, 1873-11-02
THE BEECHER SCANDAL.

plymouth Church to Tnko Actfox,---
TAe Report of tho Grievance Com.
rn1ttco Ikc.,ssy.-.Ntr. West,n Lottcr...
yFlAnt Theodore TiltOn 8nya.
From Tho Se,o FORK Sun. Oct 80.
Tho Plymouth Church Committee having In
charge the Investigation Of tho Daeoilar scandal,
~ presented in accusations Of a1andor against
Theodore Tilton mud Henry q. Bowen, will make
report to tho church ut a meeting to be hcld ;
OH Friday evening" They will recommend tho
siG"sor i bo put T. to % vote aftar m m oppornny shs
havo beon given for its discussion by nombera.
| The investigation was 1nnuguratcd on tho 1st
| OF July last Gy the Grievance Commlttoo Which
Ohurcl, and 10 a pormauont body before which
difficulties affecting molnbers arc regularly
brought. Tho frnt meeting was hold on thedate
- 'Yon, and the charges and specifications pros
IT. ed by ex-Dcacon William T. Weht were resd.'
H. H. wore drawn separately against Alr. Bowen
aaS Tlton, and were full aud explicit. They
az H fnrth tlat tho stories affecting Mr. Deaoher
Ssd ,,cs1s old by those gontlemen, both Of whom
aworah1c ~ authority, and gave the details Of
sts s"osx i, ders, tho namos OF the persona
~ snm 3hov.h boon told, wish datea aud places.
Tbsre Vas 4 fnIt 'scussion Of the matter, aud =
maGxed nsonod sir.on r ae sr lad TINT lime written
lin {ettor donying H. truth Of tho defsmatory
stories. 4 pn1tiSn ot ,tae Committee argued.
that such sweeping dc. 'tat from their paator
was sufficient refutal ant' tnat tho whole aub~
ever, claimed that Mr. Beechea a power for good
waa weakorod 30 long as any s1,A dow rested upon.
hfS character, nnd TINT fun inseA tgatson would
TinSly Mr. Vest moved that sub committee.
| of thras 30 appointed to wait on Mr. Ltiton and
| Mr. Dowen, aoquaint thom Of the ohatgea against
them, and clio tlem TO appear @ befofe tic
sdontod' and ST. E. q. Garbatt, hlr. G. 9. Dam
oans and Nj. Samuel Deicner were named % the
Committee Thou eamo the time for ~.
Beecher's uaual vacason snd NUMBER 1,. aS o. tne
resorta. Couse. 1uently tho proceedings wefo
dronned and ths ub- o1nmittee was natrnc1ed
to repori 40 tho evt ming OF tho secoud Thursday
Of tic present mont h. In the mcant1no a; 10 Mr.
West added 1omo ne ,1e1apsnted np the charees
seainat Mr. % Tijton' hpst 1g them upon alleged
lator facts that hnd bcep brought to bis knowl-
edge. Fall came, aud the ~ ar
prepared to commence shes ,cee5 ,rs, with q tha
hsoi tr;oi - sr ,tan rho ~, iod nn.nro Of the
charees and specifications rona 'erod it unfcasiblo
| to try the gentlemen jointly. .,sn, r., TIM ~
Mr. Tlton waited on, nol noa ., an0 ~
turo Of tho accusations, and infol n'aIy tsaens II
cd to appear before tho Committee an I th"t Sa
e!y refused to do giving as rsA %,,1e5, cha r. s
had not been member Of Plymouth ~, ~ ynn ~
amenapie to ite authority. Ho called helr ;.ta at-
tentiou to The fact TINT Bander was . mleao, .ea
meanor punishable by the civil law, and IL '1trI ,'t
them to carry tho matter into the courts; ~ ~
he positively declined to bo tried BY Plymo> ~
Church. Ho further claimed that Mr. Beecha. ::
tho only possible aggrioved party. had ceared
him Of all blanca statement to which some Of
tho Committee demur.
On tbs 14th Of this month"; at meeting Of
the Grievance Committee. Mr. Garbutt, AZ
their Intellectual efforts to bring, ~:
T0n TO- tue bar Of + ' .Sa Church afsS dG5
books was made, and tt WAS found that hlr. Til
toms namo had mover been erased. Although
be hnd not takon any active part in tho meetings..
Withdrawn nor boon expelled. Mr.. Dceoher aud.
his fellow-ohurchmen Lad always regarded him
lB rneinDer, and were surprised ht hls renunci-'
alton Of his connection with tho church. Thora
Of tho case, ending In tue adoption Of L resolu.
ton ignoring Mr. Tiiton's claim Of non-momber-
ship and declaring him subject to the authority
OF the church. No further action wns taken un~
held, aud it was resolved to servo COPY Of tile
charges and specifications upon Mr. Tllton, and
to formally cite him to appear before the Com
mitteo on Th'1redsy evening last; Mr. D. "
trusted With this responsibility. The next dry,
provided with Witness. ho called upon Mr. I'LL
ton and so,ved tho papers. Mr.. Tllton claims
that he dae Ha hem
|
over, and replied in letter Addressed to the
, Committee.
J A meeting Of the Grievance oomraitteo. who
wore then ready to commenco the trial. was held
Tho witncHaes had been notified, aud nothing
but the presence OF Mr.. Tilton was lacking, 1n-
Btoad OF that, however. hiH letter was read. "
was brief, simply repeating Lis rofusal TO appear
. member of Plymouth Church. This left the.
Committee choica Of tmo courebs-to proceed
with the Investigation in the abaenco of the de-
fendant, OF to recommend his expulsion for re"
fusing to obey the mandate Of the church.
! Against tle former it was argued that the owl"
donce taken under such circumstances would be
OF parte, and that injustice to the defendant
! might ensuo. Theroup1,n resolution was offer.
J discussion. recommending 6 the expulsion OF Mr,
Tiltop. Tie report Of the. Committee is very
briof, and will BE- presented to tho church as q
| body for adoption or reJectIon.
After Mr.. Tilton'B case ia disposed Of, tho
| members ssy that tho investigation OF tbs
charges and specifications against Mr. Bowen
will 60 on. The witnesses comprise large
) number Of Plymouth Church members. and the
: investigation OF tho scandal will DO very thor,
, uugl niid complete. The burden OF the prose
tion will rest upon Mr. West, who brought tht
: | charges.
l1r. Deechcr has not attended any OF themeet
=, inge Of tho Committee.
!. do not know what they have done," h
ture of their report"
, hlr. Triton spent yesterday at the residence o.
Mr.. Frank Monlton in Brooklyn. where he wal
found by Sun reporter. Ho eala he was falsel.
: placed in the position Of seeming to hay.
brought accusations against Mr- Beacher, ane
j.. then refusing to Hubstantiate tham but ho do
. clined to make any explanation further than Il
3 claim that Mr.. Deeohar had oxo.ssrated him. an,
that that should bo sufficient to satisfy tile pub
- =. lio.
j. mr., Theodore TiIton7s Name Stralch
o Rro1n the Roll-- " hut lMe,ksrs. Beechcl
.. ind Tllton say on the stlbJccts
- New Yonx, Nov. Tho nazne OF Theo
81 dore Tilton, at plymouth Church laa
% night, waa erased from the roll Of 1T
lnombers. Tilton who was present, denie
the authority of the church III hts case, owing
=. tho fact tlat for four years previously he Ia
- q not attended meeting IN Plymouth Uhuscd
- aud uas not membor. He was prepared. how
~ ouor RI nnu,yar nnvthinfr Whnraof tha lnin1e