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

when. for reasons hereafter stated, he ceased
such visits. during which period, by many
tokens and attentions, he won the atfectionate
love Of Mrs. Tilton, whereby, after long moral
resistance by her, and after repeated assaults
by him upon her mind with overmastering
arguments, he accomplished the possession
of her person, maintaining with her after
ward, during the period hereinafter stated,
the relation called criminal intercourse, this
relation being regarded by her during that
period as not criminal or morally wrong, such
had been the power of his arguments as
Clergyman TO satisfy her religious scruples
against such violation OF virtue and honor.
4. That Oh the evening Of Oct, 10. 1868, or
thereabouts, Mrs. Elizabeth r. Iilton held
an interview with Rev. H. W. Beecher at his
re sidence, she then being in a tender state of
mind owing to the recent death and burial
OF q young child. and during this interview
an act Of criminal commerce took place be-
tween this pastor and this parlshIoner, the
motive on her part being, as herelnbefore
stated, not regarded by her at the time as
criminal or wrong, which act was followed by
a similar act Of crlm1DalIty by these same
parties at Tilton's residence during pastoral
visit OF Mr.. Beecher to her on the subsequent
Saturday evening, followed also by other
similar acts on various occasions from the
autumn of 1868 to the spring of 1870, the
places being the two residences aforesaid, and
would invite her by previous appointment.
These acts of wrong being Oh her part, from
first to last, not wantCn or consciously
wicked, but arising through a binding Of
her moral perceptions. OccaslOned by the
powerful influence exerted on her mind at the
time, to this end, by Rev. Il. ". Beecher as
her trustee, religious preceptor and guide.
5. That the pastoral visits made by Rev. II.
W. Beecher during the year 1863 became SO
frequent as to excite comment, being in
marked contrast with his known habit of
making few pastoral calls on his parishioners,
which frequency, ia Mrs. Tlltons case, is
shown in letters written to her husband dur.
ing his absence in the West. These letters
give evidence that during the period of five or
six weeks twelve different pastoral calls on
Mrs. Tilton were made by Mr.. Beecher, which
calls became noticeablH infrequent on Tilton's
return to his home.
6. That previous to the aforesaid criminal
intimacy, one of the reasons which Mrs. Til
ton alleged tor her encouragement Of such ex-
ceptiOnal attentions from 81. ". Beecher was
the tact that she had been much distressed
with rumors against herimoral purity, and
wished to convince him sh could receive his
kindness and vet resist his solicitations and
that she could inspire in him, by her purity
and fidelity, an increased respect tor the
chaste dignity of womanhood.
Previous to the autumn Of 1863 she main
tanned with Christian nrmness towards the
pastor this position OF resistance, always re-
fusing his amorous pleas, which were strong
and oft-repeated, and in letter to her hus-
band, dated February 3, 1858, she wrote as
follows:
ITO love is praiseworthy, but to abuse the
gift is a sin. Here ! an strong. No demon
STATIONS or fascip& Oh could cause me to
yield my womanhood."
z. That the first suspicion which crossed
the mind Of Theodore Tilton that the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher was abusing, or might
abuse, the affection and reverence which Mrs.
Tilton bore toward her pastor, was an improp-
er caress given by Mr.. Beecher to MIS-. Tilton
while seated by her side on the floor Of the
library. Mr.. Tilton few hours after asked
of his wife an explanation OF her permission
of such liberty, whereat she at first denied tt e
fact. but then confessed it. and said she had
spoken chldingly to Mr.. Beecher concerning
it. On another occasion, TiIton, after leaving
his house III the early morning, returned to
it in the forenoon, and on gong TO bis bed
chamber found the door locked, and when on
knocking, the door was opened by Mrs. 1ilton,
Beecher was seen within, apparently much
confused and exhibiting flushed face. Mrs.
TIlton afterwards made plausible eXplana-
ton, which from the confidence reposed in
her by her husband was by him deemed sat
isfactory.
s. That in the spring of 1870, on Tilton's
return from winters absence, he noticed in
his Tite such evidences Of absorption of her
mind in Beecher that IN a short time an es-
arrangement took place between her husband
and herself, in consequence OF which she
went into the country earlier than usual for
summer sojourn. After an absence OF several
weeks she voluntarily returned to her home
in Brooklyn on the evening of July 3, 1870
when, then and there, within a few hours at
ter her arrival. and alter exscting from her
husband a solemn promise that he would do
Rev. H. ". Beecher no harm, nor cOmnluni-
cate to him what she was about to say, she
made circGmstantial confession to her hus-
band of the criminal facts hereinbetore sta
ted, accompanied with citations from Mr.
Beecher's arguments and reasonings with her
to overcome her lOng-maintained scruples
against yielding to his desires, and declaring
that she had committed no wrong to her hus-
band or her marriage VOW, quoting in support
OF this opinion that her pastor had repeatedly
assured her that she was spotless snd chaste,
which she believed herself to be. She further
stated that her sexual commerce with him had
never proceeded from vulgar thoughts, either
on her part or his, but always from pure affec-
ton and high religious love. She stated
furthermore. that Mr.. Beecher habitually
characterized their intimacy by the term
NEST hiding" and he would suffer pain and
sorrow If his hidden secret were ever made
known. She said that her mind was often
burdened by the deceit necessary for her to
practice III order to prevent discovery, and
that her conscience had many times impeled
her to throw off this burden of enforced false
hood by making full confession to her hus-
band, so that she would no longer be living
before him perpetual lie. In particular she
said that she had been on the point or MAX
ing this confession few months previously,
during severe illness, when she feared she
might die. She affirmed also that Mr. Beecher
had assured her repeatedly that he loved her
better than he had ever loved any other
woman, and she felt justified before God in
her intimacy with him, save the necessary
deceit which accompanied it,, and at which
she frequently suffered in her mind.
9. That after the above named confession by
Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton she returned to the
country to await such action by her husband
as he might see fit to take, whereupon many
considerations, the chief of Which was that
she had not voluntarily gone astray, but had
been artfully mlsled through religious rever-
ence for Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, as her
spiritual guide. together, also, from desire
to protect his family from open shame, Tilton
condoned the wrong. and he addressed to his
wife such letters OF affection, tenderness and
respect as he felt would restore her wounded
spirit, and which did partially produce that
result.
10. That in December 1870, a difference
arose between Theodore Tilton and Henry c.
Bowen, which was augmented by Rev. Henry
II