Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-22

. nit' ID freely her own sexual intercourse with |
= .ner, make any claims that her husband
Jnfaithful 10 her, / was considerable surprised |
at this intimatioD, made at so late period, and
/ brought il to the attention OF Tilton In the |
form Of very strong criticism of his course to-
wards me that he had kept back 50 important a
fact, which might have made great difference
as to the course that ought to be taken.
Titon promptly, and with much feeling, denied
that he had ever made any such confession, or
that bis wife ever claimed that he had, ara de-
sired NE TO see Mrs. Tilton and satisfy myself
upon that point, and he went immediately with
me TO his house that might see airs. Tilton
before he should have the opportunity to
see her after he had learned the alleged fact
in the back parlor. ON our way to the house
Tilton said to me, frank, what Is the use of my
trying to keep the family together when this
81 an the time ns tsg ms
that must keep the peace, and forget and for
give while these stories are being circulated to
my prejudice" On arriving at the house 1
asked Mrs. t. to step into the front psrlor,
where we two were alone. / then put the quss-
ton TO her: "Eli zsbeth did you tell Mr.. Bescher
husband of your infidelity with Beecner, your
husband at the same time made a confession TO
you OF his own infdelity with other women?' 1
said: al want to know If this is true for my own
sstisfaction." She answered. Yes" L then
stepped with her 10 the hack parlor, where her
husband was waiting, and said to him: sYoar
wife Gays that che did tell Beecber that you con
fessed your infdelity with other women at the
time she made her confession to you" Eliza
beth Immediately said: "Why, no; didn't tell
you 20; could rot have understood your ques-
ton; because it isn't true that Theo. ever In ade
any such confession, and
DID NOT STATE 1T TO MR.. BEECHRR,
because 1t Is not true" l was very much
shocked and surprised at the denial, but, OF
course, could say nothing more, and did say
nothing more on that subject, and left aud went
home. The next morning received the follow
ing letter from Mrs. Tilton, without date, so
that am unable to give the exact date of this
transaction, but l-now 1t was af er the tripar
tite covenant:
IThis is the letter from elizabeth to "Dear
Francis, )" "between April and November 2,
1872" published in yesterdays STAR
This letter was wholly unsatisfactory to me,
because nothing hsd occurred the day previous
to which she could possibly have referred. After
the publication on the I'd day of November, 1S72,
in HOOdhnU d CldJiln's Weekly, of the story of
Mrs. T1lton, and az my name was mentioned In
the article as possessing peculiar knowledge
upon the whole subject, was continually asked
by my acquaintances, and even by strangers,
upon their ascertaining who was, whether that
publication was true, and found great diff Guilty
in making an answer. A refusal on my part to
answer would have been taken to be a confess
sion Of the truth of the charges. Therefore, when
people inquired who had no right to nv conf
dence, 1 answered them in such phrase as with
out making direct statement, would lead them
to infer that the charges could not be sustained.
In some cases doubt not that the inquirers sup
posed that in fact denied their truth, bnt upon
that point l was very studious not directly tn
commit myself. Finding that my very silence
was working injury to the cause, I told Tilton
that wished TO be authorized by his wife TO
denyit. thought 1t certainly could not posi-
bly, be true TO the extent, and in the circum
stances, with the breadth in which 1t was stated
in that newspaper. Soon after 1 received the
following paper, without date, from Mrs.
Tilton;
MRS. TILToN TO MoULToN.
~ AoSLloa; Ny dear friend, for my hus.ald's
my won az SOUL tha. am Innocent of the s eF a
OF impure conduct alleged against me. n we bsen
20 my husband true wife. In his love L wish 10
NY early affection for him stil burns with it,
for my sake~bcth private and public wrspss' O al
plan to Keep back scandals, long ago threatened
il M awaiting. But lew would have risked so much
as he has scIifiCed for sthers since the Goa
had power to strike others. be has ferSoine to ~.
1t, and allowed himself to be injured Instead. No
wound Is so great to me the i'm putaton that he il
ameng ny socusers. bless him cry day for faith
ia ne, which swerves not, and for standing NV
EL1zABErH Il. T1LToS.
pom the strength OF that L thereafterwards
said that Mrs. Tilton denied the story. About the
10th of December, 1872, Mr.. Carpenter and
DIR. StOrTs undertook to look up the reports
with the intention, a. / understood, of advising
some public statement, or as being concerned
IN some investigation of the matter, and Mrs
TiltOD wrote for the N the following paper, bear
ing that date:
MRS. TILToN's STATEMENT.
In July, Is7e. prompted BY duly, informed cd my
pastor, lad solicited 70 be a wife 10 him together
with all that this implied. Six months afterwards
Conspiracy against him, 10 which Mr. Beeoher n i'd
tai en- part, 10 have an interview with Mr. Beecber
bs70 + IsgtIen in What form, which my husband
Late the same evening Mr.. Beechsr came to me,
iyins very siTk At the time and filled NE With dis
u me ant 10 sfpear against him. This certainly
to me then signed paper which he wrote, to
c.esr HIM 10 case Ct tral In this instance, as In
mCst others hen absorbed by great interest or
tbrbed, ard found reflection that the paper YVES
busbar and on the side Of mr. s.scssr. in 60 IN
order to repair 30 cruel blow to my long suffering
aud my Signature. Mr. soulton A' prd SaRsE
from Mr.. Beecher the statement which gave q
1t. This ends my connection with the case.
r,,- ELIzABETH L. TILToN. =.
MI Carpenter, that il may be shown confidentially
70 DIT SioTrs and other friends with whom my hus-
This paper was delivered to me, and the
theory or the confession was that Mr.. and Mrs.
IDt0n should admit no more than the solcita-
ton, but that endeavor to make an explanatio
Of the business fell through, and after it was
shown to those interested, as was told, the
PVper remained with me. received no further
communication from Mrs. Tilton until the 10Th
OF June Of this year, (1STi,) and that communi-
cation came to me in this wise When Tilton
strongly and earnestly advised against its pub-
LEGATION, and said TO him in substance that
while admitted the wrong and injustice of DIR.
Bacon's charges that Mr.. Tilton had lived by
the magnaDimity OF Beecher, and that he was a
dog and knave, when believed that he had
acted proper and manly part in endeavoring
to shield his family, yet that its publication
would 90 stir the public mind that an investiga-
ton would he forced upon him and Beecher in
some manner which i could not foresee, and
that the truth would in all probability have to
come out, or so much of il that Mrs. Triton and
Beecher would be dishonored and DESTROYED.
and he himself be subjected to the severest
criticism. Notwithstanding my advice he was
80 wrought up with the continued assaults upon
him by the friends of Beecher that he defer
mined on the publication OF the letter.
he said to me in substance that as the course
had advised in the matter in regard TO the
church investigation had been so completely
set aside by Beecheris friends, and they had SO
far ignored all propositions coming from me as
70 the best mode of disposing Of the matter, they
evidently did not any longer intend to be guided
by my counsel or wishes, and If Beecher and
his friends set me aside in the matter, he (Mr.
Tiiton) could see no reason why he should any
lenger yield to my entreaties or follow my lead.
The only modification that was able TO get of
the Bacon letter was this: 1t originally read
that Beecher had committed against him and
bis family ga revolving crime" 1 insisted that