New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-29

am not lawyer, noc Commteemap
and because I happen TO occupy, by thai
accident, that exceptional position, 0aim your atten
ton for few minutes. fApplauseI would not stand
here tonight TO speak my views alone had chance
last week to speak for myself and before had been
talking i've minutes found talking for Plymouth
Church. do not care tonight to display any further
to try to those views which uttered In
pray ermeeting Of week ago. But do know things
which you would like to know. Facts have Oc
CURED to me which think will make the proceedings
more Ineligible to YOU What is the evidence
against Henry Ward Beecher in this case 1t consists OF
the alleged confessions OF Mr.. Beecber to Mr. Tlton
aud Mr. Moulton Of the alleged confessions OF Mrs Til
ton verbally to several persons. OF the alleged confess
sions Of Mrs. Ton In writing aud finally OF the letters
brought forward of Mr.. Beeohers. That Is all. Now
story Of the confession Of Mrs. Tton to her
husband 1t is this that the 81 day OF July 1870, she
made distinct confession of her criminal relations
with Henry Ward Beecher, to her husband. He was
of course very indignant with Beecher. on that Sd OF
July, 1874 and should think he would have been all
indignant that he could not convince his vile
that adultery with minister was wrong That he was
very indignant that day Is shown by the TACT tha'
the sd of july 1870 having been Sunday, MI Iiton
went over the Office Of The Independent On the next
day. which was Monday. and wrote the following In
dIgnant passage about Henry Ward Beecher which was
subsequently read the proof and which appeared In
paper Thursday Of that week 1t is In an article
called "Preachers,and Theologans The naUlng anger
of Mr. Tilton finds expression thus:
We doubt II Henry Ward Beecher ever mastered sys-
tematic theology. We feel very sure mat MS
are not susceptible formulation Theological proIos-
sors have not cared To conceal their contempt TOT MS
views but what theologan IN the country Win al ms
erulte mastery OF the of the schools can 80 lay
bare the human heart can so quicken the human
science, can HIT up INTO TRUST tuo ooui'
Laughter and applauseI
Mr.. Tilon would have us believe that on the 80 OF
July 1870 his wife confessed adultery with Henry Waru
Beecher him. and yet that the 4h or 6h OF july
he wrote that article on Henry Ward Beecher. IRE
newed applause and cries Of "Good"I But casual
examination OF the files OF The Independent for the
wear 1870 has revealed number of interesting pass
ages which fall in that very important period Con-
corning these passages the Committee says nothing,
it knows nothing, and has no evidence concern
ing Itnamey, the period between the alleged conies-
of July 1870 and the written confession Oh Dec ~
1870.
That period Is filed partly by some evidence before
the Copmittee which they have not alluded in their
report because il was taken at their very last session.
Mr. Tton you see is not like most people who get very
angry and cool down aterward; he gets very cool at
first and warns up afterward tLaughter] Onthe 3oth
Of October $780, Mr.. Tlton reproves The Ooseper ior
charging crazy speech OF a Mrs. Walker TO the Wo-
mans Rights party He thinks 1t is atrociously cruel
and asks:
Why is IL that the opponents OF woman's Rights when
tbey describe the aim OF the movement refer to
Bishop Simpson, Henry Ward Beecher, George william
Curtis Harriet Beecber Stowe Lucrciia MotI' Juna
Ward Howe and of others scarcely less pr0mi-
nentl
On the sd OF November 1870 Mr. Tlton has an editorial
paragraph III The Independent as follows. we are
coming now pretty close to the when Mr.. Til
ton found il necessary get confession In wiring OF
a matter which had been ranking in his tempesttossed
bosom all Summer laughter:
Mr. Beecher remarked rather cOmically in his speech
at the meeting of the American b0aru lnaL Nv so,e
times thought Justice had not been done In the popular
estimate of his theological training But II seems tna
he was mistaken. At meeting Of the congregational
General Association OF TINS state ~ was sn
nary in connection with Cornell University If Mr.
oSr waS made If he would take the presidency
of a theological seminary in BROOKLYN surely MS the
ology has risen above par in The theOloglcal nafS
But OF course, it is useless TO Try TO remove Beechef
from his church.
Yes Mr. Tilton it is! [Great applause Now we
find that during this Mr.. TtOn has not only been
guilty of ell the magnanimty with which he charges
himself but of all the superuous magnanmity IN the
columns OF The Independent 1t is not TO be wondered
at If the Committee and others, in view OF this psyche
logical experience his begin to doubt whether DIS
wife did on the 80 Of July 1870, confess anything But
the evidence before the Committee shows that IN the
Autumn OF 1870 Mrs Tton went away on VISIT ana that
while she was there letters passed between her ana her
husband This is the time when, according TO MI Iton
she was away, and waiting to know what wouId DE MS
that time according to the evidence before the Commit
toe evidenee from source entirely distinct from Mrs.
Triton and entirely uninpeachable Mrs Tlton wrote
him pleading letter begging HIM to put away from his
room evil and lascivious pictures ana TO ABANDON the
society OF evil and wantOn women She wrote that let
fer with tears and prayers praying the whole night
before she sent it, 1t went out, and she waited four
days for the reply, in comminged agony
of apprehension and hope. When the reply
az IN he
letter comes Sgo up stairs and read 1t with
me au sure God will my prayers and give me
hack nv husband aud save him from his evil courses
This friend had the letter that went and was TO
see the letter which to come Mrs luton went up
stairs and when the posman came with the letter her
friend not having the firm faith in Theodores re-
pentance sent the letter up and waited awhile before
following it, order that she should not herself intrude
upon Its first reading. After few minutes
she went up, knocked at Mrs Tlton's room and
received no answer. Knocking again and get
ing no answer, she opened the door and
entered the room TO find Mrs. Tton unconscious on the
floor with the letter in her hand AS she was already
invited to read the letter. she tells the Committee that
she glanced over it's pages Her description OF that
letter that Mr. Tlton swore at his wife from the be-
ginning the end that he told her he would have as
many pictures and whatever kind Of pictures, In his
room as he liked that he would go with as many women
and any kind OF women that he liked, and that she
should not interfere with dictate him concerning
his moral character or habits tHissesJ When Mrs
Tlton was laid upon the bed, after long time OF un
consciousness from the profound fantng ft she came
herself and Of the first things she said that
"she had had terrible letter from Dory."
Aud after they had left her for awhile, when they
turned the letter not Mrs. Titon said she
had destroyed 1t, and living being should it
and this remark that make tonight IL it reaches her
eyes, viii probably be the first ntmation that she has
ever had that that letter by providental crcum
stance, read by another human being besides herself
[Applause
not here to reveal evidence from the Committee
before you, but thought that evidence pertinent
because it came right in gap II is question Of what
happening between July. 1870 and December 1870