Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-09-04


is clear light as to what the
apology does not refer to. II disposes OF the
apology forever as paper referring to adultery.
II refers to nothing Of the kind If the wrong
done to which Mr.. Beechcr refers was Auditory
how could these words be used in reference to II
" lie had done wrong, not so much as some 9TH
ersW Those words and the apology are susceptl-
BILE OF but one construction-they refer, as Mr..
Beechcr says, to his deep regret for statements
which he aud his wife had, under certain infor-
nation, few days before made to Mr. Bowen
which led him to execute purpose already entor.
tained of removing TitOn from the Brooklyn
Union and the IndePendeRt. " appears also
that the next day Mr.. Beecher did write letter
to Mr.. Bowen, which TiltOn says he volunteered
to write and which s referred to in Tilton Is ousj
tons course with view Of still further testing
what was IN his mind, as well as In Tilton's as 10
the character Of the Ollense II Moulton under
stood the charge to be adultery, then he is enti-
tied to the credit of invention or discovery that
this crime could be the subject of an apology and
ready forgiveness or conciliotion ON the part OF
the offender and the injured husband. That
Moulton did not believe or understand that the
oilcnsc was adultery is shown by the same class
of evidence that has been stated In reference TO
Tflton.
In reply to Mr.. Bcccher's letter of June 1, 1879
In which he SAYS his mind was clear and that he
should write for the public statement that
would bear the light of the judgment day, Mr.
MoultOn first wrote these words: "If the truih
must be spoken, let it be, | know you can stand
II the whole case was published Tomorrow
Apparently fearing this might rather tend to de-
termine Mr.. BceIher to publish the whole case
than otherwise, he crossed out these and oIher
lines with pencil and commenced anew In
THIS new effort on the same paper these words
occur: You can stand if the whole case were
published tomorrow
The committee say Moulton was right In this
statement, and that the pity is that MIR. Beecher
did not publish such statement at once
The committee here state their conclusion that
in view of the facts and circumstances before
them, the original charge of impure advances
was lalse, though I had been dropped by the ac-
caseIS and adultery had been substituted as an
aiterthought. The committee brand this per.
iormance us fraud that ought to end All con
troyersy as to the Innocence of Mr.. Beecher.
N Mr. Beecher believed that for reasons of malice
ana revenge MIR. Ttton was preparing to make a
deadly assault upon him, and IL was his supreme
duty TO prevent 1t by all possible honorable
means means Moulion prolessed to deprecate Tilton's
purpose, and declared ii Mr. Beecher
would trust him he could and would prevent IT. and
SO now began a series of letters and stems rlnder
the direction ana advice of the diplomatic aud
mutual lrlend hanng for their object as Mr.
Beecher believed, the suppression of the scandal
and the restoration in some measure If practi.
cable oi Illton to position of employment.
speaking of Nh. Beecher's letters the commit.
Tee say much has been said, and not without
some justice, OF their extraordinary words and
Icror put ~ interpreting the letters it must be
remembered that Mir. Beecher, under the excite
nent OF deep feeling, uses strong words and emo.
ilohal expressions, and that in this sore trouble
ne was dealing with Mr.. 1iton, who had shown
himself at times tickle, malicious reyengeful and
mercenary. In the light of these facts there is
not letter from Mr.. Beecher nor nm act - bis
however ill;judged, through these four rs o,
ahHlety ana grlet that cannot be acc . / for
upon tue plain theory that he wa % "
suppress an outrageous scandal, whi, .-....
OF ialse accusation against him, mat, 49,. ...
utacle woman; and further, that he was ,n,re,
orlng to help man whom he felt he had n, inlv
injured In business matters upon represpntnt ~
Mnicn WI n ne was made to belicveN chiefly by Moul-
ton, were not well founded.
Tne committee here alluded TO the fact that
Mrs. TlltOQ. her domestic trOnblpR n he
gan to look more than ever to her pastor for sym
pathy and advice, and consider 1t not unlikely
that her feelings toward Mr. Beecher became so
strong as to diminish the proper influence that
belongs to every good husband.
The committee express regret at two errors into
which 1t is apparent Mr.. Beecher fell. They feel
that in his threatened troubles the pastor should
have sought counsel from Christian men of his
own brotherhood rather than rely upon the coun.
whose character as the sequel proved, he &c
sadly misjudged. They also think that
in view of the surrounding circumstances, Mr.
Beecher erred in not guarding so closely his rela
could be no possibility for fear in his own mind
even of an undue affection by Mrs. Tilton for hin
through any needless friendship or agency of his
The committee allude to Mr.. Tilton's statement
before them that his home was one of unusual
harmony, and say that on his crosse Examination
it clearly appears that it was ANYTHING but
happy or harmonious home. They then cite Mrs
Iitons evidence on this point, and say her &C
count of the domestic misery in the Tilton family
Is COTrOUOTateu Dy Inc testimony OF several VIII
ncsses, and very fully by Miss Elizabeth A. Tur
ner, who is now twenty-three years of age ant
was an inmate of the family eight years.
The committee then ask: Win innocent men
and especially cergymen, fight as for their lives
to suppress an injurious scandal, even though il
be born of extortion, falsehood and revenge
This question had been too often answered by
history i'll the affirmative. 1t was easy to wonder
that Mr.. Beecher should trust such men as Til
ton and MoultOn, now that their characters are
known, and the committee felt like visiting tn,
Mr. rhar fort NINA Inn
the precious interests cOntided to him through the
lonhdence reposed in them.
The charge made by the accuser is easily pre-
ferred and not easily disproved. tits not enough
for the accuser to say: . make this charge; now
let il be dispToved or be taken as confessed" Al
tribunals have required, in determining the truth
or asity of such charges, such proof of facts anC
circumstances as point unmistakably Il
the guilt of the accused as are not con
sistent with any theory of innocence. The
committee then cite "Greenleaf on Evi
dencen to substantiate the proposition, anC
then go on to say that there is nothing whatever
disclosed by the evidence that proves that the &c
cused parties have ever been found together un-
der suspicious circumstances, such as in some
unusual house or place, or consulting together il
some secret way, to avoid exposure and observa
tiOn. There was no proof of clandestine CORE
spondencc. Mr.. Beecher's wife testified that shC
opened, arranged and read all letters that camt
to her husband, except those that came to tn,
Christian Union Office and the church, and thosI
were opened by others, and hence conclude tha
tne usudl llClS ana circumstances lnQlCatlNe O
wrOng-doing are utterly wanting in this case. Tht
case then rests upon mere words and assertions
supported by no circumstances whatever that ar'
the usual indications of adultery.
Tilton says he knows the fact from his wife,
confession and from her subsequent confession Il
Moulton and her mother. But Mrs. Tflton say
this confession was extortcd from her by an i'm
perious, malicious husband, and by fraudulen
means, the pretense being that she must sa!
something in order to eXtricate him from hi
business perpleXities. She was made to beiev
that there SDiraCV batchinu nuaips
her husband. The fact that she withdrew th
charge when Mr.. Beecher first confronted her, OI
the evening of Dec 80, together with the furthe
fact that she has ever since denied the truth o
The charge when free from the dominating in
iucnCc of her husband, was referred to ant
specially commented upon by the committee
The source Of the scandal was the alleged word
Of Mrs. Tilton, which she explains in such man
ner as to deprive the allegation OF all force ant
credit.
Then comes Mr.. Beecher who solemnly declare
hat whatever words, by whatever means, had beel
drawn from Mrs. TltOn by her husband ne 1
Innocent Of any and all imprOpriety toward her
whether relating toimprOper advances or adultery
The committee did not propose to defend tn
course of Mrs. TiltOn. On any theory Of humal
responsibility it was indefensible. The testimon
showed that, under the influence Of q designing
husband, when in condition Of mental alteration
she had at least passiyely made charges of i'm
proper advances by Mr. Beecher, but when he
attention had been called to the great wrong sh
had done she quickly retracted them in sorrow
and penitence. Eminent physicians appearing
before the committee had testified that such con
duct on the part Of Mrs. Tilton, being subjected
to the influence referred to, was not inconsisten
with an honest mind. AS illustrative of thi
latter proposition the committee refer to III,
letter published by Mr.. Moulton, purpOrting t
have been written by Mrs. Tilton, In which sh
says she is perfect coward in Tton's presence
and that 1t Is physical impossiblity TO tell th
truth" and also to subsequent lette
in which she says: ''With all my woman
soul l am innocent of the crime of i'm
pure conduct alleged against me" II
the statement, also, which was prepared unde
the direction of Mr.. TiltOn and Mr. Carpenter
and taken to DR.. Storrs in 1872, Mrs. TiltOn show
that she was made TO believe that a cOnspirac.
mad been formed against her husband. Subse
quenty in letter, she is found asking the for
dycncss of Mr.. Beccher for the sufferngs she hat
caused him. The committee had heard mucl
from Titon of confessions made by his wife (
him, but they were obliged to receive his state
ments on this point without corroboratiOn. o
one occasion, according to the testimony of Mis-
Turner, sle told her husband that it was Ii
hat she had confessed to hi n her intimacy wit
Mr.. Beecher. This witness was the same perso
who it was said by TiltOn and Moulton, was Sen
20 a boarding-school TO get rid of her, becaus
she had heard Tilton make charges against hel
Miss Turner and Mrs Tilton bC.h agree in sayin
that IL was Tilton's plan to have her g
away, because she had stated to he
friends that Tilton had twice attempte
In tons a hap tha ohaan