The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-14
yht 9ailg Argus,
Concluded from second page.

and they perfectly worshipped her.
gave Mrs. Tilton copies of my books whel
published, aud sometimes sent down iron
the farm flowers to be distributed amons
u dozen of families, and she occasionaII,
shared them. The only present of value
| ever gave was on my return from Flu.
rope in 1868, when | distributed presents
to some fifty or more persons, and to hel
| gave a simple brooch of little i%ntrinsi,
value. So far from ~supposing that my
presence and influence was alternating Mrs.
Iilton from her family relations, thought
on the contrary that it was giving heI
strength and encouraging her to hold fas,
upon the man evidently sliding into dan
gerous associates and liable to be immersed
by unusual self %conceit. | regarded Mr..
Tilton AS in a very critical point OF his life,
and used to think him fortunate in his
home influences. Mrs. Triton often de.
plored the laxity OF her husbands morals
and religious doctrines. She implied to
me that he denied the divinity of the
| church and the articles of orthodox faith,
his views on the s%anctity of marriage con
stantly changing in the direction of free
love. My last visit before the trouble
was in July, 1870, when Mrs. Tilton was
sick. She was much depressed and |
cheered her the best | could and prayed
with her, 1t is sufficient to say that in no
interview which ever took place between
Mrs. Tilton and mysely did anything occur
which might not have occurred with per-
feet propriety between brother and sister,
between father and child, between a man
Of honor and the wife of his dearest
friend, nor did anything ever
happen which she or | sought
to conceal from her husband. When
Tilton wrote editorially for the Mdepen-
dent, of which | was supposed to be the
editor, his views called down denuneiations
upon me. | disclalmed the articles and
views expressed therein. My Brother
Edward, in Illinois. demonstrated so strong
ly that Bowen decided 70 remove Tilton
or suppress his views. Tilton. however,
seemed tirmer In his loose notions OF mar
rage, and this led to starting the Adrdnce
in Chicago to supercedc the independent.
Bowen felt that Tilton's influence was an
injury to the business and Iilton appears
to have credited this feeling to my infu-
ences on Bowen. In December, 1870, a
young girl whom Mrs. Tilton had educat-
ed came to me with a request to visit Mrs.
Tilton at her mothers. She said Mrs.
Tilton had gone to her mothers in conse-
quenceo of i'll treatment from her husband,
and told with down cast look how Mr.. Til
ton had entered her chamber and sought
her consent to his wishes. Mrs. Tilton
gave accounts of her husbands disposition
and questioned whether she should return
or separate irom her husband. | asked my
wife to see and advise her and she dcclar-
ed that nc consideration would induce her
tn return to such a man, but reserved her
advice till the next day, when being detain-
ed at home she wrote that her advice was
to separate and settle the matter of sup.
port. In December, 1870, Mr.. Bowen
left at my house a letter from Tilton, of
which the following is the substance:
Henry Ward Beecher. For reasons
which you explicitly know and which |
draw from the pulpit and quit Brooklyn as
a resident
l read the letter twice, unable to com
prehend its meaning, and handed it tn
Bowen, and a conversation ensued about
the reasons for reducing Tilton to a sub
ordinate position on the Independent, and
even doubted the consistency OF retaining
him even as a contributor. Ispoke strong.
ly against Tilton under this great provoca-
ton and the previous revelation concerning
his domestic life. Bowen ridiculed the
letter he brought and said | might rely
on him il trouble came Of it. | had no
doubt my infaence decided his final over
throw, and thinking this | became very I'm
happy over 1ilton's misfortune. 1t APP
pears hat MIR. Tilton, hearing that my 10
1uence brought about his discredit with
Bowen, extUrted from his wife, then i'll, the
document eliminating me, ard prepared
an elaborate attack upon me. In Decem-
Der, 1870, Moulton came to my house and
in an excited manner asked me to see Til
ton at once, and believing | might obtain
information concerning this letter to me !
complied. Moultou accompanied me to,
the house, but refused to enter the cham
Der, while Tilton received me coldly and
began 10 upbraid me for seeking his down
fall. He said | spread injurious rumors
about him, had advised Bowen to dismiss
him and that | had injured him in family
relations and alienated his wife's affections,
leading her to love me more than himself;
had corrupted her moral nature and finally
had made wicked proposals to her and
he produced a certified statement of the
previous confession made by his wife to
that effect six months previous, and asked
me to go to his house where Elizabeth
was waiting tor me and learn from her
the truth of his stories. | went at once to
| Mrs. Tllton's room. She lay as one in a
trance and gave no sign Of recognition. /
said Elizabeth, Theodore has been max
ing serious charges and sends me to you
for confirmation" She didn't reply and |
repeated some of the allegations. She be-
gan to weep and told ieebly how sick she
had been and how she had been impor
tuned to the confession. She said Tilton
had confessed his alien ties, and she could
not bear to think herself better than him.
hoped to win him back by this course.
She then denied to me all the charges
made by Tilton and expressed con-
triton for the act. and made at
my suggestions a brief counter state
ment. Next day, Moulton informed me
that Mrs. Tilton told her husband of what
she did iu our interview, and be (Moul
toni expostulated with me aud claimed i
had taken a mean advantage of the per
mission to visit her. He was greatly ex
cited and opening his overcnat with some
emphatic remarks showed me a pistol,
which be afterwards laid on the bureau
near which he stood. finally gave him
the paper and he left. Moulton soon af-
ter made another visit to my house, while
[ was still in the greatest distress over
this affair. | did not blame Mrs. Tilton.
for whose condition ] made the greatest
allowance, and yet | believed that this
story invented by him and substantiated
by her would be Immediately puJlish-
ed, and against it | coull only OPP