sure not. Answer tonight. l have
last thought Of the only man on ear
whom we can trust for a Witness
Another time, writing of this man wi
could be trusted" she wrote: ~ ha,
known him since a child, ana he would ,
anything for me. If you say so. l win gi-
q Ia bot I
vices for an emergency, but not tell hi
for WHAT
When they reached New York, aft
fleeing from Augusta, she cautioned II
son not 10 forget the $50 gold piece in ii
little box for Ducey, and to "look in II
pocket of his gray clothes for ring.n s.
directed the proceedings to the la
minutiR.
1t was thus that seventeen-year-o
boy was tempted from his school boo
and tutor by young woman of twent,
one, with entire secrecy, contrived by he
self and win all the instrumentalities of
HER DEVICE COMPLETE AND ENACT.
My eldest son, Walker, went to Ne
York TO see If the marriage was not j
valid, or could not be annulled. He W
met with the assertion that it was too la
for any proceedings to set aside the ms
riage relations of my son and his wife. L
fore we sailed for Europe in June, 1S<
Mrs. Blaine met her daughter-in-law b
three times. Fourteen months late
when we returned, we found tn
our son, in our absence, had n
only spent his entire allowance, b
was deeply in debt. At a far
ly council in August, learned the details
the dismal failure of their New York Ii.
and proposed that they should take O
Augusta home. [ furnished the fuel, s,
wants, and furnishing horse and carrias
in addition assuring them 81, 800 a year |
I'll my son was able TO earn an income
that amount. His wife replied that S
would not stay in Augusta on any cons
GRAFTON. He was very much disconcert
by her decision, and for the first time