Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-01
YOUNG MR. BLArNE.s DIVORCE.
Controversy Again Started by Statement
From the Seer etary.

TIE BLAINE SIDE OF THE UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR
At LAST GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC ON ACCOUNT OF
4 THE DAKOTA yrDGE's cRIrIcIsMs-coUNTER
srArENESTs FROM MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY
TIE PRIEST THAT PERFORMED THE CEREMONY.
| The personal statement given to the public
by Secretary Blaine concerning the marriage
separation and divorce Of his son, James G.
Blaine. r.. and Miss Marie Nevins. referred ia
In yesterdays STAR, has called ont statements
from the members Of the divorced wife's
family.
Mr.. Blaine explains his long silence by the
horror which Mrs. Blaine felt OF public dis
cussion of private matters, but says the outrage
embodied in the decision of the Dakota Judge,
assuming an official character, makes it impos-
sible to remain silent longer without perpetu-
sting greater wrong to his wife and grandson
/ than publication of the truth can infiict upon
| him. Mr. Blaine gives letter he wrcte to
Father Ducey dated Augusta Me-, September
| Is. 1856 Just after the marriage. reproachiu
the priest for the part he had taken In the I'M
| fortunate Rffair.
| Mr. Blaine called attention to the fact that his
son was but eighteen years old; that the mar
| riage was secret, the only witnesses being SER
| wants in the priests house. and that the priest
| performed the Ceremony with a full knowledge
OF the fact that the groom family were in
/ ignorance of the intended marriage. In this
| letter Mr.. Blaine saws:
Miss Nevins, in company with her
sister and her father, came to Augusta on Mon
| day. August 16. On Friday, September g. IN
| eighteen DAYS after her arrival in Augusta, my
| son. who had never seen her or heard her name
/ until she came here, left his home without per-
mission and without the knowledge Of any
member of his family and accompanied Miss
Nevins and her sister to their mother in New
ork. On Saturday, the 4th, the two young
| persons presented themselves to you for mar
! riage. Through my eldest son, Walker Blaine,
who went to New York as soon as l heard these
| unhappy tidings learn that James misrepre-
/ sented his age to you, stating that he was
| within a month or two of tventy-one. But he
| did not according to your own narrative to
my son Walker) conceal from you the vital fact
| that he was q minor. He did not conceal from
you, but openly avowed that had no kuowl-
! edge whatever OF his intention TO be married,
| and that his special design was TO keep all
knowledge OF it from me. In this concealment
| he sought your aid and allotment, and you held
| his secret under consideration from saturday
| until Monday, agreeing with my son not to ad-
| wise any member Of my family OF Ills rash
purpose.
week ago my boy was under myprotection.
| the most helpless, the least responsible mem-
Der of my family; erratic. but controliaDle
through his strong affections; all object OF con-
| slant watchfulness 10 his parents his brothers
| and his sisters; a source OF constant anxiety,
| but not of despair, because he Is of good abb
| tiles, as readily Influenced TO the right as to
the wrong, and because the patience OF love
can never know WEAKNESS. Today, through
| your agency, this boy, In years. in experience,
IN Judgment, III practical capacity, leaves my
home and my care burdened with the full re-
sponsibilities of a man with the welfare Of a
woman In his keeping.
PRELIMISARIEs TO THE MARRIAGE.
In his statement MIR. Blaine says: when l
| wrote this letter l believed that Miss Nevins
had no other responsibility in the marriage
| than in consenting to my sons appeal and was
blameworthy for this alone. Since then am
prepared to say that the marriage was arranged
by her far more than by my son; that she did
everything to promote 1t; suggested every ar
rangement; anticipated and provided tor every
emergency, and that in fact, but for her per-
sonal active and untiring agency the marriage
would never have taken place. In t...s she
| showed knowledge and forethousht no. to be
| expected in woman of twenty-one years.
After giving evidence to show that the young
woman was planning the marriage and schen-
ing to have 1t done clandestinely Mr.. Blaine
says:
1t was thus that boy Of seventeen years and
ten months, in some respects inexperienced
books and his tutor and blindly led to the altar
by young woman of full twenty-one years.
with entire secrecy contrived by herself and
with all the ii.srumentalities of her device
complete and exact"
DENIES THAT MRS, BLAINE WAS USKISp.
Mr.. Blaine says that his son Walker went to
New York to see whether the marriage might
not be invalid or could not be annulled by
reason Of the groom's youth, but that he found
| it was too late. As to the charge that Mrs.
Blaine was instrumental in separating the
yOuu1 peOnla Mr. RlaiDe ma Easa NJ N.Y. md
a detailed denial He says that she didn't see
his daughter-in-law until eight months after
the marriage and then only for a short while.
Again she saw her just before the Blame family
| ieIt Tor Europe: Fourteen months later. when
Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine returned from Europe,
| they found that young Blaine had not only
spent all his allowance. but was also deeply IN
debt 1T Was then arranged" Mr.. Blaine
| says, that both my son and his wife should
| come down to Augusta and have their future
determined at family council They arrived
IN Augusta on Saturday. the 18th OF August
Mrs. Blaine was absent from home on a visit
and returned Monday afternoon, the 10th, so
that she saw James wife for the first time IN
Augusta on the evening of August 20.
PROPOSITION TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
Within two or three days learned the de-
tails Of the dismal failure Of their New York
life, aud after full consultation with Mrs Blaine
and with her free approval, proposed that
they should come to live at Augusta and occupy
our old home. l had a summer house at Bar
Harbor, and as l intended to spend all NV
winters in Washington. this house would be
vacant if they did not occupy it, The house
being large, proposed to pay for fuel and
hight and the wages OF o man servant and L
would furnish them with horse and Carriage
l also assured them In addition the sum OF
-. 500 year until my son should be able to
earn an income of that amount. / made the
proposition while We were sitting on the lawn.
with my sons wife but few feet distant Nv
son went Immediately over to her and know
that he told her In detail Just what NV offer
was Her reply was that she would not stay
in Augusta on any consideration. He was very
much disconnected by her decision and for the
| first time informed his mother and myself of
| his discomfort and unhappiness, a fact which
was not before known, but which was not re-
ceIved with surprise.
We then learned that during our absence il,
Europe he had become gradually estranped
| from her and her refusal to accept the resi-
| dence In Augusta was merely the last OF a long
| series OF dlsaSreements which threatened to
make their united lite impossible and which led
| finally TO q separation Disaster is the only
| legitimate conclusion OF such a marriage
During the two weeks that my SON wife STAYED
| at Augusta II became patent TO every member
| OF my family and to every visitor. and to no
one more than myself, that u separation was
| the least disaster to be dreaded
YOUNG MKs. BLAINE 9 DEPARTURE.
The immediate occasion of her departure il
| stated to be that her husband accompanied his
II