The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-29
BLAINES HEAVY CROSS,
Open Letter Explaining His
Sons Divorce Case.
THE YOUNG WIFE CENSURED.
RebukeS the Priest Who United the
Ill-Matched Couple.
Declaration That Mrs. Blaine, the Elder,
Had No Hand in the Separation
Sons Wife Left Him Without Cause
From the Blaine Family.

WASHINGTON CRY, Feb. 2S.-Mr. Blaine
furnishes the Associated Press the follow
ing. under the caption of "a Personal
Statement:
Since the separation of my son and wife. three
ana haif years ago. my family have silently
Dorne every Misrepresentation, slanderous at
TACK ana newspaper interview which it has
Pleased the now divorced wife to inspire the
person aimed at being Mrs. Blaine. We perhaps
nave been at fault in allowing public discussion
OF private matters. together with regard for the
iuture OF my grandson, to permit SO much
caiumny to go unanswered The last outrage OF
tAe klnd, embodied in the decision of the Judge
al Deadwood, assumes an official character
which makes it impossible longer to remain
silent. To do SO would be to accept and per-
petuate wrong to my wife and a greater wrong
10 my grandson than even the publication of
the truth can iufiict. A letter addressed to
the Rev. Thomas l. Ducy, at the time of the
marriage, gives important facts bearing upon
tnat event:
AUGUSTA, Me-, Sept I3, 1885,
hee. Thomas l. Ducy: Last Wednesday morn
ing my youngest son, James G. Blaine, jr,
shocked me by the announcement that on the
preceding Monday you had united him in mar
rage III your own rectory with Mss Mary
Nevlns; that my son and Miss Nevins were un-
accom- panied by friend or relative, two OF your
household servans being the sole witnesses
a' son announcement was the first knowledge
that any member of my family had OF even an
attachment for Miss Nevins, whose character is
net at ali III question and OF whom, except for
TINS rash marriage, | have never heard the
breath of censure. My son is but II. He has
been living here under the daily care of tutor
VINO was fitting him for college. In
order to continue his studies he de-
sired to remain here during the
summer while the rest OF the family were at Bar
HarbQf. On the last Monday in August Miss
Nevtns her sister and father came to Augusta.
Eighteen days afterwards my son, who never
had heard OF her until she came here, left his
nome without the permission or knowledge OF
any OF the family and accom- panied Miss Nevins
70 New York. The next day they presented
themselves to you for marriage. While he mis-
represented his age, he did not, according to
your own statements afterwards, make any at
tempt to conceal from you the fact of his minor
lily, or the fact that his family knew nothing OF
ms intended marriage, and you agreed not to
inform his family. Iou took him to the arch
bishop in order to secure dispensation so that
Miss Nevins, Catholic. might marry my son, a
Protestant. You knew / was III a moments
reach by telegraph, yet never gave the slightest
lntlmation to me, tue most deeply interested
and responsible party, OF what was going on.
In defense of this conduct you alleged the
confidence reposed in you as priest by my son.
The confidence of the confessional is always
spected, but by your use of condolences reposed
In YOU outside of the confessional even by those
not OF Catholic communion, you preforee be-
come an accomplice before the act OF any crime
or lmprudence to which you may listen. You
further alleged that if you had not performed
the ceremony some one outside of your COM
munion would have done II. This is the COM
mon defense OF evil-doing and is unworthy OF a
priest and man. A week ago my boy was un-
der my, protection, the most helpless, least
ratio, but controlable through his strong
affections, and the object of constant
Watchfulness to his parents, brothers and sis
ters; source OF constant anxiety, but not de-
spair, because he is OF good abilities, readily
influenced to right wrong and because the
patience OF love can never know WEAKNESS.
Today, through your ageucy, this boy in years,
IN experience, in Judgment, in practical capac-
1ty, leaves my home and care, burdened with
the full responsibilities OF a man with the well
fare OF a woman in his keeping. am power
less. cannot question the legality OF the mar
riage. shall, at a distance and disadvantage,
try to guide my son. But as a father living
under the divine institution of family. as a
citizen living under the divine order of So
ciety, protest against your act, call God to
witness between you and me, of whatever evil
resulting from this deplorable marriage my son
may be author or victim, the guilt be On your
head. JAMES G. BLAINE
When I wrote the foregoing letter believed
Miss Nevins had no other responsibility in the
marriage than in eonsenting to my sons ap-
peal. Since then am prepared to say the mar
riage was arranged BY her far more than by nv
son. She did everything to promote it, sug-
gested every arrangement, anticipated and pro-
Yided for every emergency; in fBct, but for her
personal, active and untiring agency the marri-
showed knowledge and forethought not to b,
expected in woman of y years of age. Within
ten days after her arrival i'll Augusta, within a
week after first meeting with my son, she was
thus abiuring him for several successive days:
Write nothing until I see you. Let me know
at once about the law OF marriage. | cannot
wait 10 hear; it makes me i'll. Can you come to
me a moment? AIN alone. Do not send up your
card. Do not ask any questions that may lead
people to suspect anything. We are in the
mouths OF every man, woman and child i'll
Augusta. Every LOOK, every flush of your face
- Ia ked OF. Look INFO the laws only tomorrow
One question at the bank where he obtained
the money for his marriage on my account, by
inducing the cashier TO advance him funds on
his memorandum, a thing he never learned to
do before he met Miss Nevins, shows her In
fuence. Another time she said:
All else can wait, 10 be careful, you do not
know how vile is the world; DO look up the
laws. Did You look into the laws of Massa-
chu.etts and New York? an sure not An
swer tonight / have at last thought of only
one man on earth whom We ean trust for wit
Desses.
Another time, writing of this man:
havo known him since childhood, and no
would DO anything for me. II you only say so,
viii give him gentle hint that ilNneed his
services Tor an emergency, but not tell him for
what,
When they reached New York after fleeing
from Augusta she cautioned my son not to for
get to put so gold piece in little box for
Duey, and to look in the pocket OF his gray
clothes for riaC. She directed the proceedings
TO the least minute particular. 1t was thus
l7-year-old boy was tempted from his school
books and tutor and blindly led to the altar by
young woman OF 2l, with entire secrecy. con-
friyed by herself, and with all the instrumen-
tsl.ties OF her device complete and exact Nv
Oldest son, Walker, went to New YORK to see II
the Inarrisge was not invalid or could not be an
nulled He was met with the assertion that it
was too late for any proceedings to set aside the
marriage
next purpose to show the falsity of the as
sertion that my wife broke up the marriage re-
la,iuns of my son and his wife. Before We
sailed for Europe, IN June, 1887, Mrs. Blaine met
her daughter-in-law but three times. Fourteen
months later, when we returned, we found our
son in our absence had not only spent his entire
allowance, but was deeply in debt.
At family council In August learned the
details Of the dismal failure OF their New YORK
life and proposed that they should take our
Augusta home, ] paying for light, fuel, servant
and furnishing horse and carriage, in addition
TO assuring them 500 year until my son was
able to earu an income OF that amount Ills
wife replied that she would not stay in Augusta
on any consideration. He was very much dis
concerned by her decision, AMI Tor the first time
informed his mother ana myself OF his diseon-
tent and Unhsppiness. We then learned that
he had been gradually estsanged from her, aud
this refusal was merely one OF long series of
d!sasreemen:s which finally led to the separ-
alton.
The immediate cause OF her departure from
Augusta was the fact that my son, al my re-
quest, was with me several days on 3 campaign
trip. He did not 60 home as soon as he ex-
pected to, and when he returned found that shs
had iett for New York eight hours before. Mrs.