Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1879 — THE SPRAGUE-CONKLING DIFFICULTY. [ARTICLE]

THE SPRAGUE-CONKLING DIFFICULTY.

Statement* hr Mr*. Sprague ana rro- ■ felaor Murk. HKS. SI’HAQI'K’S VEKSION. I’aovi ;-; .r,vE, R. L, Aiaast M- . Following is the statement of Mrs. Senator Sprague in relation to the unfortunate difficulty at Narragansott Pier, which she has given permission to be published: “ As you must have surmised, Gov. Spraguo’s dissolute life and dissipated habits long ago Interrupted our marital relations, though I have striven hard through untold humiliation and pain to hide from the world, for my children’s eakes, the true condition of a blighted, miserable domestic life. About a year ago even this poor semblance abruptly culminated after a disgraceful orglo and arrest at Nantasket Beach, with the circumstances of which many people In Rhode Island are not unfamiliar. I then sought with my little girls the neighborhood of old friends and the shelter of my hqr.orud father’s former home. There, dwelling almost within tho shadow of bis tomb, 1 felt more secure, less unprotected. Here kindly sympathy sought me out, and though covert malhe pointed some censorious comments, relief came, and our circumscribed means were adequate to our simple and quiet mode of life. “ Governor Sprague’s Irregularities having been visited upon him by the trustee administering his embarrassed estate, the contribution toward the maintenance of myself and children, without a word of explanation to mo, was suddenly cut down to a palpably Inadequate sum. Even mis was remitted but for a few months; then, owing to a complete rupture between Governor Sprague and the trustee, all remittances ceased, and for six months past no money has been contributed toward the maintenance of his family or household by Governor Sprague. In addition to greater wrongs, unpaid tradespeople to whom he was indebted, have been urgent in their demands for payment, but he gave no heed to the indebtedness, even answering, when pressed by me to find a way to meet these just demands and relieve ms of im■portunitles, that I must look to my powerful Washington friends for aid; and, to my deep distress and mortification, permitted, after long delay, a bill for carriage hire for his mother’s use during a visit to me In Washington to be paid by the gentleman who had recommended to us the stable from which the carriage was hired. “ This and other more unmanly exhibitions have been Incidental to the past year, while the brutality of recent events, repetitions of similar scenes of violence and outrage enacted In former years, has finally driven us from the door, and filled the public prints of the country with a scandal too cruel to be endured without redress. “ Governor Sprague’s causeless and shameful persecution of the children’s teacher Is literally true as he' tells the Btory—the real animus being, as confessed, Governor Sprague’s unwillingness to be subjected to the restraint at the table and In the household observances of the constant presence of a gentleman. “The attempt to complicate Mr. Conkllng with the matter is absurd. The two men never met; I believe have never seen each other. Governor Sprague’s indecent affront to the guests In his house was most gross and without excuse. Mr. Martin, whom I had met In a very precarious condition of health,, en route for Narragansett Pier, I induced to go to Canonchet for quiet and good nursing. He was removed under Governor Sprague’s threats of murder, a thing to be done at the imminent risk of his life. “Mr. Conkling was, of course, as unconscious as I that Governor Sprague sought occasion to enact the tragic role of the injured husband, for at their last meeting, not long stnee, Governor Sprague had sought from Mr. CoDkling not only legal counsel, but accepted at his hand a favor such as only the friendliest confidence could warrant. “ In his determination to overthrow Mr. Chaffee as trustee, aud hoping to join forces with the creditor interest to drive him from his post, Governor Sprague had carried away from the counting-room of A. & W. Sprague books of the Quidnic Company, refusing to return them. Mr. Chaffee, In turn, refused until these books were returned to permit Governor Sprague to hold any business relations with the concern, and, of course, refused to permit him to draw any money. This was the situation of affairs which, . by coming to Rhode Island, I had hoped through some Influence or other brought to bear on Governor Sprague to help to set right, and to secure by some means a maintenance for the four children for whose wants and education I have been and am now bearing the undivided burden. A conference with counsel employed by the firm achieved no results. “Professor Linck, under a contract with me for three months, was neither permitted to perform his duties nor paid and dismissed. We had no ostensible means for living at Canonchet without incurring additional Indebtedness, to which 1 refused to be a party. In this awkward aud painful dilemma I requested Mr. Conkllng, who had been already consulted by Mr. Bprague, and upon whose judgmeut and advice 1 have safely relied in my own matters, to see Governor Sprague and try to ascertain what point Ihcre.is in the proposed programme of opposition, and what results were likely to follow that would benefit or provide for the children* Mr. Conkllng stopped at Canonchet for this purpose, and was awaiting Governor Sprague’s retui n to seek an Interview with him when the now notorious outbreak occurred. “If any hostile words were exchanged between Mr. Conkling and Governor Sprague at Canonchet, they alone know what they were, for no one else heard them. What transpired In the village I do not know, beyond what is roported In the sensational accounts given in the newspapers.”

PROFESSOR LIVCK’S STORY. Professor Linck, the German teacher, states that Mrs. Sprague hired him, without consulting with her husband, as tutor to her children, which she claimed a perfect right to do, as she was to meet the expense from her own private purse; that Mr. Sprague took exceptions to the arrangement, and, when in a drunken fit, had ordered the Professor to leave his house, threatening to kill him if he did not do so. The following is the Professor's story relative to the events transpiring at' the time of the alleged rencontre between Messrs. Sprague and Conkling: “During the week just ended Mrs. 8. sent for me to cooler nilh her on this business. On the assurance that the Governor was absent I consented, though most reluctantly. Our interview was of but a few minutes’ duration, and without any apparent result. Ou the occasion of the second interview I only entered the house to have a cup of tea with tho children, Mrs. 8. being outraged with other visitors on business witli reference to a final settlement of our difficulties. Again Mini. S. sent her coachman, Perry, on Friday, to bring me to the house, believing a mode of settling my matter had been reached at once. -More reluctantly tban ever I consented and was driven off, alighted at the entrance hall of Canonchct, and walked up the front steps, while Perry, the coachman, drove around back of the house. A servant-maid opened the front door and desired me to step back into the buggy, which had been brought around again. No sooner was I seated when I heard footsteps in the corridor ap- ? reaching the door. They were not a lady’s; knew who it was before Perry, who occupied the outer seat on the right, whispered: ’it was the Governor.’ I could-not see him without leaning forward. Not being particularly anxious to see him first, I gave him a chance to step down, which be did stealthily, as I could discern. He was by the side of the buggy, and bent forward and looked hard at me, and suddenly, as if I were a valuable prize, graspedme firmly by the left arm, giving It a good stiake. It was pot like a friend’s, f pushed his hand , back, and prepared for a hand-to-hand light, should the attack be renewed. It was no't. He turned on lbs heels without a word, rushed up the steps, and disappeared up the corridor. I did not know, but I felt, what this strategic move implied, f was not prepared to be shot down by an Infuriated man. I turned to Perry, bidding him to drive me off Instantly, if he would not be a witness to a cold-blooded niiurder. Perry hesitated, but at last yielded to my solicitations and drove off. When we reached the Pier Perry felt reluctant to drive me near the station, and not wishing to compromise him any more, I directed him to set me down at Mrs. Beecher’s wine-house, opposite the Elmwood House, where I had on two occasions treated myself and Perry to a glass of lager. I entered. He drove off. I seated myself at a table In a front room, talking to the landlady’s daughter, who appeared to know who I was. My glass of lager had not been serve d when I saw the Governor coming along -tea buggy behind E fast mare; MidrciedliS would drlye past. He didnot, but stopped in front of the very house! Who told him I was there? I the landlady's daughter. { There is harm intended, what is to be done? ! Abe. pushed me fnto the back dining- | room, from which I .found my w»y into

the kitchen, not so much to seek a Iddlngplace, as to find some weapon of defense, should he penetrate so far. I saw what I wanted ana kept my eyes on U. Three or four mlnutos pasted in suspense. At last the door was thrown open, by tho landlady’s daughter. 1 Why,’, sho exclaimed, In aaton-. Isbment. 1 was the Governor going to shoot you! lie rushed In wildly wo®,,a gun In his hands, peered into every comer Ih the front rooms, and Inquired for you, I told him you had gone down Into the village. Thereupon he jumped, with his gun, Into a buggy, and drove off at a furious race toward the Pier.’ I replied tbat-there was no doubt of hit Intending to shoot me, and that I was much obliged to her for her protection. She suggested the advisability of hiring a fast conveyance and driving off. I assented, and she hailed a buggy Instantly. I jumped In and was driven home, out of harm’s reach.”