Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1874-07-30
Helena, Montana, Thursday, July 80, 1874.

in the forenoon, and on going to his bed
chamber found the door locked, and when on
knocking the door was opened by Mrs. Til
ton. Beccher was seen within, apparently
much confused and exhibiting '!ushed face.
Mrs. Tilton afterwards made plausible cx-
7 PLANTATION. which. from the confidence re-.
posed III her by her husband, was by him
deemed satisfactory.
Sth That in the spring of 1870. on TIL
tons return trGm a winter absence, nc
! noticed in his wife such evidences of ahsorl'-
ton in her mind in Bccchcr, that in !! short
time All cstranycmcnt took place between
husband and herself. in conscrl.cnccot which
>hc went INTO Tie country earlier t!lan Usual
for a summer soi"urn. After an absence of
, several weeks She voluntarily returned TO her
home il Hrnoklyn on the evening OF July 81.
1870. when. then and there, within Il few
hours after her arrival, and after cXaCiny
from her husband Il solemn promise that he
would uO Hcccher no harm nor communicate
10 him what she was about to say. She made
the crcumStantial confession TO her husband
OF the criminal facts hcrcinhc!orc stated, ac-
companicd with citations from i,cCcher $
arguments and reasoning with her to over
come her long unobtaincd scrupes against
Welding 20 his desires. and declaring that she
had committed no wrong to her husband or
her marriage VOW. quoting in support of this
opinion that her pastor had repeatedly as
>urctl her that she was Sl'otlcss and cha ste,
which she hclicycd herself 10 be. She further
stated that her said commerce with him had
never proceeded from low or vulgar thoughts,
either on her part or his. but always from
pure affection am! high religious love. She
stated furthermore. that Mr. Ibctchcr habitu-
ally characterized their intimacy by the term
"ncst hiding. ant, She would >utfcrpain and
sorrow it his hidden secret, were ever made
known. She said her mine was most often
burIcncd by The 'iccci; necessary for her to
practice III order to rrc\cn, discovery. and
that her conscience had many times imrclcd
her to throw off this burden Of enforced false
hood by making full confession to her h,,s-
land. So that She would no lcnrcr bc living
before him perpetual lc III particular She
said that she had been on ,hc puiu, of making
this confc> len a few months previously dur
in. a severe illness. when >hc feared ,ha: she
ml.h, die. She affirmed also. :hat Bccchcr
had assured her repeatedly that he loved her
better ,ll:n he had ever loved any other wo-
i'''' az" She frit justified hefor. Cod in her
intimacy WIN MN. save :llc necessary deceit
" hici, accompanied i: ali,, @, ,,,.;.l. She t,c.
iucntly suffered in n"r mind.
:hh That after tnc above named contcs-
sion 10y Mrs. lilton she returned to the cO,n.
try. to await such action by her husband as
hc Nigh, see fit tn take. Whercupon. from
many considerations. the chief of which WAS
;lla, She had no, voluntarily gone ;.>iray but
had been artfully mislcu through rcIIy
reverence tor the Rev. Bccchcr rs her spirit
ual guide. together, also, from desire to pro-
tcci the family from open shame, Tilton con-
duncd the wrong. and he addressed to his
e
and respect rs he felt would restore her
wounded spirit, and which did partially pro-
ducc that effect, ,ha: in Deccmucr, 1870, u
difference arose between Til,on and II. G.
Bowen: which were augmented by Bcccher
and Mrs. Beechcr. in consequence whereof
and at which Mrs. Tilton expressed in writ
ing in a paper pu. into the hands Of Francis
u. MoultOn, with y view to procure an lar-
munous interview between Tilton and Beech
cr. Such interview was arranged and carried
out by MoultOn ut his residence ON Clinton
street, BecchVr and TiltOn meeting and speak
ing then and there tor the first time since
Mrs. TiltOns confession six months before.
The paper in Mouiton's hands was state
mcnt by Mrs. Titon, in substance the con-
fcssion which she had before made, and her
wish and prayer for reconciliation and peace
between her pastor and husband. This paper
furnished Bccchcr was the first knowledge
which he had as yet received that Mrs. TiltOn
had made such confession. At this interview
between Becchcr and Tilton permission was
sought by BceCher to consult with Mrs. Til
ton on that same evening. This permission
being granted, Bcecher departed from Mr.
MOulton's house and in about half an hour
returned thither, expressing his rcmOrse and
shame, and declaring that his life and work
seemed brought TO sudden end. Later in
the same evening, 1ilton, on returning to his
house found his wife weeping and in great
distress. saying, that what she had meant for
peace had only given pain and anguish; that
Beccher had just called on her, declaring
that she had slain him. and that he would |
probably bc tried before a council of minis
tcrs. unless she would give him a written
paper for his protection, whcreupon she |
said he dictated to her and she copied !
in her own handwriting. suitable paper !
for him to use to clear himself before
the council of ministers. Mrs. Tilton, hav-
ing kept no copy Of this paper, her husband
asked her to make X distinct statement in |
writing OF her design and meaning III giving
il. whereupOn she wrote as follows:
December Both, '61.-nlidnight-M Dear
liusband:-I desire to leave with you before
going I" bed the statement that Henry Ward
BecChcr called upon me this evening, and
asked mc if | would defend him against any
accusation in the council Of ministers. Ire
piled solemnly that l would in case tie ac-
c,,ser was any other person than my hus-
band. He I'll. W. b. dictatttla letter which
/ copied as my own, to be used by him us
against any other acc,,ser except my hus-
band. This letter was designed to vindicate
Mr.. Beccher against all sdher persons save
only yourself. was ready to give him the
letter, because he said with pain that my let
ter in your hands, addressed to him, dated
December 10Th, had struck him dead and