Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-29

bad as the great darkness In which l spend
much Of my time. I look upon death as
sWeeter far than any friend | have. IN the
world, Life would be pleasant if | could see
that rebuilt which is shattered. But to live
on the sharp and ragged edge of anxiety, re-
morse, fear, despair, and yet put on an appear
ance OF serenity ana happiness, cannot be en-
dured much longer. l am well-nigh dis
couraSed. Ii you cease to trust me, to love
me- l am alone do not know any person in
the world to whom I could go.'
Mr.. Tilton yielded to the above quoted and
other similar letters, and made no defense of
! himself against the public Odium which at
tached to him unjustly.
II. That the marriage union between Mr..
and Mrs Tilton, until broken by Beecher, was
OF more than common harmony, affection and
mutual respect. The house and household
were regarded fer years by all their friends as
an Ideal home. AS an evidence OF the feeling
and spirit which this wife entertained for her
husband up TO the time of her corruption by
Beecher, the following letters by Mrs. Triton,
written only few months before her loss OF
nonor, will testify
TUESDAY MORNING, January %, 1868.
| My BELOVED: Don't you know the peculiar
phase Of Christ's character as lover is so
precious 'tO me because of nv conservation
and deyAion to you? 1 learn to love YOU
from my love to Him. [ have learned to love
| Him from loving you. [ couple you with Him.
nor do feel one whit irreverent, and as every
day l adorn myself consciously as a bride to
meet her bridegroom, SO in like manner l lift
| implOring hands that my souls love NAV be
prepared. /. with the little girls, after you
| left us, with OVERLOOKING eyes and hearts con-
! secrated ourselves to our work to you. NV
walking thoughts last night were of you my
rising thoughts this morning were Of YOU
[ bless you, honor, l love you. God sus-
tain and help US both to keep our vows
"WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 3, 1863
Oh, how almost perfectly could 1 minister
to you this winter, my heart glows so perpet
ual! l am conscious OF 81 eat inward awaken
| ing towards you. If l 1--we [ shall teach my
children to begin their loves where now am
l cannot conceive of anything more delicious
| than life consecrated to faithful love. in
sist that L miss you more than you do, but
| soon shall see my own beloved.
| (Signed) Your OwN DEAR WIFE.
Many other letters to her husband prior to
| her corruption by Beecher served to show
| that Christian wife. loving her husband to
the extreme degree above set forth, could on
! ly have been severed from the path of rectl-
tude by arttul and powerful persuasions,
clothed III phrases OF religion and enforced by
strong appeals from her chief Christiant each
er and guide. E@
49, That the story purporting to explain
Beechers apology as having been written be-
cause he had offended Mr.. Tilton by enga gng
!
husband is all false, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing letter, written only three days after the
date OF the apology:
BROOKLYE, Jan. IA, 1871.
Mr.. z. d. J[OuNO1e-MY DEAR FRIEND In
regard TO your question whether have over
sought separation from my husband in
| dignantly deny that such was ever the fact as
l have denied it a hundred times befole. The
story that | wanted separation was deliber-
ate falsehood, coined by poor mother, who
said she would bear the responsibility of this
and other statements she might make, and
communicate to my husbands enemy, Mrs.
Henry Ward Beecher, and by her cOmmuni-
Gated to Bowen. I feel outraged by the pro-
ceedlng land am now suffering in consequence
more than | am able to bear. ,- .
Very truly, E. R. TILToN.
10. That during the first week OF January,
1S7l,a few days after the apology was written,
Mr.. Beeeher communicated to Mr.. Titon
through Mr.. Moulton, an earnest wish that
| he, Tllton, would take his FAMILY to Europe
and reside there for term OF years at Mr..
Beechers expense. Similar offers have been
since repeated by Mr.. Boecher to Tiltop.
through the same channel. A message of
kindred tenor Was brought from Mr.. Beecher
to 1llton last summer, by F. B. Carpenter, as
wlllappear by the following affidavit:
HOMER, n. Y, July IS, 1874
On Sunday, June Is, 1873, after the surrep-
nant' between Mr.. Beecher, b. C. Bowen and
Theodore Tllton, [ walked With Mr. Beecher
from Plymouth Church to the residence of
T. d. Moulton. On the way to Mr.. Moultons
house, Mr.. Beecher said that if Mr.. Tilton
would stand by HIM. he would share his fame.
kis fortune, and everything he possessed with
| hun, Hilton. t. b. CARPENTER.
Sworn and subscribed before me this 18th
day of July. 1874. W. t. HICKoCK,
Notary Public.
MIR. Carpenter, IN communicating TO Tilton
thesabove affidavit, says in the letter accom-
panying it:
I have no hesitation in giving you the
statement as understood 1t at the time It
vas tor me to repeat the substance to YOU.
aud L did SO repeat It, 1t was at this inter-
view Mr.. Beecher spoke 10 me Of his apology
to you.
The charge that Tilton ever attempted to
levy blackmail on Mr.. Beecher is false. On the
contrary, Hilton has always resented every at
tempt by Mr.. Beecher TO put him under pecu-
nialy obligation.
20. Not long after the scandal became pub
Tic. Mrs. Hilton wrote on slip of paper and
LETT 1t on her husbands writing desk, the fol-
lowing words
Now that exposure has come. my whole
nature revolts to JOIN with you, Or stand with
you"
through the influence OF Mr. Beecher> s
friends, the opinion has long been diligently
promulgated that the scandal was due to Til
ton. and ithat the alleged facts We're malicious
inventions for him to revenge himself.tor sup
posed wrongs done him by Mr.. Beecher.
Many words were spoken, from time to time,
by mrs. Tilton to the praise and eulogy Of
Mr.. Beecher. which, being extensively quoted
through his congregation, heightened the
impression that Titon was MIR. Beecher's
slanderer, Mrs. Iilton being herself authority
for the statement. In this way Mrs Tiltcn
and one of errelatves have been the chief
causes of the great difficulty OF suppressing
the scandal. They have had habit OF saying
Mr.. Tilton believes such and such things, and
their naming ofthese things by ways fdenial
has been a mischieyous way Of circulating
them broadcast. Ia this way Titon has been
made to appear the offender. He has made
every effort IN his power to suppress the inju-
rious tales which he has Teen charged with
promulgating. On al occasions she has sys-
tematically referred to his wife in favorable
| terms.
Further, Tlton would not have commupi-
Gated to the committee the facts contained in
this statement, except for the perverse course
OF Rev. II. w. Beecher and Mrs. Elizabeth
Tlton, to degrade and destroy him in public
estimation.