The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-07
MISS RICHARDSON BEATEN.
Secretary Long Ends the Fight Owe.
Christening the Kentucky.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Lexington, KY, Dec. 4-Gov. Bradley
has Withdrawn from the contest with
Miss Harriet Bainbridge Richardson owe,
the christening of the battleship Ken
lucky. He has left the entire matter %,
Secretary of the Navy John d. Long. and
Mr.. Long has designated Gov. Bradlev.s
daughter, Miss Christine Bradley. 70 be
sponsor of the Kentucky.
Miss Bradley has written a letter to her
father, declining to christen the Kentucly
and saying that she would prefer thar
Miss Richardson Should christen the shin
The letter was written before Secretary,
Longs action was announced, and her
friends here believe that she will after all
break the bottle of old Bourbon on the
Kentucky's Prov
Gov. Bradleys friends say Miss Ric3.
ardson will not in any contingency be an
pointed that she does not deserve the qp.
pointment, and that her claims are with.
out official foundation. Miss Richardso,
will not withdraw from the contest until
she hears definitely from Miss Bradl.,
She is not disposed to act on newsDaDer
elCNOulliS- 'oAL1 II greatly luceDSeO at OK
Secretary Herberts statement that her
selection was merely idle talk. and on this
point she gave out tonight the following
statement:
'Ex-Secretary Herbert is not persecut.
ing an officer in the service under him
this time who is not able TO speak for blrn-
self, but a freedom American girl WIN
is fully equal to defending herself against
the falsity of his statement. 1t is true
that the invitation did not come officially.
He has since found out that at that time
an invitation was not in accordance with
the naval regulations. The invitation was
not taken for granted by myself during
pleasant little conversation at the home
of a lady friend as he put it, I shall
bring out the facts infinitely as they oc-
Cured.
On the evening of Dec. 81, 1887, box
party was given in Washington by the
Hon. Charles G. Bennett, a member u
congress from Brooklyn, to which Secre-
tary Herbert was asked. At a supper ar-
ter the theater at the Shoreham there
We're present Secretary Herbert the Hon.
Cnarles q. Bennett, young gentleman
whom L know slightly, MIR. Jack Story,
two ladies, and myself. While at the tabls
Secretary Herbert stated that he had jus5
decided to call one of the new battleshlps
Kentucky. one of the ladies said:
Oh, Mr.. Secretary, how lovely Ny
guest, Miss Richardson, is southern girl
and from Kentucky
ITO this Secretary Herbert repled A
tairer representative for the christening
could not be found with other fattering
remarks.
Il replied; You are honoring me- in
deed, Mr.. Secretary. Are you serous?'
He said: TO be sure
said in acknowledgement of the COM
pliment that l would break a bottle of
enc wine of Kentucky at the christening.
1 promised then to send the secretary a
bottle of the celebrated wine of Kentucky,
Whlch did upon my return home. He
wrote, thanking me, the letter | give un~
hesltaungy to the public, which shows
that gallant speech was made by him
IN regard to me chris tening the Ken
lucky and not take for granted invita-
tlon on my part during a pleasant CONVEX
satlon al the home of a lady friend:
Naval Department Washington, Jan
:, 1856" To my Dear Miss Richardson:
Please accept my thanks for the bottle Of
Iorty-1Ve-year-old whisky, which came
saIely to hand, and of which President
Cleveland shall taste when l give my cab
met dinner. ] am afraid, now / shall not
be able to make good my gallant speech
TO you about having you christen the Ken
lucky. The christening always takes place
when the ship is launched, and | fear i9
VIII probably not be launched during my
administration of this office With best
WIshes. l am very sincerely yours,
H. A. Herbert
Congressman Bennett, who is now in
Europe, would be unquestioned authority
IN this matter were he in the United
States. Since he is absent and cannot
speak for me, I will give the following eX-
tracts from his letters to me Immediately
after my return from Washington, which
pear upon the matter of Secretary Her
pert extending to me the invitation in pub
nc. In letter of Jan. T. 1896, he writes;
on and the ship christening are the
tax OF our city The newspaper comments
upon the affair make the Washington
bellies quite displeased You will have q
national reputation to sustain by the
Christening
IN another letter, after stating that no
had met Secretary Herbert al a tea the
evening before, he writes:
He (HerberD is still profuse in his COM
pllments of the Kentucky belle whom Y
has been his good fortune to meet. liz
you comply with the request of the hon-
orable Secretary of the Navy, l am sure
there is nothing in this vicinity that you
may not ask for
These extracts from his letters prove
that he understood the invitation to have
been sincere and formal. / saw Secretlry
Herbert several times in Washington, anu
he knew | was being congra tulated on alt
sides on having been chosen to christeA
the Kentucky
While there l was invited by his daueh-
ter to receive on cabinet . ~ at his home;
If Secretary Herbert felt that he mao
acted hastily and without proper nayaI
authority, would Ii not have been kinder
of him to have taken advantage OF some
of these opportunities and have eXpIalheu
teh matter to me? / did not consider MN
an old widower in his dotage who cannot
remember honest facts in such a matter
hatterng and publicly asking girls 10
chrlsten bat heships.
Since reading Secretary Herberts dis-
honest statement the contempt / express
ed for the underhand petitions of the gar
liant governor are but trifies."
Miss Richardson has received many tei-
eerams from friends saying 'Neyer give
up the ship"