Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-27
The Reecher-TIIlon scnndnI.

THEODORE TILToN PREPARES PRIVATE MANU-
SCRIPT VOLUME - THE wooDHULL STORIES
FALSE.
A Brooklyn letter to the Cincinnati CONNER
cial says:
d" MIR. Theodore Tilton has permitted one or
two OF his more intimate friends to see and read
the manuscript volume which he has written for
private preservation, about the so-oalled
Beecher-Tilton Scandal considering which
the elanderous Mrs. Woodhnll tried to raise q
social and religious uproar four months ago.
" 1t is an elaborate and detailed history OF
this extraordinary scandal, involving many Gu
rious incidents, duplicating persons who have
not publicly figured in 1t, covering some ten
years of time, with dates, names and circum-
stances, and calculating some things which are
not likely to be revealed till the the Day of
Judgment. 4l#
"rhere are reasons, satisfactory to Mr.. Tilton
and others, why this manuscript should not be
published; and there were reasons why,,it should
be written and retained in his hands.
"Under the circumstances, it would be mani
festly improper for anybody else to make pub
lie display Of hesfacts it contains to say any
thing about 1t which the author himself or Mr..
Beecher on his own account, has not seen fit to
say ,,..-,.
ought surely TO know ut once, and which, it
seems to me, would go far to counteraet the eff
feet prejudicial to MIR. Beeoher which has been
produced by the slander Of Mrs. Woodruff.
Tiiton's narrative to justify or give any ground
for behving the accusations against Mr.. Beech
er in reference to the lady with whom his
name has been scandAlously associated. On
the contrary, Tilton's narrative exculpates
Beecher from the charges OF criminality in this
matter, which were brought against him by Mrs.
Woodruff. and which she fortified by evidence
that disappears in presence OF the actual facts.
One sees. in reading it, how Mrs. Woodruff dis
torted what she had heard, drew upon the i'm
apinatinn pugDantRd nv I'D
up slander, at once false and cruel, against
innocent parties. One can also see why it has
been considered better not to tickle the midriffs
Of gossip.mongers by retailing domestic matters,
the publication Of which, while overthrowing
the Woodhull slanders, would give renewed oc-
casion Of mischief to backbiters and stirrers-up
OF falsehood
|. perhaps need say nothing further about
this wretched affair, but should merely let the
foregoing statement stand as it is given, for the
information Of those who have been grieved
about the Beecher-Tilton scandal-of those who
fancy that where there is 80 much smoke there
must be some fre'-of those who think there is
some mysterious crime yet to be revealed, and
OF those who feel troubled because neither
Beecher nor Tilton has come out with any pub
lie denial Of the foul story which has been cir
culated to their detriment. 1t is not worth while
to argue over thing of this kind, or for those
who understand what they are talking about to
wrangle with others who can't possibly under-
stand the matter talked about.
but there ts another observation wish to
make. II ia this None Of those-and they are
necessarily very few-who can possibly have
any direct knowledge OF the facts in the Beech |
or Tilton scandal. make any accusations OF GRIM
inality or guilt in regard to the affair II Tilton
In this case, does not bring the criminal charge
against Beecher-if the Blandered lady who has |
been its victim repudiates it-if Mr.. Beecher |
himself knows his own innocence in the matter |
If neither OF these parties, say, accuses any /
OF the others Of the guilt which slanderous /
tongues have imputed-who else, let me Rsk, |
can be in position to obtain better knowledge /
OF the facts Who Is authorized to speak about /
the matter Who has spoken about it?
"Oertainly nobody need give any heed to /
sensational story which was concocted by Mrs. |
woodruff, and which she supported by what she
called the evidence of three persons-Frank |
Moulton, Mrs. Paulina Davis and Mrs Stanton
all OF whom deny the allegations which she im-
putes to them.
'since the publication of this scandal, Mr..
Beecher has been friendly visitor at Tilton's
house. Since it's publication, Mr.. Tilton has
appeared ia society and in public places with his
wife. Ia November last, just after the promul-
CATION Of the scandal, they attended Greeloy's
boy with them and up to the present time their
home has neither been destroyed nor their lives
divided by the scandal.
"Beecher gets great many blaokmaiiug let
ters threatening to propagate the ISLANDERS about
him. But ne takes no notice OF any of them, |
and Is never in the least alarmed about them. |
He cannot be driven into defending himself
against such accusations. He cannot wage war |
against the pestilent and poisonous cloud OF |
lies, but he can live above them, and smile at |
The efforts OF the awarming brood to harm him."