Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-09-03

her and cautioned her In this respect and subse.
quently receiveda letter nom her dated Feb. II,
1874, in which che says that until he had called
her attention to the fact she had not felt
| that whenever In convcrsing with others TO the
shsdowing Of Theodore she became his enemy,
| ciation more than any one else. She SAYS: Il
have not been equal TO the great work Of the past
year. have done much to cause the utter misery
| b.. NV dear children"
After the signing of the "tripartite cove
nant Mr.: Tilton desired the return TO him of his
possible falling into wrong hands. Mr. Moulton
| gave up the document. which Mr.. Tilton subse-
Quently informed him his wife had destroyed, and
she also confirmed the statement. Some time
after this Mr.. Moulton learned from Mr.. Beecher
that Mrs. Titon had told him that when she
made her confession to her husband Of her inf
like confession to her of infdelities on his
part with other women. Mr.. Moulton never hav.
Ing heard Mrs. 7. claim that her husband had
made any such confession, although she had
Freely admitted her own transgressions with Mr..
r.; orough, the matter to the attention of Mr.
ever made any such confession, or that
| his wife ever claimed that he had They
then had an interview with Mrs. Tilton,
who then, in the presence of Mr.. Monlton alone,
acknowledged that she had told Mr.. Beechcr that
| her husband had made the alleged confession of
nidelity on his part. Then, in the presence of Mr..
not have understood Mr.. Moulton's question re-
lating TO this matter, adding: 4" Because il isn't
| true that Theodore ever made such confession
and didn't state it to Beecher because it is not
| true
The next morning Mr.. Mouton received the
following letter from Mrs. Tilton. without date,
but II was after the tripartite covenant N
DEAR FRANcts-I did tell you two falsehoods'
at your last visit. AT first entirely misunder-
stood your question. thinking you had reference
but when intelligently replied to You, replied
falsely. told Mr. Bcecher that at the time OF
my confession, I, had made similar confessions
to me of himself but developments as to
persons. When you then asked for your own
satisfaction. Was it SOL. told my second lie.
After you had left said to T., = on know
now say rather than make others suffer
as l now do, / must lie, for il is physical
impossibility for me to tell the truth; yet do
think, Francis. had not Il. angry troubled face
been before me- would have told you the truth.
l am perfect coward in his presence, not from
any fault of bis, perhaps, but from long years of
limidity fmplore you as this is aside-issue, to
be careful to lead me into further temptation.
You may show this to r. or Mr.. b. or any one as
an effort r, made for truth. wretchea9y,
After the publication on the cd of November,
~, in WoodhuH d CfQfiB's Weekly, OF the story
of Tilton's and Beecher's conduct in relation to
Mrs. Tilton, Mr.. Moulton continually asked
If such story true, and he found il quite diff
cult in making an answer In some cases
he doubted not inquirers supposed he denied the
truth of the charge, but upon that point he was
very careful not directly to commit himself.
Finding that his silence was working injury to
the cause of the suppression of the scandal, he
told Tlton that he wished to be authorized by
his wife to deny it. Soon after he received a
paper without date from Mrs. Tilton, In which she
said:
"For my husbands sake and my chldren's. l
hereby testify with all my woman's soul that |
am innocent of the crime of impure conduct al
legged against me. have been TO my husband a
true wife in his love. 1 wish to live and die NV
early affection for him still burns with its maiden
flame, all the more for what he has borne for my
sake, both private and public wrongs. Having had
the power 10 strike others, he has fOrborne to
it, and allowed himself to be injured instead
bless him every day for his faith in me, which
swerves not and for standing my champion
against all my accusers.''
Upon the strength of this paper he then after
ward said Mrs. Tton denied the story
About the 10th of December, 1872, Mr. Carpen-
ter and DIR. Storrs undertook to look up the
ports with the intention of advising some public
statement, or as being concerned in some hives
tigation of the matter, and Mrs, Tilton wrote for
50 DEcEMBER 16, 1872
In July. 1870, prompted by my duty, in
formed my husband that Mr.. H. W. Beeehcr, my
him. together with all that this implied Six
months afterward my husband felt impelled by
the circumstances of conspiracy against him.
in which Mrs. Bcecher had taken part to have an
interview with Mr.. Beecher in order that Mr.. b.
might know exactly what had said TO my husband.
wrote a brief statement, ! have forgotten in
what words, which my husband showed to Mr.
Beecher. Late the same evening Mr.. B. came to
me, lying very sick at the time, and filled with
distress, saying had ruined him and wanting to
know II meant TO appear against him. This |
certainly did not intend TO do. and the thought
was agonizing to me- l then signed paper
which he wrote to clear him in case of a trial.
when absorbed by one great interest
or feeling, the harmony Of my aind was entirely
disturbed, and ! found on rejection that this
paper so drawn to place me most unnstly
against my husband and on the side of Mr..
Beecher; SO, in order to repair cruel blow to
my long-suiering husband, wrote an explana-
ton of the first paper my signature. Mr..
Moulton procured from Mr., Beethcr the statement
which gave to him in my agitation and excite
ment, and now holds it. This ends my connection
with the case.
(Signed) ELIZABETH r. TuroN.
"P. S.--Ths statement is made al the request
OF Mr.. Carpenter, that it may be shown coniden-
tally 10 DIR. Storrs and other friends with whom
my husband and ate consulting.
This paper was delivered to Mr.. Moulton, and
the theory of the confession then was that Mr.
and Mrs. Tilton shonlG admit no more than the
nation of the business fell through, and after
IL was shown to those interested, as was told.
the paper remained with me. Mr.. Monlton
received no further communication from Mrs.
Tilton until the 25th of June of this
year 1874 and that communication came
to him in this wise: When Mr.. Tilton
showed him his Or. Bacon'sl letter, he most
strongly and earnestly advised agaipst its publi
cation, and said to Mr.. T. in substance that
while he admitted the wrong and injustice OF Or.
Bacons charge, that he Mr.. t. had lived by the
magnanimty Of Bcecher, and that he was dog
and knave, when he (Moulton) believed he had
acted proper and manly part in endeavorng to
shield his family, yet that its publication would
80 STIR the public mind that an investigation
would be forced upon him and Beecher in some
manner. and that the truth would IN all probable
ity have to come out. or much of IL that Mrs.
Tilton and Mr. Beecher would be dishonored and
destroyed, and Mr.. 1llton himself be subjected to
the severest criticism. Mr.. Ti.ton insisted upon
the publication of the letter; he only modifca-
ton Mr.. Moulton was able TO get being
that, whereas the letter originally read that
Mr.. Beecher had committed against Mr.. Triton
and his family ''reyolting crime published
it said an offense committed against me" Mr..
Mouton secured this change in the letter in hopes