The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-10
AN INTERESTING EVENT.
What Finally Decided ConkIIng In
the Haycr.TiHden Contest.
Fsom the New York Evening" Post.)

the Haycn.TiHhen Contest.
Fsom the New York Evening Post.)
My attention has been called to an ar
ticlc which appeared in the Evening POST
OF Saturday. June so. giving an account OF
the various Democratic National Conyeu-
lions. in the course of which there is.
think, cruel and untrue attack upon the
| memory of lady who had hard luck
enough in this world without being fol-
| lowed into her grave. the late Mrs. kath-
crime Chase (Sprague). The statement is
directly made that bolt from the decision
Of the electoral tribunal which counted in
| Hayes in 1877 had been organized by Mr..
Conklfng, but that he was deferred from
executing it by Mrs. Sprague's interfer-
| ence, based on revenge for Mr.. Tildeu- s
| opposition to her fathers nomination by
| the Democratic Convention in 1868
! do not believe there is one word OF
| truth in this story so far as it relates to
! Mrs. Sprasue. 1t is perfectly true that
Mr.. Conkiing organized such a bolt, and
| that he secured The adhesion OF Senator's
enough to have reversed the decision of
| the electoral tribunal in the matter of the
Louisiana electoral vote, and would in this
way have made Mr.. Tiiden President had
circumstances not happened to break up
the scheme. in consequence o. which he
went TO Baltimore and was not in the Sem
ate and did not vote on the subject that
day.
l was in Washington at the time, and
possessed the confidence Of the Democratic
leaders. and argued. as you know. the Flor
ida and Oregon cases. Ny information
wss. in one sense. second hand I pos
sessed Dir. Conkling's confidence with re-
gard 10 the general subject. / knew per-
fectiy what his Views were. He did not
hesitate to express them fully, even going
so far as TO state them at length in eonYer-f
sation with myself and my wife and Sena-
tor John w. Stevenson of Kentucky. on
the street in front of the Arlington few
Gays before the decision OF the Electoral
Tribunal. He put the case as it stood In
BIS mind in the most vivid terms. He Was
master of vituperative language, as you
Know. and he did not spare anybody; but
more especially he put the matter as
question OF law, and with more ability
than 1 have ever heard 1t done by anyone
else, but 1 have not time within the con-
fines of letter to repeat what he said |
Whether Mrs. Sprague was in Washington |
at this time I Go cot know
The only person on the Democratic side
who communicated with Mr.. Conkling was
Senator William H. Barnum. of Coaneeti-
cut. Chairman OF the Democratic Natiorai
Executive Committee. Mr. BaTnum talked
u,
all thought 1t unwise that anyone on our
side should approach anyone on t1c oppo-
site site of politics, except Senator Pa num-
During the afternoon of the day bafcre the
final vote was given in the Senate tee
Louisiana case, Senator Stevenson, whose
daughter was the wife OF one OF my part
ners. and who was until he died my vary
dear and honored friend, communicated to
me as having come TO him from Senator
M .yh r
call. for brevity's sake, this plot TO ar
rest The hgh-haHded dealings of the Re-
publicans, and | went to bed that night in
full confidence that Mr.. Tilden would be
placed on legal basis for Inauguration to
the Presidency in the morning. Eight Cor
nineJ Senators had agreed with each other
to cast their votes In the Senate SO as to
reverse the Judgment Of the electoral tri- I
1unal In the Louisiana case.
When | came down to breakfast in the |
morning, William r. Peiton. Governor Til |
lens nephew. told ne that 1.-THE fat is all /
n the fre;" that at 2 o'clock In the morn {
ng one OF the Senators, whose name. for !
easons personal to myself and to him, 1 {
10 not feel at liberty to use, had come to I
senator Conkling and told him that he did c
10. dare to go any further with the enter !
rise. hat his political and perhaps his l
'ersoral future would be ruined IL he did |
lot vote for Hayes. Conkling thereupon J
made up his mind that the game was lost, I
nd took the earliest train to Baltimore, L
there he would, as Pelton said, spend the '
ay. and where he did. as / afterward t
earned. spend tie day. Although I pos p
essed Mr.. Conklings confidence and re- s
ard Il have letter from him somewhere /,
ouched in more earnest terms of gratitude il
han l ever received from any other hui g
ian being. never spoke with him on this |,
ubject. NV information was derived en-
rely from Senator Stevenson and William
:. Felton, with the latter Of whom / was,
have already explained I was with the 8
,rnter, on terms Of confidence.
During this period I never heard Mrs.
rrague's name mentioned. / do not know
neither she was in Washington or not. I
as her fathers friend, as you probably =
now. and / was her friend and in the =
latter of the divorce from Governor =
prague was with Winchester Britton of y
rooklyn) her counsel, and procured her !.
ivorce. I have had many conversations |.
it'll both Pelton and his uncle upon va .
ous political and personal matters, but .
ever heard this matter alluded to by
ther of them, or by Mrs. Sprague, and I :
D not believe that the story has any foun- .
alton in truth whatever. She knew per-
city well. for many years before she died, :,
lat l was a friend of Governor Tilden's;
tat my wife and l both had enjoyed his =
,rsona! hospitality. and knowing as she a.
d my feelings toward her father. and .
aring Teen her legal agent and repre- :,
,ntative. as l was, in association with :,
lie late Richard T. Merrick. in an at =.
mpt. which never came TO daylight. to g.
ii Judge Wardens grotesque biography =,
S. P. Chase. this is the first time ever f.
'ard any interference of hers in the mat bs
r of the electoral tribunal even referred @,
Mrs. Sprague has left children and ri,
lends who mourn over her sad fate and WV
ieve at her death, and. among others.
GEORGE HOADLY.