The age-herald., 1901-04-04
MRS. BLAINE AND HARRISON.
The Result of an Interview In the
 White House Red ParIor.
From the Kansas City Star.

From the hanSdS OlLy 0tar.
 Topeka. Kan.-Col. W. H. Rossington, of Topeka, speaking of the late Benjamin Harrison to the correspondent of the Star today. recalled the incident of the sudden resignation of James G. Blaine from the office of Secretary of State on the eve of the Minneapolis Convention in 1888, and assigned as a cause for the sensational act that probably never has seen the light of print until now.
 MT. Blaine was driven to resign by an lmpulsive act of his wife" Colonel Ros- sington said. Tt is generally believed that he resigned because he knew his name would ge before the Minneapolis Convention, but that is mistake. He re- signed because Mrs. Blaine some time before had made a scene In the White House. No doubt the question of the Presidency and the latest jealousy exist ing between the two families moved Mrs. Blaine to go to the White House and have it out with President Harrison, but the fact remains that 1t was this inter view, forced upon the President. that led Blaine to resign, and it probably was not until the day he acted that he heard of his wife's conduct. I got the story from no less parsonage than George M Pull man, now dead, along with Blaine and Harrison.
 T was in Chicago on the day Blaine re- signed, but Mir Pullman had told me the story before news of the resignation came. With friend had called on John S. Tunnels in the Pullman building, and Ben Butterworth was there. Butterworth had been sent for by Pullman and soon Pullman came in.
 t'Butterworth,' Pullman said I want you to go over to Minneapolis and stop this Blaine nonsense. They are trying to stampede the convention to Blaine and failing in that they want Mckinley, who is president of the convention, to do the Garfield act" Now nothing of this kind is going to happen, we all know. Harri- son will be renominated, but they can cause great deal of trouble and so en- danger the success of the party.
 f'Then MT. Pullman told the story of Mrs Blaines interview with the Presi- dent Mrs. Blaine is at the bottom of 1t alE he went on to say. She DelleVes Harrison is usurping Blaine's rights, and this recent talk of nominating her hus- band at Minneapolis has set her wild. Only a short time ago she made scene in the White House, where she called in the early part of the forenoon. She cas- fly passed the servants and went to the red room where she summoned servant and sent her card to the President, with the request for an immediate audience. Harrison sent word back that he was busy with his secretary at the moment and for her to come upstairs. Mrs. Blaine sent the man back to tell the President that she must see him at once and alone, and for him to come to the red room
 "So the President of the United States at the bidding of this woman was com pelled to leave his work and go down stairs. Without any ceremony she began tirade of abuse. She told him that by putting upon her son, Walker Blaine, ar ducus, humiliating and impossible tasks he had driven him, first to sickness, and afterward to resign from the office ot as sistant secretary, and that his death was due to the systematic persecution of the President. Now by the same methods the President was trying to force her husband to resign. She told Harrison that he was jealous of Blaine. and had put himself in the way of her husband for the Presiden- cy. She told him that he knew very we'll that the people wanted Blaine to be President, and had put Harrison in the office only until the time for her husband to be nominated should come.
 Then she paused to take breath, and the President who all the time had main tained the cold, impassive dignity prov erbial to him, said simply that it was un- becoming his high office and her sex for the conversation to continue longer, and bidding her good morning. left her to find her own way out of the house.
 This ends MT. Pullman's story and now for the sequel. Butterworth said he would go if he could take the time from his work long enough to make the jour ney from Minneapolis, and then the par ty broke up My friend and I went with Butterworth, and while we were with him, a telegram came announcing Secre- tary Blaine's resignation.