Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-08-21
MoULroN's STATEMENT.


The committee furnish the following
report of the statement made by Mr.
MOulton on the night of the 10th:
GEsTLEMEN OF THE CoMMIrTEE-when was
last before you stated that l would, at your re-
guest produce such documents I had, and
make such statement of facts as had come to nv
kn0wledge on the subject Of your inquiry. |
fuly intended so to do and have prepared my
statement of facts as sustained by the documents
ana made an exhibition of all the papers that
have come in any way into my possession bear
ing on the controversy between the parties.
Ihnt statement must, of course, bear with
more or less force upon one or the other of
them On mature reflection, aided by the
ADVICE OF my most valued friends, l have
fcconsidered that determination, and am obliged
TO say to you that feel compelled, from a sense
O duty to the parties, to my relation to their con
troversy, and to myself, neither to make the
statement nor to produce the documents. When
l iirst became party to the unhappy contrO-
Nersy between Mcssrs. Beecher and Tiiton | had
no personal knowledge nor any documents in my
possession which could affect either. Every
thing that know of fact or have received of
papers, has come to me in the most sacred con
and settling all difficulties between them,
ana preventing, so far as possible, any
knowledge of their private affairs be.
ing brought to public notice. For this purpose
all their matters have been intrusted TO me and
for none other. If should use them il
would be not for the purpose of peace and recon.
citation, but TO voluntarily take part in cOntro-
vcrsy which they have seen fit to renew between
themselves. How faithfully, earnestly and hon
cslly nave laDOred TO do nv duty to the parties
for peace they both know. The question for me
to settle for myself and no other is, now, ought
To do anything to aid either party in renewed con.
troyersy by the use of that which | received and
have used only to promote harmony On NV
honor and conscience l think ought not and.
NJ the risk OF whatever of miscOnstructiOn and
Niiuperation may come upon me, must adhere
10 the dictates OF my own judgment and preserve
nj least my own selfrespect. / call attention
again TO the fact that yours is a mere voluntary
tribunal and that whatever do here il done by
voluntary and not compelled witness. Whether
before any tribunal having. power to cont
pei the production of testimony and state
mcnt of fact L shall ever produce these
papers, or give any of these confidential
statements, reserve to myself to judge of the
emergency which hope may never come against
my wish, as | never have been in sympathy
with renewal of this conflict. A part of these
far confidence in regard to them has ceased. Il
Il but just therefore, and due to the parties that
the whole OF those documents, portions Of which
only nave been given, shall be put into yojr
hands. In response to the thrice-renewcd re-
quest of the committee l have, therefore,
copies Of them, which produce here =. d
the hope and request that, after they
have h, been examined by, them, they moy
shall arise TO the authenticity of the copie5 or
Of the documents on that point, shall hold M
self open to speak in defense of my own honor
aud the uprightness Of my course in all
this unfortunate and unhappy business of the
purity and candor of which appeal to the con
sciences Of both parties to sustain me do not
propose, and hope may never be called upon
hereafter, TO speak either to the facts to o.
Guce any paper that have received from either
OF gIeIpn1 lhe parties involved herein p
After reading this statement Moulton
was subjected to a brief cross-examina-
tion, in the course of which he reiterated
his readiness to establish the authenticity
OF the letters, copies of which he had
submitted to the committee, and also eX-
pressed his readiness to submit the orig
inals to the examination of member
or members of the committee. He fur
ther refused to give any more evidence
or submit any other documents than such
ms were referred to by Mr.. Tilton in his
statement before the committee.
Mr.. Winslow, a member of the com
mittee, was, on motion, authorized by the
committee to go with Mr. Moulton and
rNamine the originals and verify the
documents submitted
MORE OF MIR. BEEcHER's STATEMENT.
The following is portion of Mr..
Beecher's statement not contained In the
foregoing;
| would not associate with these people (the
Woodruff cirole); yet Mr., Tilton and Mr.. Moul-
ton had some strange theory concerning the man
agement OF this particular affair which always
made II, In thCirJudgment, necessary for them TO
maintain relations with this group of human hy-
enas. From this circle, aud from Mr. TiltOn's in
innate associations with It, some rumors and sus-
picions arose among my own congregation which
led them TO persevere with questions and TO orig
inate investigations, especially into the affairs OF
believed, the rumOrs against me originated. In
this was constantly and yehemently assured by
Mr. Moulton that they were mistaken, and yet
their zeal In my defense made them impatient of
my silence, and anxious to deal In summary
manner with Mr.. Tilton, Had allowed them TO
do this, Il was obvious that Mr.. Tilton would
have been greatly enragedi that all his former