New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-22

tomake any statement which should show her home
unhappy or that she was unhappy in it, because II
might lead to such inquiries might break 1t up rs
well as the settlement, which she was 80 DESTROYS
to maintain for the sake of both families-Mrs
Beechers and her own.
This conversation drew from her the following
letter, marked "lIn:
MRS. Triton TO MOULrON.
SUNDAY MORNING, Feb. II. 1872.
MI DEAR FRIEND FRANCIS: All the week have
IN the car as Theodore does and the time at our op
ping places must be necessarily given TO rest 9ahnx,
and sightseeing, say nothing OF lecturesons' H"'
1t was given TO you reveal to me last ssohatn even
lag two things Qcr which God bless you aouuoanity
with his peace FIRST the truth that until then had
never seen nor felt namely ,ses !" the sbsdowins Of
Theodore became his enemy! And the seconu 'ru.n
was that IhlDdered the reeonsr"ef'o" more ina" any
' W fsa become convinced 1 know am mmov
reTi cast into The depths Theo need fear
longer for would be the enemy OF no one. A. .
vear All have done is to cause the utter misery of
those love Destiny mother, husband, Mr. b., and my
But how greatly 1 prize your counsel and criticisms
You will never know You do not at all terrify me;
Pardoa this hasiy line which I'm You'll do. since
you forgive much else. Good night. Anect,onateb'
(SigDed 1LiAN
After the signing Of the "tripartte covenant.
XII
the paper containing his wifes confession, in order
as he said to relieve her anxiety as to its possibly
falling into wrong hands, and she was very desrous
that this paper should be destroyed. AS l held IL
solely for her protection and under pledge to him.
gave it to him. and he told me afterward that ne
gave il into her hands. and that she destroyed II.
She also confirmed this statement.
Some time after tbat--it is impossible for me to
fix the date precisely-l learned from Beecher that
Mrs Tilton had told him that when she made her
confession to her husband of her infdeity with him
Beecherl her husband had made like confession
TO her of bis own infdelities with several other
women. This being an entirely new statement OF
fact to me- and never having heard Mrs. Iilton, in
all my conversations with her. although she had
admitted freely her own sexual intercourse Win
Beecher make any claims that her husband mad
confessed his ndelty or that he had been unfaith-
full to her. was considerably surprised at this int-
nation made at so late period, and brought it to
the attention OF Tilton in the form of very strong
criticism of his course toward me- that he had kept
back so important fact which might have made a
great difference as to the course that
ought to be taken. TiltOn promptly and
with much feeling denied that he had ever
made any such confession, or that his
wife ever claimed that he had, and desired me to
see Mrs. Tilton and satisfy myself on that point ;
and he went Immediately with me to his house.
that might see Mrs. Tilton before he should have
the opportunity to see her. after he had learned the
alleged fact. We went to the house together and
found her in the back parlor. On our way to the
house. Titon said to me: Frank, what is the use
of my trying to keep the family together when this
sort of thing is being all the time said against me
You are all the time telling me that / must keep
the peace and forget and forgive, while these
al 20 aiYthip
On arriving at the house / asked Mrs. Tilton to
step into the front parlor, where we two were
alone. then put the question to her: Eliza
beth. did you tell Mr.. Beecher that when you
made your confession to your husband of your
infdelty with Beecher yOur husband at the
same time made a confession TO you Of his
own infidelity with other women?" / said, " l
want to know if this is true for my own satisfaction
She answered "Yes" then stepped with her into
the back parlOr, where her husband was waiting,
and said to him: "Your wife says that she did
tell Beecher that you confessed your infidety with
other women. at the time she made her confession
to YOU" Elizabeth Immediately said "Why, no.
didn't tell you so. / could not have understood
your question, because it isn't true that Theodore
ever made any such confession, and didn't state II
to Mr.. Beecher, because it is not true"
Twas very much shocked and surprised at the de-
say nothing more upon that subject, and left and
went home. The next morning / received the fol-
lowing letter from Mrs. Tilton, without date so
that am unable to give the exact date OF this
transaction; but know that it was after the tri-
partite covenant. The letter is here produced,
and marked JJD:
MRS. TIIToN TO MoULToN.
DEAR FRANCIS: did tell you too falsehoods at your
last visit At first entirely misunderstood your ques
tion thinking you had reference 70 tne lntervew AZ
replied to you, replied falsely. will now put myself
on record truthfully.
made similar confessions to me Of himself. but no
developments % persons When goT then asked TO,
iie After You had left said to T., "You know was
obliged to lie to Frank and now say; rather the than
physical impossibilty for me to tell the truth"
Yet do think, Francis had not rs angry, troubled
am a perfect coward in his presence, not from any
fault Of his perhaps but from long years Of timdity
to lead me into further temptation A..
You may show this to T. or Mr.. b. or any one An
Signed) ELIZABETH.
This letter was wholly unsatisfactory to me,
because nothing had occurred the day previous to
which she could possibly have referred. After the
publication, on the I'd day of November. 1872. in
VoodhuN and CIafns Heekly, of the story OF lllton
and Beechers conduct in relation to Mrs. Iilton,
and as my name mentioned in the article az ore
possessing peculiar knowledge upon the whole sub
ject was continually asked by my acquaintance,
and even by strangers, upon their ascertaining who
I was, whether that publication was true; and !
found great difficulty in making an answer. A
refusal on my part to answer would have been taken
to be confession of the truth of the charges.
Therefore when people inquired who had no right
to my confidence, answered them in such phrase
as, without making a direct statement. would lead
them to infer that the charges could not be sus-
tanned
In some cases doubt not that the inqulrsrs sup
posed that J. in fact denied their truth: but upon