The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-08-20
THE GREAT SCANDAL.
Statements Of Mr. Beecher and MIR.
MouitOn.
KEw YoRK, Aug. Il
Mr.. BEECnERs STATEMENT.


Mr.. Beecher to-day:
GENTLEMEN % rnE CoxMrTEE-In the statc
mcnt addressed to the public ON the ED OF Jul,
last gave An explicit, comprehensive and sol
emn denial to the charges made by Theodore Til
ton against me. That denial now repeat and re-
aHrnl also stated In that communication that
should appear before your committee with j
more detailed statement and explanation of the
facts in the case.
Four years ago Theodore Tilton fell from one oI
the most prominent editorial positions In Amer
lea, when he represented the cause Of religion
humanity and patriotism, and in a few months
thereafter became the associate and representa-.
tive OF Victoria Woodruff and friend of her
strange cause. BY his foilies he was bankrupt in
reputation in occupation and in resources. The
interior history Of which am now To give brief
outline is the history of his attempts 10 SO en-.
ploy mo as to reinstate him in business restore
his reputation. and place him again upon the EN-
inence from which he had fallen. 1t Is a sad his.
tory, to the full meaning of which have but re-
Gently awakened, entangled in . wilderness Of
complications. followed, until lately, a false
theory and delusive hope, believing that the
friend who assured me of his determination aud
abiify 10 eentrof the pa .sionate Iayaffes or M
Tilton, to restore his household, to rebuild his
fortunes and to yindicate me, would be eaua to
that promise. His self-confcssed failure has made
clear TO me what for long time | did not sus-
pect-the real motive " Mr.. Tilton. Ny mar.
ration does not represent a single standpoint
only as regards my opinion Of Theodore Triton
1t begins ut my cordial intimacy with him in his
earlier career. shows my lamcntation and sor.
rowfnl. but hopeful. affection for him during
the period of his initial wanderings from truth
and virtue. 1t describes my repentance over
evils Detailing him, Of which was made 10 be-
leve myself the cause; my perseyering and
friendly despairing efforts to save him and his
family by any sacrifice OF myself not absolutely
dishonorable, and my growing conviction that
his perpetual follies and blunders rendered his
recovery impossible / can now see that he is
and has been from the beginning Of this dficaltv
a selfish and reckless schcmer, pursuing II plan
of mingled good and hatred, and weaving about
me network of suspicious, Observation-Disclosures
plots and lies, to which my own innocent words
and acts. nay, even my thoughts, Of Kindness To-
ward him, have been made to contribute. These
successive views of him must be kept in view to
explain my course through the last four wears
That was blind so long rs TO the real motive OF
intrigue going on around me due partly TO
my own overwhelming public engagements.
partly to my complete surrender Of this affair,
and tho papers and questions connected with ii,
into the hands of Mr.. Moulton who was intense
" confident that he conld manage it success
lnily. ! suffered much, but | inquired little.
Mr. Mouton was chary to me of Mr.. lilton's con
fdenecs TO him. reporting 10 me occasionally in
a general way Mr.. Tiltoi's words and outbreaks
on passion only as elements Of trouble which he
was able to control. and additional proofs of
the wisdom of giving 1t to him. His comment
on the situation seemed 10 me. Mt the time com
picic. Immersed as | was i'll inccssa ant cares and
duties, and only too glad To be relieved from con-
sidcring the details and wrctchcd complied
tians, the origin and the fact of which remain
i'll spite Of all friendly intervention n pernefunj
burden to my soul. would not read i'm the pa.
pers about it. would not talk about IT. | made
Moulton Tor Il long period my coniidant and my
Only channel OF Information From time to time
suspicious were aroused III me by indications
that Mr.. Triton was acting the part of ce emv:
bul suspicious were rapidly allaycd by his own
behavior toward ne in other moods and by the
assurances of Mr.. Monitor Who ascIibed The cir
cHm>tanccs to misUnder>a audilig or TO malice ou
the part OF others. Il i Piain to now hai ii
w. not until Iilton Lad iaiicn into disgrace and
had lost his salary thai he ihun"ht il Necessary to
as>ail me with char.rs which he pretended to
have had in mind foi six months.
The domestic otEense which he alleged was very
qaickly and easily put aside, but yet in such
way as to keep my feelings stirred Zip in order
that | might, through my friends, be used 70
extract from Mr.. Bowen $1,000, the amount OF the
claim in dispute between them. The check tor
I ha' sum in hand, Mr.. Tilton signed an agreement
of peace and concord, Eot drawn by me, but
accepted by me as sincere The GOtden Age had
bee started. He had the capital To carry il
for awhile He was sure that he to
head great social revolution. With return.
ing prosperity ne bad apparently no
gricfs which con'd not be covered by his sigma
lurc g. the articles Of peace. Yet the changes in
that covenant made by him before signing it. and
linn ircm the imputaton of having originated and
circulated certain old and shameless ISLANDERS
aaoat me were really made, as now appears to
a:ainst me. SO long as he was, or thought he
was. On the road to new success. his
conduct toward me was as friendly - he
Of superiority and magnanimity and his
manner were trfes at which |
could afford to smile. and which bore with the
g.Cstcr humility since / still retained the pro-
t"and impression made upon me, as explained
in the following narrative, that l had been a
cause OF overwhelming disaster to him,
and that his complete restoration TO pub
lie standing and household happiness
a reparation justly required of me, and
the only one which | could make; but, with
peculiar genius Tor blunders, he fell almost at
Hon
ties, and in every such instance it was his
policy TO bring coercion TO bear upon my
honor my. conscience and my affections for the
purpose of procuring his eStricaion nj my
expense. Theodore Tilton knew mc well. He
has said again and again to his friends that if
they wished to gain any influence over me they
must work upon the sympathetic side of my
ture. To this he has addressed himself steadily
for four years, using as lever without scruplc
my attachment to my friends, to my family, 10
his own household: and even my old affection for
himself. Not blind to his faults, but resolved 70
look on him as favorably and hopefully possi-
Bile, and ignorant of his deeper malice, 1 labored
earnestly, even desperately, for his salvation.
For four years have been trying to feed the in
satlabe egotism, to make the man great as he
conceived himself to be, TO restore 10 prosperity
and public confidence one who, in the midst Of
my efforts in his behalf patronizef disrepuahic
people and doctrines, refused when l bcsought
him to separate himself from them and ascribed
to my agency the increasing ruin which he was
persistently bringing upon himself, and which
was doing my utmost to avert. 1t was hard to do
anything for such man. l might as well have
tried to fill sieve with water. In the latter
stages of the history he actually melted and crc-
atcd difficulties, apparently for no other purpose
than to drive me to fresh exertons. l refused 10
indorse his wild views and associates. The best
could do was to speak well of him, mention
those good qualities and abilities which | still
believe him to possess in his higher moods, and
keeping silence concerning the evil things which
was assured and believed had been greatly ex-
aggerated by public report. / could not think
hm bad friends did / truStc0 to the
germs Of good which ! thought still lived in him;
to MIR. Moulton's power over him, and the power
OF my persistent selfsacrifcc.
Mr.. MoultOn came to me first a schoolmate
and friend of Mr.. Tilton, determined to reinstaie
him. always suspected without regard TO my
interests, but, on further acquaintance with me
undertook and promised to serve his friend with
out doing wrong to me. He said he saw clearly
how this was to be done rs to restore peace
and harmony to Mr.. Titon's home and bring to a
happy end all understandings Many things
which he counseled l Absolutely refused, bnt
never doubted his professed friendship for me
after the friendship had grown up between Us,
seemed TO me wrong. Ny confidence in him was
the only element that seemed secure in this con-
fusion of tormcnting perplexiies. To him J
wrote freely in this tronblous time, while felt
that secret machinations were going en- around
ME. and echoes of the yiiest ISLANDERS concerning
me were heard in unexpected quarters. When
some OF my near relations were set against me,
and the tattle of a crowd of malicious
women hostile to me on other grounds was
borne to my ears: when had Lost the last rem
nant of faith in Theodore, or hope for him; when
heard with unspeakable remorse that every
thing had done to stay his destruction had msle
matters worse and worse, aud that my attempt TO
keep him from public trial involving such
flow Of scandal a. has now been let loose had
been used by him to bring up new troubles; thai
his unhappy wife was under his dictation. signing
papers and recantatons, and ! know not Whist;
that In short everything was breaking up and the
from which had sought to save the
family was likely to be emptied on other families,
the church, the community, with infinite horrors
Of woe for me; that my own Innocence was
body bat my professed friend, II even he could
save us-to HIS assurances that he could still do
80 gave at least SO much faith as to msintain
enjoined; not until Mr. nlton, having attempt
ed through Frank Carpenter to raise money from
my friends, openly assailed me In letter 10 Dr.
Bacon, did break that silence save by the sim
pie denial ofthe slanderous run1ors against me 4
year before.
On the appearance of the first open at
thck from Mr.. Tilton ! immediately, without
Investigation with committee Of my elIaEeh !
am not Responsible for the delay of the publicity
or details Of that investigation. All the harm
which have so long dreaded, and have SO earn
estly striven to avoid. has come to pass. / could
not further prevent it without full surrender of
honor and truth. The time has arrived when 1
can freely speak in vindication of myself l
labor under greA: disadvantages in making
statement. Ny memory of states of mind is elcai
and tenacious, better than my memory of dates
and details during four troubled years. in nj OF
which have been sin gularly burdcned with pub
lie labor, having established and conducted the
Christian Union, delivered courses Of lectures.
before the Theological Seminary Of
Yale College, written the Life Of Christ de-
livcred each winter lyceum lectures in all the
North and West-all these duties, with the care
Of great church aud its outlying schools and
chapels, and the miscellaneous business which
[alls upon . clergyman more than upon any
other pnblic man, Il have kept in regard,
md now, with the necessity OF explain