The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-25
Mrs. TiItOn'S statement.


We print this morning the statement ol
this unfortunate woman - unfortunate
however the investigation Of Mr.. Beech
ers conduct may terminate. It Is chari-
table TO assume that this statement was
made while In q condition Of mind very
unfavorable to clearness or coherency.
Beyond an explicit and solemn denial OF
the offence charged In Mr. Tilton's indict.
ment Of Mr., Beecher, there 10 little In It
that can count for or against either accuS.
er or accused.
There is an effort 10 explain away
those Of her letters which Mr.. Tilton in
troduces In his statements In support Of
his accusation. They were obtained, she
says by frequent importantly, and at a
time when she was so sick as not TO know
or understand their import. 1t Is coin
cidence which will be remarked in Mr..
Beecher'S explanation OF the letter Of
confession and apology 10 Mr.. Tiltop.
Made suddenly aware that his counsel
and presence" were likely TO
produce "a social catastrophe" he gave
expression 10 his feelings 10 q
mutual friend, mot In cold and cautious
sell.dstending Words" but "in the strong.
est language, over.burdened with the ex-
aggerations Of impAssioned sorrow"
which words bis friend took down in
sentences and Fragments" to be used
mediatorislly with Tilton. The inference
TO be drawn from this way oi putting 1t Is,
that MIR. Beecher said great deal more
than he meant, or, like Mrs. Tilton, was
In such mental condition as not 10 be
able to comprehend the meaning Of his
own words. OF the value oi these ex-
plantations the reader can make his own
estimate.
Mrs. Tilton charges her husband with
. savage, almost insane Jealousy Of Mr..
Beecher; q jealousy attributed to Mr..
Beecher's clerical and literary preemi-
nence. II. Mr.. Tilton has all these years
been jealous on that account Of the pastor
Of Plymouth, he has had q peculiar way
OF showing II, for Mr.. Beecher has had no
more efficient trumpeter OF his fame as q
preacher and writer than the man who,
II appears, was 80 saturated with envy
that he did not hesitate ultimately to sac.
rihce his vile and family to atisGy 1t.
VI the probability Of this, let each Judge
for himself.
But We come to still more extraordi.
nary feature oil this statement. At the
time when Mr.. Beecher was still q visitor
at the house Of Mrs. Tilton, she poured
into her pastors ears tales oi The0dore's
lnhdeltties. he had set up there, among
bis own Lares and PerAtes, The altar Of
free love. He had made the atmos-
phere OF his own home impure for his
children and wife, and she was aware
OF It. It was the burden ol her com.
plants to her sympathizing pastor. But
neither the knowledge Of these things,
nor the advice Of Mr.. Beecher himself, In.
duced her to leave her wicked and alto.
gether abominsble husband. On the con.
trary, even alter ho had undeceived her as
10 the destruction oil the letters and docu.
ments concerning his difficulties with Mr..
Beecher and Mr.. Bowen, and by his first
statement in the Golden 10e had convinc.
ed her OF his determination 10 execute
his almost daily threat, TO "crush out Mr. |
Beecher," yet she went before the 1nves.
tigatiDg Committee to plead the cause Of
her husband, and on going home and tell.
ing him what she had done, they "coy-
enanted sacredly" their hearts and lives,
and she renewed her trust ain the onei
human heart che loved r. The consist,
ency Of all this will puzzle the philoso-
pliers who have, or think they have, some
knowledge Of the motives and pasaious
and influences that shape human conduct.
We confess 1t TO be wholly inexplicable,
1t true, unless the presumption Of the in
sanity Of both Tilton and his vile land
perhaps Beecher) should be raised. Ger
tain 1t Is that the statement Of Mrs. Tilton
does not help to clear up the doubtful
PNIl4 PNNtA4'0 ~ sue Case EyI u. uEG w