The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-06

II
That night in August when my love lay dying.
-Scribners for August.
BEECHER.TILTON.
On the evening of the Goth Mr.. Theo-
dore Tiiton submitted his statement
to the committee of Plymouth Church
appointed by Mr.. Beecher to investigate
certain charges which had been made
against him, with which the names, of
Mr.. Tilton and his wife had been un-
pleasantly connected. Notwithstanding
the committee endeavored to suppress
its publication, it appeared in print on
the afternoon of the 21st in an obscure
Brooklyn paper, and all over the United
States on the morning of the ED. The
salient points of the statement are given
below. 1t is proper to add that the
statement is sworn to by the maker.
MIR. Tilton prefaces his statement by a
recital of the circumstances which called
it forth, saying that grave offense had
been committed by Mr.. Beecher and duly
apologized for, and that all reference
thereto would have been omitted were it
not that Mr.. Beecher had chosen to put
on before the public an affectation of
ignorance and innocence concerning
them, and had conspicuously appointed
a committee of six of the ablest men of
his church, together with two attorneys,
to inquire into what he led the public to
believe was an unaccountable mystery,
as if he had neither committed an offense
nor made an apology, thus prompting the
public to infer that both were the fig
ments of his (Tilton's) Imagination and
that he was under some frightful hallu-
cination, living in dream and forging q
fraud. The responsibility of the grave
disclosures he was about to make rested
not with him, but firstly with Beecher,
who had prompted the investigation, and
next with Mrs. Tilton, who had joined
him in a conspiracy which could not fail
to be full of peril and wretchedness to
many hearts.
The statement commences as follows:
WHEREAS. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
has instigated the appointment Of commit
tee, consisting of six members of his church
and society, to inquire aud report upon al
legged asrersions upon his character by Theo-
dore Tilton; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, wife of
Theodore Tilton, has deserted her home in Or
der to cooperate with Beecher in q cOnspir-
acy to overthrow the credibility and good re-
zen: therefore,
Theodore Triton, being thus authorized and
required, and by published demand made
upon him by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,
and being now and hereafter released by the
act of Mrs. Tilton from further responsibility
relations with Beecher, therefore Theodore
Tilton hereby sets forth, under solemn oath,
the following facts and testimony.
Here follow the specifications:
l. Setting forth the marriage of Mr..
and Mrs. Tilton.
g That for a period of fifteen years
an intimate friendship existed between
Mr.. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher, which
friendship was cemented to such de-
gree that the subsequent dishonoring by
Beecher Of his friends wife was crime
of uncommon wrongfulness and perfidy.
3. That about nine years after, and be-
tween that time and 1870, Mr.. Beecher
had won the affectionate love of Mrs.
Tilton, and, after repeated assaults upon
her mind with overmastering argument,
had accomplished the possession of her
person, and had maintained with her
until the year 1870 the relation called
criminal intercourse, "this relation being
regarded by her during that period as
not Criminal or morally wrong, such had
been the power Of his arguments as q
clergyman to satisfy her religious scru-
pies against such violation of virtue and
honor"
Specifications 4 and 5 detail the occa
sions and places when and where these
relations were exercised.
&. That Mrs. Tilton, previous to 1868,
although knowing that remarks were
made derogatory to Mr.. Beecher's per-
sonal purity, continued to receive his
kindly attentions, being convinced, as
she said, that she could inspire in him,
by her purity and fidelity, an increased
respect for the chaste dignity of woman
hood.
Z. That the first suspicion which crossed
his mind that Beecher was abusing the
affection and reverence which Mrs. Til
ton bore her pastor was an improper
caress given in his library. That Mrs.
Tilton confessed that Mr.. Beecher had
done wrong and that she had reproved
him for his Offense, whereat he (Tilton)
condoned the offense. Another instance
of suspicious conduct he observed ON an
unexpected return to his residence, which
was also explained by Mrs. Tilton and
forgiven by her husband.
8. That in the spring of 1870 Mrs. Til
ton confessed the relations that she had
been maintaining with Mr.. Beecher, and
that she felt justified before God in her
intimacy with him save the necessary
deceit which accompanied it, at which
she frequently suffered.
8. That after the above confession, feel
ing that she had been artfully misled
through religious reverence for Mr..
Beecher, and from q desire to protect the
family from shame, he condoned the
wrong.
10. Gives the details of the Bowen
Tilton quarrel and the meeting with Mr..
Beecher, with whom he had not spoken
since the confession referred to in the
9Th specification. At that meeting the
confession of Mrs. Tilton reduced to
writing furnished to Beecher the first
knowledge which he had received that
Mrs. Tilt0n had made such confession.
At this interview between Beecher and
Tilton permission was sought by Beeche1
to consult with Mrs. Tilt6h on that same
evening. This permission being granted
Beecher departed, and In about half On
hour returned thither, expressing his re
morse and shame and declaring that hid
life and work seemed brought to sud.
den end. Later In the same evening
Tilton, returning to his house, found hi
wife weeping and In great distress,
saying that what sAe had meant