Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1879 — THE SPRAGUE-CONKLING SCANDAL. [ARTICLE]

THE SPRAGUE-CONKLING SCANDAL.

Sprague's Statement. Gov. Sprague baa given an account of his meeting with Senator Conkling at Narragansett Pier, which is substantially as follows: When he (Sprague) returned to the Pier from a visit to Maine and learned that Senator Conkling was at his house he was angry beyond measure, and the cause of his anger, he said, was the intimate relations between Senator Conkling and his wife, which had long been highly obnoxious to him. The existence of those relations was no secret to him. He had seen the scandai growing and becoming more and more public, and he spoke bitterly of the conduct of Senator Conkling toward his wife at Washington. Bitter words had often been spoken between his wife and himself because of that intimacy She was fully aware how obnoxious to him was that intimacy and what were his feelings toward Senator Conkling. But in spite of this, said Mr. Sprague, in spite of all the scandal and the violence to his feelings, that she should invite Senator Conkling to be a guest at bis house during his absence, and that Conkling should have the brazen effrontery to come there at all, incensed him beyond all measure. As he expressed it, Senator Conkling was trying to do for his home in Rhode Island what he had already done for his home in Washington, and he had determined to put an end to it at once and forever. With this deliberate intention he hurried back to Canonchet as soon as he heard Conking was there. He found Conkling in the house alone, and ordered him out on the instant. ConkliDg refused to go. A few high words ensued, and then he (Spragne) went upstairs to get his shotgun. Ho found that he had no percussion-caps for his weapon, and went off to the village to get some. As soon as he could procure them he hurried back, and Conkling was still there. He again ordered him to leave, and Conkling refused to go, and tried to molify Hprague and excuse himself from leaving so suddenly, on the ground that he had no carriage for himself or his baggage, which was not even packed. Thereupon Mr. Srague drew out his watch and told Conkling that he would give him thirty seconds to get out, and that if he was not out by that time he (Mr. Sprague) would blow his brains out. Coi kting immediately left, being driven to Billington’s case, at the the Pier* Sprague followed him thither, and again accosted him, and asked him abruptly if he was armed. Conkling, bristling up, replied that he was not; that if he was he (Spragne) would not go on as he was going. Without noticing this threat, Sprague replied: * Then go and arm yourself, and hereafter go armed. I don’t intend to shoot an unarmed man; but I tell you now that if you ever cross my path again I will shoot you on sight” With that threat Gov. Sprague jumped into his carriage again and drove off.

Capt. Stone planted a mahogany seed at Moundsville, W. Ya., thirty-five years ago, and remarked that he would live until it grew into a tree big enough to provide material for his coffin. Wind blew the tree down last spring, and the Captain had a handsome coffin made of it. He died a few days ago, and was buried in the mahogany of his own planting. A moss-covered turtle, at Sudbury, Vt., bears date of 1785,