Litchfield enquirer., 1873-06-05
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 TtsE s-sEecRER SCANDAL"
 The Ns~ TOrk PzPers of last week con- tam a rsm4rS=ble document, signed by HczE<- H1zEr Ward Beecher, Theodore TSsaz s=3 Hszry Bowen, and having ref Srsarrs to the s<BeecAer scandall.'' ap- PxasAe3 to whSeh Is letter from Mir. Til ssz ts HE- Bo1ea. published only in the TSzne< TAe facts disclosed by those doc Eznezk< appear t0 be these:
 Mr. Bowen had repeatedly stated to TII.aa and oEhegs that Nr. Beeeher vas a EhsrtSns and sn sdulterer, dangerous to the psace Of the families of his congrega- tbsn. and disgrarlng his religious pro- tszzsa2 BsxSn. moreover, undertook to Pressak NE- BesSher q letter demanding klS EszSgnaEic1. and did so at the house of ME Rreelzad. What passed be- tveea the1 does not appear except in the s73aea change of view experienced by AE Bowen vino. inseead of urging Beech ers rssigzAion. undertook to extort a Pruzise frun Hilton that he would not reveal tO Bsecher the charges Bowen had been ln the habit of making against him. Tasna refased to make any such promise, waerv-pou. Immediately (about the 1st of Jan lSslA. Bowen broke his contract wlkh him and dismissed him from the ed ftnrShip of the Independent and Brooklyn Uzioa-a summary proceeding for which he was obliged subsequently, to pay a large sum for breach of contract. On the 91 of April, 1S72, disayOwal was signed by MesSzz. Beecller. Tilton and Rowen in which the latter retFacted his charges against Nr. Beechsr, and promised ssfor all future time never ky word or deed e7er to repeat. CT allade to, any or either ot said charges, imputations, and innuen- dOes- TIlton made no retractions but covenauted to maintain silence as to the charges referred to by Bowen. Mir. Beeehe. then adds the following:
 III And I, Henry Ward Beecher. put the mast ss1@N1 1zA ~ @Su1 sI1u out or memory. deep ~ regret the ezases of suspicion, iealousv. and S@er@ngnaeut which have come between us. It is q loy sa me Co have my old regard for Henry C. ESgea and Theodore Tlton restored and hap - 70 me 70 resume the old relations of love, ssspSct and reliance to each and both of them. u hsFS saad anything injurious to the reputa- s1oa of either, or hSse detracted from their stAa1ang and fame aa Christian gentlemen and members of my church, Ircvoke it all, and heart covenant Co repair and reinstate them to the extent of my power
 Inc friend of Mir. Beecher who publish es copy of this agreement justifes his action by the statement that Bowen now Telterates his old charges and denies ever having signed any retraction,
 The foregoing agreement certainly ex- pains the silence of Messrs. Beecher and TiltOn- H-alsO puts the conduct of MT. Bowen m anything but favorable light. But the impression it leaves on the pub- ISe Hnind IS anything but pleasant. Mr. Bsecher's gushing sentence, ''It is a joy ts ne to have my old regard for Henry C Bowen and Theodore Hilton restored and happiness to resume the old rela- sloas of love respect. and reliance to each and both of them," has an unpleasantly Pecksalffan tone. The pretence of friend shlp between persons who had such terri Sle grounds of difference as Messrs. BsecAcr and Hilton, to say nothing of bo~en. IS simple rhypocricy; the gisf of tlls document is the covenant of silence.
 We do not pretend to see far into the s2yStersozs hsxe of accusations, retrac- to1S alterations. Ebels and counter-l- Gels. that surround this question. All tSAt IS clear to us Is this: that MT. Tilton ssc<@e jealous Of Nr. Beecher; that Bow Sn SAaa@ed his hatred to the point of s0@ rupture, and then went over sudden ty BeecAer9s sSde; that Hilton lost his po- satssa on tAe Tndependent and Brooklyn N~aa@ eccamse he would not sssubside'' SA Bsweais cemmands that he has never ESSr@rsna hls charge against Beecher al- easO@sa he has promised silence: and that Bowen has changed sides once more and 1S~ UaSterases the charges he retracted n Sear aga The testimony of these docu EaEzkS FrSres Bowen 8 very contemptible keAaS~s aexrcs Hilton in most unpleas- sz4 Fsxats and darkcn the cloud on the EeT@kzESaa of Mr- Beecher.
 Tw0 ways ccour to us for doing these gszzae@e1 izzEic2 Nr. Beecher can eSazg Bowen into a court of justice to @@z=x< to his late reiteration of the old e1zess or what would seem better,
 tA CAzreh certainly has ground sus sAsszaseAazag sLs difacultv that has aRSzsa ne&meea its most prominent mem- he&
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