The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-22


| when was perfected in the house of God, am
| that within as hours from that time he hat
avowed to Mr.. Howard that he tBowen) could
IT he chose, drive Mr. Beecher out of town.
| told MIN further that [ was informed tina
| prior to that reconciliation he had made Il,
| charge against Beechers character to Beecher
but only behind his back, and L said. "Mr
| Bowen L have the points of settlement be
wv. en- you ard Mr.. Beecher in yoar own hant
| wrltlng aud there is no reference to any charge
OF CRIME OF any kind against Beecher."
Mr.. Bowen made no denial of these asser
| tions OF NINE, but seemed on the contrary
aDasned and detected, and in reply to my ques
tion what do you say to these charges which
you have made against Beecher?' He de
ciined TO say anything about them but repeated
the question. What can do?' L answered
am not your adviser. 1 can't dictate to yor
what course you should pursue, but you have
done great injustice to Mr.. Tilton and to Mr.
beecher, and you ought to take the earliest
| means OF repairing the injury. L should think
| IL would be just for you to restore Iliton &c
| go back If you should offer it to him. His re-
| ply was, How can | do that now?' l told
MN didn't know. He must find way to
settle his own difficulties. He again expressed
his Willingness to arbtrate the question. oil
! money between himself and Tilton growing
out of contract. 1 told him that Tilton would
not arbitrate; that plain provision of the con-
tract provided that he should pay what L de-
manded and he must fulfill it,
MT. Bowen rose to leave. and said before
leaving, whenever l wanted to see him he
would be happy to come to nv house and con-
fer on this subject; and he did on several sub
sequent occasions visit me at my house when
ever L sent for him for consultation in this
matter.
The means L have of giving so accurately
the conversation between myself aud Bowen
as to the conversations had with Tilton and
81 IN IN m
with Bowen, as l told him, had all interview
with Oliver johnson in the presence of Tilton,
where the whole matter was discussed, and a
memorandum of Oliver Johnsou's state ment
in which he gave his recollection O. the inter-
view of Dec. rs, when Tilton aud johnson
were present, was taken down by Tilton in
shorthand ia my presence, and copied out of it
in Mr.. Johnson's presence, which pnemoran-
dunn has been in my possession ever since, and
from which l read each statement, one after
the other, to Bowen. L here produce it.
OLIVER JoHNsoN's STATEMENT.
At the interview of Dec. 26. Mr.. Bowen vol
UNFAIRLY pledged his word to Mr.. johnson that
he, HI. G. b., would take no further measures
in regard to Mr. Titon without consultation
with Mr.. johnson. Mr.. Bowen had likewise
said substantially the same thing to johnson.
Mr. johnson, personally, during private con-
versations between those two persons said
there was no obligatory confidence on any OF
terview, save d special pledge mutually given
that nothing should be said concerning Mr.
Beecher's demonstrations towards Mr.. Tilton.
Mr. D. j. says that Mr., Bowens statements
in regard to FL. w. b. were not ntimations of
Mr. BIS adulteries, but plain, straightforward
charges Of the shame. Il. Q; b. stated he
knew four or five cases of Mr. BIS adulterous
intercourse with women. o. j. says that H.
C. b., at this interview plainly declared that
H. w. B. had confessed his guilt to II. G. b.
H. G. B.-"I cannot stand it any longer. You
and owe duty to society in this matter
That man onght not to stay week in his pull
pit. 1t is not safe for our families to have him
in the city," Allusion to the widow was made
by l.. T., and FL. c. B. said he had no doubt
that her husbands death was caused by his
knowledge of her improper intimacy with ii.
W. B. have no donbt about it whatever to
make an end of the statement as TO the con-
troversy between Tilton and Bowen.
The Arbitration.
I further state that various negotiations were
had between Bowen and myself, which re-
suited finally in an arbitration in which III. b.
Cla1in, Chas. Storrs and James Neelaud were
referees; that there was very considerable de-
lay arising from my own absence in the South
in the early spring, on account OF sickness,
Mr. Bowen's absence during summer and
Tiltons absence during the summer and Til
toms absence during the fall and winter on his
lecturing tour, so that the arbitration did not
terminate till the I'd of April, 1872. This arbi-
tration was determined upon by me, and my
determination given to Mr.. Clafin in the fol-
lowing note:
MoULToN TO CLAFLIN.
BROOKLYN, April LIST, 1872.
My Dear Mr.. Clafin,-After full conside-
ration of all interests other than Theodore's,
I have advised him to arbitrate, on grounds
which he will explain to you, and which l
,,,6o want Nd
kind wishes toward all concerned.
Cordially yours,
francis d. MoULToN.
Tlton and Bowen and myself appeared be
fore the arbitration. In Tilton's statement
was included the letter before given in which
he had put into type which influenced me to
consent to the arbitration in order to do away
with the necessity of its publication. After
full hearing, nothing having been submitted
to the arbitrators except the business differen-
ces of Tilton and Bowen, the arbitrator made
an award that M. Bowen should pay Tilton the
sum of $1,000 for which he mr. Bowen) drew
his check upon the spot and the contracts were
given up to him.
The Tripnrtise Agreement.
After the above settlement paper which
has since been called the tripartte agreement
was signed by Bowen and Tilton. The induc-
ing cause to this arbitration was the fact that
Tilton had commenced a suit against Bowen
. aud prepared an article for the Golden Age in
which he embodied his letter to Mr.. Bowen
and statement of the circumstances He sub
mtted thai article to me and L begged him to
withhold it from publication. l also brought
Tilton and Beeoaer together, and Beecher add
ed his entreaties to mine. To prevent its pub
llcaton and close the suit which might work
injury to Beecher and Others l agreed to sub
nit Mr.. Tilton's claim to arbitration, to which
l had been invited before by Bowen, but which
r 1far,, In. fl,.a~ ,pfA
view between Beecher, Tilton and myself
said, "Perbaps we can settle the whole matter
if can see Mr.. Claflin, for Clahin knows
Bowen we'll, aud understands the importance
of all these interests. Beecher said he would
send Clahin to me, and 1 might confer with
him upon the matter. In consequence of thi;
Mr.. Clafln called on me, and we conferred
upon the matter, and subsequently the arbi
tration was agreed on.
At the conclusion Of the arbitration the
parties signed the ''tripartite covenant which
was drawn up, as understand, by Mr.. Samue
Wilkeson. 1t was first signed by Bowen in thu
form in which it was first drawn. 1t bound thu
| parties to say rothng of any wrong done O.
| offence committed by Beecher, and fully ex
onerated him therefrom. After Bowen ha'
| signed it. it was handed to Tllton, but he re
| fused. He was willing to sign an agreemen
| never to repeat again the charges of Bowen
saying, that if for no other reason if the matte
| should thereafter come to light, it would appea
| that there had been something between Beeche
| and Mrs. Tilton and it might be used as evi
| dence to the injury to himself and family a
| well as to Beecher and therefore it was not TO
the interest of either Tilton or Beecher to sig
it. In the form first presented no copy of tina
| "tripartite covenant was confided to me
| Appended to this covenant and made part o
| it was a copy of the proof sheet article for th
| Golden Age, so that it might be known exactl
| to what scandal it referred.
How that tripartic covenant came to be pull
| lished know not. As a part of that settle
ment it was arranged that Tilton shou Id writ
| note to Bowen to be published in the Inds
| pendent with certain comments to be made b
Bowen. The original drafts of these in flu
recantation and withdrawal of all charges an
matters of difference between Tilton and Bow
eu is herewith produced
PROPOSED CARD FOR THE INDEPENDENT.
1t is so long since Mr.. Tilton's pen hs
contributed to the Independent that we gi,
to his brief note his old and familiar place
the head of these columns. While we new
agreed with some of his radical opinions, an
quite ikelysa as he intimated to me, new
shall. yet we owe to his request as abo'
printed the hearty response whie
his honest purposes, his manly charact
and his sustained integrity elicit from all wi
know him well. The abuse and slande
heaped upon him by some unfriendly joul
nails have never been countenanced by tt
Independent. Regretting his opposition
| l.. IL