The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-29
Washington People Have not Re-
covered From the Latest Sensa-
tional Developments.
Some Scandals in Times Past That
Were not Unlike the
Present.
The Cases Of Copkling, sumner, Chris
tiancy, Cameron, Hen Hill. Thompson,
Tnulbss and Othsrs

There has always been a great deal OF
talk about the corruption Of official life in
Washington, and there turks in the minds
of II good many people n sort of i'll defined
idea hat the private characters Of some of
our congressman are not very credltable to
men in their exalted stations. Whatever
foundation there may be for these vague
suspicious, 1T is certain that such moral
obliquity as exists in Washington society
is kept pretty well below the surface, and,
80 far as outward appearances go, those who
walk in the bright light of publicity lead
very decent and we'll regulated lives.
This fact is emphasized by the profound
sensation created not only In Washington,
but throughout the entire country, when it
was known that Miss Madeline V. Pollard
had brought suit against Congressman
Breckenridge of Kentucky charging him
marriage. Owing to the distinguished
character of the defendent and the hitherto
spotless reputation of the young woman
herself, the public wal taken entirely by
surprise, and not since the day General Dan
Sickles shot Philip Barton Key has Wash
ington society been so stirred.
OF course the case of Senator Conkling
and Kate Chase Sprague caused a good
deal of excitement when it was first sprung
upon the public, and the scandalous con-
duct Of the young wife of the late Senate
Christiancy created considerable righteous
indignation. Senator Sumner was also the
victim of an unfortunate marriage, which
embittered his life, grieved his friends and
shocked society. But all these things hap
pened long age, and are now nearly forgot
ten. In more recent years a named
Raymond brought suit against Senate Ben
Hill of Georgia, who was then one of the
leaders of the Democratic party. She al
legged pretty much the same condition of af-
fairs as does Miss Pollard, but her case was
not pressed.
Another famous case that resembles that
of Miss Pollard in a good many particulars
was the suit of Mrs. Mary S. Oliver against
Senator Simon Cameron. who was then 81
years old. On May 5, 1880, a decision was
rendered for the defendant. 1t has fire.
quently been alleged that women who at
tempt to expose congressman do not re-
ceive fair treatment in the courts, and that
charge was repeatedly made in the Oliver
Cameron case. A woman who has grown
gray in the honorable service of one of the
departments said the other day:
Miss Pollard does not know what she is
doing when she undertakes to down a
OilLctl tDtttcS representative. we WIZ
have Ii | here for % years have seen many
a good and virtuous woman absolutely de-
stroyed in such an effort. Hundreds Of
perfectly pure an,l lovely women in our re-
membrance Il. come to Washington
upon receiving promises from the repre-
sentatives AT home of good positions in
store for them, only to be cruelty wronged,
and in most cases they have carried their
secrets to the grave, realizing their perfect
helplessness to secure redress of any kind"
Mr.. Breckenridge is not the first Ken
lucky representative to get into trouble
over a woman. About 10 years ago Con-
gresham Phil Thompson, Jr., shot and
killed a man who was too attentive to his
wife. Mr.. Thompson was acquitted at the
trial and reelected to congress. He is quite
intimate with Mr.. Breckenridge, and only a
few days ago went to Washington to see
what he could do to assist his friend in his
present emergency. The Kincaid-Taulbee
case is still fresh in the public mind. Kin
caid was a correspondent and had been
writing rather freely concerning alleged IT.
Irregularities in the private life of the con-
gresham. Taulbee called him to account,
and the correspondent was obliged to kill
the congressman to prove his case.