Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-08
STRANGER
THAN ANY
FICTION
NitCheIl'S Seventy Years All
Full of Romance intrigue
and Adventure

charges that he took money eorruptly
as senator for work done in connection
with surveys of public lands in Oregon,
and never answered them; and now,
when infrmities of age creep upon
him, is indicted by a federal grand
jury9
Is IL romance-this tale Of a man who
has conquered more vicissitudes than
any other person in western politics
and defeated more enemies; who has
associated with the greatest politicians
of the country in the past generation,
and has outlived them nearly allS
Washington county, Pennsylvania,
was Mitchell's birthplace; time, June
90, 1885. He was born under the name
of Nipple; that was his fathers name,
his mothers maiden name being Mitch.
ell. A brother Of the senator's a dem
tist, dwells in Ohio, by name Nipple.
was John M. He grew 20 manhood at
The senator's given name in boyhood
Butler, Pa, and was educated at With
erspoon institute. At the time Of his
majority he was a school teacher.
While in that vocation he entered into
relations with a pupil, Sadie Hoon,
which required him to marry her. With
her he lived until they had three chill
dren. One Of them, a lawyer, lives at
st. Paul; another, a daughter, at Ia.
coma, the wife Of judge of the su-
perior bench of the state Of Washing
ton; the third, a daughter, at Canton,
Ohio.
In 1857, still under The name Of John
M. Nipple, he began the study Of law
in the office Of Samuel A. Purviance,
and a little later entered into a part
nership which was probably only nomi-
nal, with Purviance. But in 1860, find
ing his family relations unsatisfactory,
and becoming possessed Of some money,
he quit Pennsylvania in company with
Maria ]. Brinker, and the two went to
California. For a while they stayed |
at San Luis obispo, but he left the
woman there aud went to Oregon. The
woman returned to Pennsylvania
All these facts were proved without
doubt over 80 years ago, and Mitchell !
never defined them. And 1t is a fact
of interest that the chief investigator
of the facts, w. Lair Hill, who 80
years ago was newspaper man at
Portland, Or, and printed them with
all the vigor he could command, is now
a lawyer and a defender of Senator
Mitchell in the later's land fraud diff
feulties-thus evidencing the marvel
Gus winning power Of the senator
Arriving at Portland in 1860, he as
sumed the name Of John II. Mitchell,
and began the remarkable career for
which for rapid and persistent success,
has no parallel in the annals Of Ameri-
can politics. One year after going TO
Portland he was elected city attorney.
One yeii more, and he was sent TO the
state scnyte. Another two years, and
he was president of the state senate.
gain q year, in 1866, and he failed
by but one vote of winning the Repub-
ican caucus nomination for United
States senator, yet such was his
strength that he defeated the caucus
lominee, A. G. Gibbs, and Henry w.
Jorbett was elected. Six years later,
n 1872, he was elected United States
senator, and in March, 1878, began his .
LURES at Washington.
All this time he was known by his
assumed name. Under that name he
lOt only entered the United States ,
enate, but married Miss Martha Price
# a well-known Oregon family, by
whom he had three children-one
10Y, whom he named Hiram, which,
10 said, was his own middle name, and
lot Nipple, and who is now a captain
f artillery in the army the two others
aughters, one of whom died at Wash
ngton last winter, the other Of whom
5 married to the French Duke Of
In the summer and fall of 1878, af-
or Mitehell's election TO the United
tates senate, the details Of his life and =
is assumed name began TO leak out. n
he sensation was immense. 4
But Mitchell had already arranged n
ith his law partner, Purvianee, in .
N iu,duea hia vita fhera y