The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-15

y certain editor of what protested to be
an independent newspaper, who had pur-
sued Mr.. Blaine with personal vindic-
tiveness hard to explain, sent over to
Europe a reporter to dog his footsteps and
70 obtain everything possible of a deroga-
tory character i'll regard to him. This
man was apparently as un scrupuious as
his employer. He used all the means
known to cheap detectives to gather
material which could only have one
ehect-that of annoying Mr.. Blaine. He
was never permitted to enter any house
where Mr.. Blaine was stopping. Yet by
using money freely he succeeded in
obtaining scraps OF information from
servants He would even wavlay people
gong IN or coming out of Mr. Blaines
apartments so as to get an apparent basis
OF fact for his TRADES of defamation and
scandal
The length to which this was carried
was shown during Mr.. Blane's stay upon
Mr.. Carnegie's estate in Scotland. Here
MIR. Carnegie gave such orders to his
various servants that the man was refused
ADMISSION to the grounds. But one morn
ing, Disgusting himself as a servant, ne
contrlved to get in, and. waylaying the
postman, took the mail from him and
went over the letters and dispatches.
Then he dropped them on the ground,
where they were afterward found. This
spy system was elaborated to such an eX-
teEt that Mr.. Blaine was obliged to warn
his friends IN America not to use the cable
for the purpose of sending him any COM
municatons of private character.
The persistent following Of Mr.. Blaine
continued until he wrote his letter of
declination in Paris. After that the per-
secutlon continued only at intervals. At
the Hotel Binda, in Paris, the servants
were bribed 10 report every one who called
upon Mr.. Blaine. He was obliged to call
upon the proprietor of the hotel for pros
lection. a number of servants were dis
charged, but even the earnest desire of the
landlord to protect him could not secure
for Mr.. Blaine freedom from annoyance
when he left the hotel. If he went out for
walk the spy was at his heels. If he
took cab the spy took one also. His
most innocent acts were misrepresented
and made the basis of a constant stream of
maignty.
One of the most trying ordeas in this
system of persecution occurred after Mr..
Blaine left Paris for the South. With his
family he had nearly enough tickets to fill
the seats III one compartment of the car.
There was, in fact, only one vacant seat
left in it, and the railroads officials had
marked the compartment "private." Yet
one of the agents of his editorial enemy
forced his way into this compartment just
as the train was starting, took the vacant
seat and proceeded to coolly Jot down
notes of his observations Of the various
tense of Disgusting the object of his pres
ence in the car. Instead OF posing as a
tourist who had strayed into the compart-
ment because he could find no
other place he deliberately began work
the moment he entered the car and
wrote dispatches to be handed out at the
next station. Mr.. Blaine asked him civilly
| to leave the compartment. He said that
the compartment was private one and
especially reserved for himself and family.
| His polite request vas met with q defiant
refusal. The intruder said that he had
| paid for q ticket and was familiar with
| French laws. No compartment in train
| could be reserved unless the occupant had
| paid for all the seats in it. He was en-
titled to a seat and he intended to keep it,
| He knew his rights. Mrs. Blaine asked
| him what became of their rights to privacy
and personal freedom from unfriendly OBJ
| servation. To this the intruder made no
| reply, but kept up his offensive scrutiny of
| every member OF the family until the jour
| ney's end was reached.
Soon after writing the Paris letter MIR.
| Blaine determined to escape from all per-
| secution, and to enjoy, if possible, visit
! to some of the more interesting parts of
! Europe without having his footsteps
| logged. He took great care to disclose to
| no one his intention to leave, and de-
! parted for Vienna. He went from Vienna
| on to Buda-Pesth, and remained there for
| suerS. No representative of any American
| newspaper crossed his path for several
| weeks. Public attention was diverted to
| other channels in America. The conten-
! tons of candidates occupied the public
mind. Mr. Blaine's withdrawal was ac-
cepted as having been made in good faith.
| So great, however, was the disappoint-
| ment over his withdrawal and so difficult
| did it become to concentrate partisan en-
| thusiasm upon any one of the numerous
| Republican candidates that the thoughts
| OF the leaders began to turn again to Mr..
| Blaine.
] was in London at this time and was
surprised one morning by the receipt of
! cable inquiry concerning the whereabouts
| of Mr.. Blaine. | supposed that it would
| be a very simple matter to find out. When
| l came 10 make inquiries, however, l dis
covered that could get no positive infor-
| nation even through the legations. 1t
was reported that he had gone on to Con-
stantinopIe after leaving Buda- Pesth.
! Others said he was at Munich. In Paris
| his bankers reported that he was travelling
| in Italy, bat was constantly changing his
address. Relying upon the American con-
| suls | traced the various reports down
until ! was positive that he was in Italy.
! This | reported back to New York. |
was then directed from New York
to go and see Mr.. Blaine and find
| out whether he was in earnest in
/ Writing the iSlltr OF UecnuttlOn anu
! whether he would persistently refuse to
permit his name TO he used before the Chi
/ cago convention. His letter. it appears,
/ had had the effect OF bringing out so many
| candidates that none OF them at that time
| were strong. Public opinion in the Re-
| publican party was turned so much III his
| direction that the report cabled TO me
| from New York was that if he would say
the word all the other candidates would
withdraw and ne could be nominated on
the first ballot. This seemed 10 me TO i'll
, dictate n condition of affairs which would
justify Mr.. blaine N permitting his name
! 10 he used.
started for Italy one snowy morning in
! February TO find Mr.. Blaine and to lay
| before him the information | had received
before asking HIM whether he would still
! persist in his determination. The jour
| ney was q severe one. Sunny Italy was
| showed under. | found soon alter arriv-
| ing in Italy that Mr. Blaine was in Flor
ence. | was surprised 10 learn soon after
| nv arrival in Florence that the American
! colony there was very much agltated over
the mysterious reserve " Inch surrounded
| Mr. Blaine. He was rarely seen. and not
| a single member of the American colony
| had been received by him. Even the
| American consul, the late Mr.. Diiler, who
| desired 10 pay him all the attention that
| his prominence merited, told me that he
| to see any one was the basis OF 4 mum Der
| of absurd reports concerning his condition
| which reached the American press IN every
| form Of eXaggeration.
| When | called at Mr.. Blaine's Motel, the
| Washington. which oyerlooks the Arno, |
! was met by the porter, who refused 10
| take up nv card. ! asked him II he had