The Daily Gazette

The unpleasantness which the presence of Senator Conkling at the mansion of ex-Governor Sprague has created a great scandal in high circles at Narragansett Pier. But it appears that this thing is not very new-that Conkling's frequent visits to Mrs. Sprague's house in Washington during her husband's absence, and the absence of his own wife in Utica, N. Y., has been frequently the cause of comment.

SPRAGUE AND CONKLING.

HOW AN ATTEMPT AT MYSTIFICATION HAS BRED SCANDAL.

WASHINGTON, August 11.-The news that Senator Roscoe Conkling was the object of Mr. Sprague's wrath at Narragansett Pier was brought here to-day by the World. The outbreak is traced back by persons here familiar with all the parties to a misunderstanding of old date between ex-Governor Sprague and Senator Conkling, which appears to have originated in the fact that Senator Conkling was called in to protect the interests of the children of Mrs. Sprague in some real estate in this city over which ex-Governor Sprague has, it is believed, no control. This misunderstanding has long been notorious here, though little attention has been drawn to it, as Senator Conkling is a man of retired habits and ex-Governor Sprague has been seldom at the capital. Mr. Conkling last winter undertook as a lawyer to free Edgwood, Chief-Justice Chase's residence, about a mile out of the city, from taxes and the interest that had accumulated in consequence of defaults in their payment.

The news is received here as something expected, and Mr Conkling has so few friends in Washington, especially now that the administration is about all there is here that not many regrets are expressed on the subject. Those who called on Secretary Sherman to-day say that he laughed pleasantly as one who had heard good news when spoken to about the incident.

NARRAGANSETT PIER, August 11.-

Notwithstanding the fact that the Sprague incident has been before the public for three whole days the excitement here to-night is infinitely greater than it has been at any time since the world at large first got wind of the matter. It is asserted by respectable persons that Mr. Sprague has long entertained a strong dislike to Senator Conkling and has treated him on previous occasions with unfriendliness if not with positive hostility.

So when a report comes from Narragansett of a difficulty between Sprague and Conkling, resulting in the temporary removal of the Sprague family from their residence to the hotel, of Mr. Sprague "laboring under visible excitement and absent from home in company with some friends," of him going to his house and finding "Senator Conkling there, with whom he had a political misunderstanding as to the rights of naturalized citizens in Rhode Island," of him "producing a pistol and telling Senator Conkling that unless he left the house in a very given time he would blow his brains out," the inference would naturally be that there was a woman in the case. And yet the reporters hasten to tell us explicitly that this must not for a moment be suspected.

The shallowest knowledge of human nature leads us to doubt the verity of this denial. If these men have had the row that is related it is altogether likely the reported cause of it, "the rights of naturalized citizens in Rhode Island" is only a delicate statement of the real cause. The truth must come out sooner or later. Ever since Mr. Conkling's failure to visit his wife and family on the occasion of his daughter's marriage, his domestic relations and private conduct have been a subject of public notoriety, of which the definite truth has never yet been established. Considering his prominence and position the facts in the case would seem to be a good field for exploration.