The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-05-10

Nv GRID TO prlnb MS denial. ana Ii 1t Gid
not appear next day he would send to
the Associated Press and to the United
Press statement which he had drawn
up for submission to the country. The
case was becoming embarrassing.
Meantime the reporter, although
urged more than once, had not placed
IN my hands the affidavit which he had
promised to make, and his conduct had
not inspired me with confidence. l con-
cluded at last that 1t was my duty to
see Mr.. Cleveland himself and ascertain,
if possible, the true facts. requested
Mr.. Levien to accompany me, and, by
appointment, we called together upon
Mr.. Cleveland at his house in Madison
avenue, about nine o'clock in the even
ing. We found him alone in his library,
complacent and bland. never had met
Mr.. Cleveland before. I had not voted
for him for president in 1883 on mat
ter of principle, and consequently it
could not be said that I was particu-
larly prejudiced in his favor. I at
once broke the ice and we began to
discuss the subject which had brought
me to him. He said he had been much
annoyed by this unwarranted publica-
ton, and he pointed to a pile of tele-
grams upon his desk, which he said had
been pouring in upon him for three days
from all parts of the country, not one
of which he had answered as yet. He
said that he had implicit confidence that
the World would see that justice was
done him, and he had patiently waited.
But he assured me that unless some
thing was done to set him right in the
next issue of the paper he wsuld be
compelled to send to the country his alb
solute and unqualified denial of the
alleged interview. We then went
over the matter from the beginning,
and, while took no notes, have
very thorough recollection Of what
was said and the manner in which it
was said. Mr.. Cleveland admitted that
World merely because he had brought
him a note from Col. Lamont, introduc-
ing him as an honorable reporter, and
Saying that he was of entirely different
mold from his brother, who had profess
sionally subjected him (Mr. Cleveland)
to some indignities while representing
the World in Washington. He said that
it was his custom at that time to ex-
press no opinions to reporters for publ
cation, and that, while he received the
young man as matter of courtesy, he
did not give him the slightest intimation
of desire to be interviewed. There was
some discussion, he said, in reference to
general politics and especially to the
Pennsylvania campaign, which had just
then got under way. After some
desultory conversation Mr.. Cleveland
said that the young man made reference
to the fact that the New York Sun
was still keeping up its attacks upon
him. He said that he made some reply
to merely indicate his utter Indifference
to the matter, but did not make any per
sonal reference to Mr.. Dana which could
be in any way tortured into such coarse
abuse as the young man subsequently
put into his mouth. Mr.. Cleveland said:
81 can assure you that there was no rea-
son in the world why should have
made such an exhibition Of myself. I
have never permitted myself to be wor-
ried by the attacks of the Sun. After
the experience of 1884 I was satisfied
that the Sun damaged itself fully as
much as it did me by it's course.
81 did not read the paper and did not
permit anybody to read to me the at
tacks made upon me personally. When
my friends would inform me from time
to time that was being assailed by the
Sun, simply passed the matter by
and gave it no heed. Now, as to certain
phrases that have been attributed to
me by the reporter for the World: I
viii cay that they bear evidence of
falsity on their face. For instance,
am made to speak of Mr.. Dana's
senility. To the best of my recollec-
ton, never made use of the word
'senile' in my life, either in writing or
speaking. am somewhat peculiar in
that respect, as Mr.. Levien knows, and
while my vocabulary is by no means
limited, assuredly know that it does
not contain certain words. am made
to speak of ME-. Dana as victim of
'paresis.' This is another word which
never used in my life, for, to tell you
the truth, could not define the nature
Of that disease if called upon to do so
now. know that it is brain disorder
and that is all. It would have been alb
solutely silly for me to refer to Mr..
Dana's senility for I regard him
as one OF the most vigorous individuals
Of his age that have ever heard Of"
In this way Mr.. Cleveland, affable
and bland, proceeded through the inter
view seriatum, entering direct denials
at every point, and explaining why he
could not or would not have made the
remark attributed to him. At the con-
clusion, said to him that of course the
situation was an embarrassing one, but
ofar as was concerned, was deter
mined to do what believed to be
right in the matter, let happen
what would Upon my direct inter-
rogatory, he declared emphatically,
on bis honor as man, that no such in
terview as that reported by the World
had ever taken place. He did not de-
nounce the reporter, but simply ex-
pressed surprise and showed pain that
the young man should have SO grossly
misrepresented him. AS to the point of
authorization for published interview,
he said that fhera was No upf7e7.st , nd