Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-08-01


no "space for repentance, though he
seek it carefully and with tears. y
This desperate man must hold him.
self only, and not me, accountable
for the wretchedness which these
disclosures will carry to his own
home and hearth as they have al
ready brought to mine.
Twill add that the original docu-
ments referred to in the ensuing
sworn statement are, for the most
part, in my possession, but that the
apology and few other papers are
in the hands of Mr.. Francis D. Moul-
ton. Truly yours,
THEODORE TILToN.
MIR. TlLTON,s SWORN STATE
MENT.
Whereas, Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher has instigated the appoint
ment of a committee, consisting of
six members of his church and soei-
ETY., to inquire and report upon al
legged aspersions upon his character
by Theodore Tilton; and, whereas,
Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, formerly
the wife of Mr.. Tilton, has openly
deserted her home in order to coop
crate with Mr.. Beecher in conspir-
acy to overthrow the credibility and
good repute of her late husband, as
a man and citizen; therefore, Theo-
dore Tilton being thus authorized
and required, and by. the published
demand made upon him by Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, and being
now and hereafter released by act of
Mrs. Tilton from further response
bility for concealment of the truth
touching her relations with Mr..
Beecher-therefore, Theodore Tilton
hereby sets forth, under solemn oath,
the following facts and testimony:
I. That on the I'd of October
1855, at Plymouth Church, Brook
lyn, a marriage between Theodore,
Tilton and Elizabeth M. Richards
was performed by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which marriage, thirteen
years afterward, was dishonored and
violated by this clergyman through
the criminal seduction of this wife
and mother, as hereinafter set forth.
II. That for a period of about fif-
teen years, extending both before
and after this marriage, an intimate
friendship existed between Theodore
Tilton and Rev. Henry Ward Beech
er, which friendship was cemented
to such degree that in consequence
thereof the subsequent dishonoring
by Mr.. Beecher of his friends wife
was crime of uncommon wrongful
ness and perfdy.
III. That about nine years ago,
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher began,
and thereafter continued, "a friendship
with Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton, for
whose native delicaey and extreme
religious senslbility, he often ex-
pressed to her husband a high admi-
ration; visiting her from time to
time for years, until the year 1870,
when for reasons hereinafter stated,
he ceased such visits; during which
period, by many tokens and atten-
tions, he won the affectionate love
of Mrs. Tilton, whereby after long
moral resistance by her, and after
repeated assaults by him upon her
mind with oVermastering arguments,
accomplished the possession of her
person; maintaining with her thence
forward during the period hereinaf-
ter stated, the relation called crimi-
nal intercourse; this relation being
regarded by her during that period
as not criminal or morally wrong,
such had been the power of his ar
guments as clergyman to satisfy
her religious scruples against such
violation of virtue and honor.
". That on the evening of Oct. 10,
1868, or thereabouts, Mrs. Elizabeth
R. Tilton held an interview with
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, at his
residence, she then being in tender
state of mind, owing to the recent
death and burial of a young child;
and during this interview an act of
criminal commerce took place be-
tween this pastor and this parishion-
er, the motive on her part being, as
hereinbefore stated, not regarded by
her at the time criminal or wrong;
which act was followed by similar
act of crininality between these
same parties at Mr.. Tilton's residence
during pastoral visit paid by Mr..
Beecher to her ON the subsequent
Saturday evening, followed also by
other similar acts on various occa-
sions from the autumn of 1868 to
the spring of 1870, the places being
the two residences aforesaid, and oc-
sasionally other places to which her
pastor would invite and accompany
her, or at which he would meet her
by previous appointment; these acts
Of wrong being on her part, from
first to last, not wanton or conscious
Ly wicked, but arising through a
of her moral perceptions,
occasioned by the powerful influence
exerted on her mind at that time to
This end, by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, as her trusted religious pre-
,eptor and guide.
v. That the pastoral visits of Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher to Mrs. Tilton,
during the year 1868, became SO fire.
luent as to excite comment; being
in marked contrast with his known
habit of making few pastoral calls
on his parlshioners, which frequency
IN Mrs. Tilton's case is shown in let
ters written to her husband during
his absence in the West; these letters
giving evidence that during the pc
Rod of five or six weeks twelve diff
ferent pastoral calls on Mrs. Tilton
were made by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which calls became notice
ably infrequent on Mr.. Tilton's re-
,urn to his home.
vi. That previous to the aforesaid
intimacy, one of the reasons
which Mrs. Tilton alleged for her
encouragement Of snch exceptional