New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-29
THE PLYMOUTH VERDICT.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

NM DhEChhh Noi "oiLi' o' "
roru,xc ro r,,p.rp coNrrprycr IN HIS CHRIS.
NoihiN" ~ i"rN'N ooNr '. "
TAN CHARACTER OR INTEGRITY.
r. H. u~u.,. c..;,,.. ~ p,no,,,h cb,reb
10 "e E1om'""g 'omm'Nee |" .ym n' 90
DEAR BRETHREN: The pastor OF Plymouth church,
tbo Paw Uenrv Ward Raecber addressed IN ma a let
'"0 Nov iioiy =" 'i" W
''i' 'u"' 80 i'''' VI "A'A nnouI 10 ., ,s,,
GENTLEMEN In the present state OF the public feeling
II to ny friends and to the church ana tne SOCIETY
ZION made OF the rumors nsnuatons or charges made
respecting my conduct as compromised oy the late pup.
the Church and the Society should be and
take the liberty OF asking Tue ionow,ng gen.emen "a
Justice may REQUIRE beg that each Of the gentlemen
named viii consider this as II 1t had been separately and
From, he Chweh-Henry W. Sage, Augustus storrs,
Henry NJ Cleveland.
v. White "S O''''
desire you when you have satisfied yourselves by an
evidence 70 commnHicSfe 70 the ExaminIns Committees
TO the Church. such action then NAV seem TO you
r'sh' anu "iSe' nhSAi "AND DhN'n'A'
The committee named having signihed theiI
willingness to serve In the grave matters so referred
to Them Mr. Beecher sent the following letter to the
Examining Committee OF plymouth Church:
Dr,D pnvrunrx. ,no,o,. ., Won ,o,,o July ., nt
have requested three gentlemen from the Church.
q, pon she Tocleiy o % w, ne @
vofved in any OF the trials through which we have
tai eraminasion ~ al cbars or ns,n"tions aaanss
my good name and 10 report the same to you; and
now resPeetuiy request tnst you VIII give 70 nis COM
seemed wise to me that the request should proceed
from me, and without your foregoing knowledge, and
half IN SO far as thorough Investigation OF the facts
'"ou'u '' 'on'ei"'u i"i "AAD
lnereupoh the examining committee "uis a"-
thorlzed tue committee haheu III tne e''er Vi ouha
q TO act In their behalf also
Second: Your Committee cannot here refrain from
referring to the nexpressible regret which they in
common with all good men feel, that uncomfortable
circumstances have made 1t necessary TO discuss IN
the most public manner the unhappy scandal which
is the subject of the present inquiry But accept
ing the situation as we found it when we entered
upon the high and solemn trust thus imposed, wd
have been profoundly impressed from the beginning
with the grave Importance of the work before us.
For considerable time vague and indefinite rumors
were in circulation touching IN a vital manner the
Christian integrity of our beloved pastor But
nothing had appeared from known responsible
source in tangible form until the letter OF Mr.
Theodore Tilton to the Rev. DR.. Bacon, which wal
published the 25th day of June, 1874. 1t was the
appearance of this letter that moved Mr.. Beecher
two days afterward to request immediate investiga-
ton IL will be seen by the terms of such request
that some proper investigation asked for by him,
of the rumors, insinuations, or charges made re-
specting his conduct as compromised by the late
pu bhcations made by Mr.. Tilton. We were invited
to make an impartial and thorough examination "of
all sources of eyidencer and to advise such action
rs may seem right and wise,
- ,~reers
,,,,tinc +b,o investigation we have
,;.Ie,,., anIoo,orod 70 mako il tborouch and inn
It'll and 70 obtan sueb facts as are relevant to
tho nonirv from all attapable sources of evidence.
t., - r,,r,oso ,ro bova snmmoned or requested
tho attendance of the following persons TO testify
-, ,nc 49, ro,,roittoo.
De,oi' ~, ur:.oIn4h T;,ton N,s w Reecber Sam
niis. i.iA"'0', - :, ~ rrhodoro T1to,
uel "iihooon o'", " ~ Ol;or I,hnson
n"ulu'i =, e m D,iht Iobrson Isaac II.
,Ao ~ -, ~ w Nosor the Rev w w.
D',iof' Us So .-,oo p;ohorJp Ruck Francis b.
1'''oil u. Y Tor.on Thomas n Vail E. NJ.
80 - IT. " u Marco Mira Mary B. Brad
iioiNh'1' 'no n'1tans, ,Iiss FIizobotb A Turner.
SHAW oCo.pn =, n CL.r,as roroy N ID Dr.
fIaucls W. 'NIio,' " ~. uIinaho.b A oy;notop
aiin'o,' 1il'' o,' D.. . q halliday Thomas G.
niis' " "i'"'r w u r., rro,cis u Moultop.
ohc"i man. Iol. w uorn,on the Rev.
frahAnn "vVuAu"' 00
henry ""iu De.eno,' . ,,od bovo attended az re-
MOST Oh .ne prisons n"4o o"onotoIIncvccntion
ques'eu Oei' ~ ~" ~ 49,. rro,oio n Nonlton
10 - r.1I,. h,,+ hos failed IN do 90 Ho
hos snbm,tted three short statements in writing 10
tho Committee consisting chiefly Of reasons why he
declined 70 testify and of promises to testify, at the
co,l of the Committee. The Committee have called
him three times with the results stated. In addi-
tior IN the evidence of the persons named we have
ovamined considerable number of letters and other
Sal,nontorv evidence which. in some way were
snnnosed to relate to the subject matter Of inquiry.
We have held in the prosecution of our inyeStlga-
tions twenty-eight sessions.
Fourfh : Mr. TiltoD. IN his letter to DR.. Bacon,
Il ,of