A Libel on Mr. Cleveland—His Fondness for Cards—Some Poker Stories—The
“Senate Game”—Tom Ochiltree, Senator Allison and General Schenck
I
Not long after Mr. Cleveland’s marriage, being in Washington, I made a
box party embracing Mrs. Cleveland, and the Speaker and Mrs. Carlisle,
at one of the theaters where Madame Modjeska was appearing. The ladies
expressing a desire to meet the famous Polish actress who had so
charmed them, I took them after the play behind the scenes. Thereafter
we returned to the White House where supper was awaiting us, the
President amused and pleased when told of the agreeable incident.
The next day there began to buzz reports to the contrary. At first
covert, they gained in volume and currency until a distinguished
Republican party leader put his imprint upon them in an after-dinner
speech, going the length of saying the newly-wedded Chief Magistrate
had actually struck his wife and forbidden me the Executive Mansion,
though I had been there every day during the week that followed.
Mr. Cleveland believed the matter too preposterous to be given any
credence and took it rather stoically. But naturally Mrs. Cleveland was
shocked and outraged, and I made haste to stigmatize it as a lie out of
whole cloth. Yet though this was sent away by the Associated Press and
published broadcast I have occasionally seen it referred to by persons
over eager to assail a man incapable of an act of rudeness to a woman.