Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-03-02
BLAINEANDCONKLING
THE NEW YORK Ex-sENAToR's sTo-
ny OF THE LIFELONG FEuD.

A Charge Of Receiving Illegal Fees which
the Statesman Never Forgave--One Side
Of an Estrangement That Meant Much to
American History.
Colonel Edward Gerhard, lawyer in
the Mutual Life Insurance building, said
that he thought the true reason for the
bitter feeling between Roscoe Conkling
and James q Blaine had never been
printed. He said that during Mr.. Conk-
ling's life in New York city he frequently
met the great Republican statesman
from Utica, and on several occasions
they talked about his difference with Mr.
Blaine. Colonel Gebhard said:
"Conkling used to come up to see me.
We were intimate friends, and one after
noon ! told him that would like to get
at the bottom Of the estrangement be-
tween Mr.. Blaine and himself. 1 told
Mr.. Conkling that it seemed to me abb
Eurd that a man who had been lawyer
all his life. and public man, should
have taken offense at Mr.. Blaine's speech
calling him turkey gobbler, etc. 1t
was something could not comprehend.
Mr.. Conkling replied: 1T is just as alb
surd to me to take 1t that way as it is to
you You know | have practiced law
all my life. II lawyers permitted the
snimosities Of public trials to warp their
sensibilities, we would be in fight with
ell the world The true cause Of the
quarrel between Mr.. Blaine and myself
Is that Mr. Blaine took an unfair advan-
tage of me in the house of representa-
tives to reflect upon my personal integ-
rity.
'In the discussion growing out of the
disseminating of the Office of provost
marshal general Mr.. Blaine rose to a
question of personal privilege Mr.
Conkling told me that he did not pay
much attention to Mr.. Blaine's speech
until he heard his name mentioned
Then, after listening. he found Blaine
was making a personal assault, foreign
to the matter of personal privilege and
alien to the subject under discussion.
Conkling said he listened, and the more
he listened the more he was amazed, and
then he became angry. Conkling said
that he so lost control Of himself under
the impulse Of the moment that he went
TO his friend. Thad Stevens, and said:
Mr.. Stevens, you have heard what
Mr.. Blaine has Just said. What shall
dor The question Of personal privilege
Mr.. Blaine used was q personal attack
upon my integrity. He has character
lied me as man who has accepted en-
ployment from the government while |
was member Of congress, and while in
that employment had received fees paid
to me by Secretary Stanton, and that the
fees embraced pay for services which
had been illegally rendered by me to the
government Of the United States in do
ing some work In the western part Of the
state This work included the investi-
cation Of certain bounty frauds which
had taken place In Elmira, and the sec
Rotary came to me and employed me to
get at the root Of the trouble. devoted
great deal Of time to the business, and
the upshot was that the government re-
covered, through my efforts, many thou
sands Of dollars. Upon my return to
Washington Secretary Stanton sent for
me and offered $4,000 In payment for
my services. which / refused to accept.
/ said to him at that time that If l was
to receive anything | preferred to ar
range the price myself, and at all events
] would not accept such sum.
" Pending the discussion between Sec
rotary Stanton and myself | went to
Utica and talked over the matter with
Governor Seymour and Judge DEMO,
chief judge Of the court Of appeals, both
Democrats I told them that did not
want to take step which could DO used
against me in any way. did not want
TO make a show Of purity that would be
ridiculous. and did not care about ac-
cepting fee that might be questioned.
On my return to Washington the check
Of Secretary Stanton was reduced Ia
$500. Even then was timid aboutac-
cepting 1t, but Stanton said: by God
know what services are worth. have
been q lawyer all my life, and this money
you have got to take did take the
money. felt that had earned Il, and
when Mr. Blaine referred to this In the
house felt that he had taken mean adj
| vantage, and determined never to speak
| 70 him again.
mr.. Conkling told me, /" continued Mr..
| Gebhard, that Mr.. Stevens said to him,
| IN attend TO this for you, Mr. COnkIfng,
| and viii caIl for acommittee Of inquiry.
"A committee was appointed for the
Il .4.......s - - 1870