The Wichita daily eagle., 1899-11-24
BEWILDERED BY THE CRITICS
Dewey Can't Realize the Lightning
Change in His COuntrymen.

ShanSe HIS
Washington Nov. 23.-Admiral Dewey
has expressed the keenest regret, indig-
nation, sorrow and resentment a the
manner in which the information that he
had decided his home to his wife had
been received by the American people.
He said that he had never experienced
such a trying time as the present one,
and that he did not believe it was pos
sible that the American people should so
misunderstand and III treat him. At
times his voice grew so husky that his
words were scarcely distinguishable and
he was so nervous that he frequently
arose and paced the floor. The day be-
fore the transfer of the house by Mrs.
Dewey to George Dewey, the admiral. in
an interview. said:
when 1 made over this house to my
wife" he said. ST thought I was doing
the most gracious act that an Ameri-
can gentleman could do. I thought
the people had given me this house for
me to dispose of as I chose. It seems
that I was mistaken. I never would
have sold it, nor given it, or willed IT.,
nor disposed Of it in any manner what
soever outside of my own family. But
1 did believe I had the right to give 1t
to my wife or my son IL 1 chose to do
so.
"I pains me very deeply to feel that
I am compelled to 10y open the secrets
Of my domestic life. but. in view OF the
insults which I have received at the
hands OF writer's of letters which have
been published today. I feel justified
in somewhat overstepping the bounds
of propriety and say that Mrs. Dewey
understood better than I did the feel
ings Of the people and at first declined
10 permit the house to be transferred
to her. She did consent Inly after an
arrangement had been effected where
by not only the house. which was the
gift to me from the American people
but her entire personal fortune, which
as you are aware. IS considerable were
ultimately to go to my son, George
Thus he had absolutely nothing 70
lose by my conveying my house to my
wife. but on the contrary was greater
gamer thereby The relations between
my son and myself have always been
the most kindly. and between Mrs.
Dewey and myself the most pleasant
She thinks A great deal OF him and he
OF her. and he was to be her heir as well
as mine.
This arrangement Is not in 1he least
affected by the clamor which has arisen
within the last two days. nor BY The
fact that Ms. Dewey viii transfer 70
my son tomorrow this house This aEi-
tauon has hurt ny son even more than
IL has me. He Is now g years of age
and never in his life has Re asked ne
for q dollar Whaahe vas a. s. Johns
school and afterward az Princeton. I
kept him supplied with money far in ad-
vance and he would frequeutly say that
he Rad 10 use for 80 much money.
told him Il he did not want 20 spend =
% put Il in the bank Il IS unlikely THAI
7 would neglect hEs interests nov.
II w0uld never have believed it pos
sIble Admiral Dewey condaUed. with
tears IN his eyes. that the American
people who made such hero q ne
two months zRo could have IN iris brief
perio5 50 turned upon ne as - 81
columns - the papers With tie worst
sort - ab-se When landed 81 New
York : was told that 7 was the hero.
the idol y the nation I was tod that
nothing vas too coed for rle. thar any
fhsnz rhat Z could ask was nine
zssea 10 tdojsCry; ! asked 10 aPp}zrss.
7 had merely doEe IN duty. sad vas
-eady - % Il ssain- But go ask cne
i1lEg, Walsh was 20 be let aloze . con