The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-29
THE BLAINE DIVORCE
The Secretary Discusses His Domestic
TribulatiOnS.
aIs DEFENSE or HIs NAMEsAKE.
The Generous Offers Made to The
Young Married Couple,
AND REJECTED BY YOUNG MRS. BLAINE.

+ )
The Premier's Letter Of Rebuke TO
Father Ducey. who Performed the
Marriage Ceremony when Yonng
Blaine was Under Eighties Years
of Age-MrsiB iaine's Harsh Treat
ment ~ che Hands u Mrs. Nsvins
and Her DaaEhter.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. -- Secretary
Blaine has furnished to the United Press
lengthy statement relating to the
marriage Of his SON, James g., Jr., to
Marie Nevins and their divorce. Hesays
that he and his family have borne
quietly every publication inspired BY the
young woman, but the last outrage Of
the kind, embodied IN the decision Of
judge ct Deadwood, s. D., assumes q
character which makes it impossible to
remain longer silent
The statement opens with letter
written BY the secretary to Rev. Father
g. Ducey, who ofiiciated at the wedding
at the time, In which he protests against
the net Of the priest. The arrangements
for the wedding. the secretary says, Miss
Nevins made and was responsible for,
@d m . minute detailed statement Of
fzc*s he asserts the falsity az the aeser-
ton that Mrs. Blaine broke M the mar
riage relations of her son and his wife.
The Latter refused the offer made bv the
secretary for the maintenance Of the
young couple. Mrs. Blaine at no time
i1 thought, word or deed, attempted to
separate them. ION the contrary, 2 says
the secretary in closing, ..she did not
Gail by hberality, by consideration and
by extenuation TO foster in every prac-
ticable way their happiness, If happiness
TO them had been possible"
Since the separation Of my son and
his wife, three and half years ago, my
family has silently borne every mis-
representation, every slanderous attack,
every newspaper interview which it has
pleased the now divorced wife to in
spire. The one person aimed at has
been MrE Blaine, and we have perhaps
been at fault In allowing hcrI0r of the
combined with regard for the future
of my grandson, to permit SO much
caluInny to 20 unanswered. The last
outrage of the kind, embodied in the
decision of the judge at Deadwood,
s. D., assumes an official character
which makes it impossible to remain
longer silent.
ITO remain silent would be to accept
and perpetuate q great wrong to my
wife-a greater wrong to my grandson
than even q publication Of the truth
can infiict upon him. It is necessary in
speaking that ] should give summary
as brief as possible of the marriage and
the incidents which followed it and led
to the separation.
"A letter which / addressed to the
Rev. Thomas /. Ducey at the time of
the marriage will distinctly state the
important facts bearing upon that
event.
The letter to Father Ducey, dated
Augusta, Me-, Sept. 10, 1885, is as fol-
lows:
'.On Wednesday morning last, the Sth
inst, my youngest son, James @. Blaine,
Jr., shocked me by the announcement
that on the preceding Monday he had
been united in marriage with Miss Marie
Neyins; that you had performed the
ceremony in your own rectory; that my
son and Miss .Nevins were unaccompan-
led by friend or relative, and that two
of your household servants were the
sole witnesses. My sons announcement
gave the frs knowledge that or any
member of my family had of his mar
rage or even his attachment to Miss
Nevins, whose character, II wish to say
at the outset, Is not at all in question,
and of whom, but for this marriage,
have never heard breath of censure.
"lsMy son was born Oct. 10, 1868, and
is not, therefore, Is years old. He was
living here in his own home, In the
house where he was born, surrounded
by neighbors who had known him all
his life, under the daily care of tutor
who was fitting him for college, which
he hoped to enter this autumn. To
facilitate his preparation he desired to
remain here during the summer, while
the other members of the family were
much of the time at Bar Harbor. AS
have since learned, Mise Nevins, in
company with her sister and her father,
came to Augusta ON Monday, Aug 16.
On Friday, Sept. 3, eighteen days after
her arrival in Augusta, my son, who
had never seen her nor heard her name
until she came here, left his home with
out permission, and without the knowl-
edge of any member of his family, and
accompanied Miss Nevins and her sister
to their mother In New York. On Sat
urday, the 4th, the two young persons
presented themselves to you for mar
rage.
4 Through my eldest SON, Walker
Blaine, who went to New York as soon
as heard these unhappy tidings,
learn that James misrepresented his rage
to you, stating that he was within
month or two of 81. But he did not
son Walker) conceal from you the vital
fact that he was d minor; he did not
conceal from you, but openly avowed,
that had no knowledge whatever of his
intentions to be married and that his
special design was to keep all knowledge
of it from me. In this coneealment he
sought your aid and allotment, and you
held his secret for consideration from
Saturday until Monday, agreeing with
my son not to advise any member
of my family of his rash purpose. You