The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-20
The Beeehor.rlIIOn scananI.

. l~NNNA y NNAA NANsA VI = ANAAGA AG l4N
e posed 10 publbh 10 the next issue OF The
Go!dtA Hpa unless Henry Ward Beeehel
} did him justice. The letter, which Wa
/ dated January /, 1871, WAS addressed L
! henry U Bowen, and acknowledge the
, receipt and the sudden notice breaking
his two contracts with the lHifptAlsAl
J and Brooklyn Union, and goes on TO state
that II was in the early part Of the rebel
lion that Bowen first iniimaled 10 him
that Beechsr had committed 4 class ol
adultery for which, II be Bowen should
expose him, he (Beecher) would be driven
from the pulpit From that umr
forward BOWen's references to the
subject, says TilIon, were frequent. On
the 2jih OF December, 1870, ri au inter.
view in Bowen's house, at which Oliver
JohnsOn was present, "You (BoWenl
spoke freely and Indignantly Of BsecheE
as an uDsAle visitor IN the families oi his
congregation. You alluded by name to
q woman, now widow, whose husbands
death you didn't doubt was hVslened by
his knowledge that Mr.. Beecher had
maintained with her an improper init.
macy. You informed US that Mr.. Beech.
er had made TO you confession ol guilt,
and had with tears implored your Tor
Giveness. Alter Mr. Johnson retired you
related 10 me the case OF another woman,
whom Beecher took In his arms by force,
threw her down upon a sofa, accom-
piished upon her his deviltry, and left
her. You suggested demand upon him
10 quit his sacred Cl:c, and vol
uuteered 10 bear such = demand and 10
sustain H. This letter you presented 10
hr. Beecher ut Dir. Freelauds house
shortly afterwards you sought an inter.
view with me aud with face lined with
rage threatened with q loud voice that II
| ever should inform Mr.. Beecher Of the
statements you had made concerning his
adultery, or should compel you to Adduce
the evidence on which you agreed to sus'
tain the demand for his withdrawal from
Brooklyn, you would deprive me Ol my
engagements with the Jndtp6Hden! and
Union. and that Il ever attempted 10
enter those offices you would have me
lorci0ly elected. | TOLD you that | should
inform Mr.. Beecher or anybody else, &C.
cnrding TO the dictates OF my Judgment.
Hardly had your violent words ceased
ringing 10 my ears when l received your
summary notices breaking my con.
tract Mr.. Wilkeson says, shocked
with the nischievousness Of the matter
Tilton threatened 10 publish, ho remon.
strated against It. a discussion ensued,
on Tilton's part passionate and noisy.
He (riltoD) complained that Bowen b ad
dismissed him without cause, and ruined
him In fame, prospects and estate; had
crowned that wrong by refusing to pay
a large debt for editorial services, Of
which be was in pressing need, compelling
him to bring suit 10 collect the same. His
next complaint was that Mr.. Beecher
had not helped him in his troubles: that
he was lying on that sidewal in
Brooklyn, and Beecher, who had such
power and Influence that with his little
finger he could have lifted up and rein
stated him, saw him in his agony and
ruin, and passed by in silence and indil-
ference. Rising into dramatic rage,
tramping the room from corner 10 corner,
and speaking with intense passion, be de.
Clsted, IL will have revenge on him;
will pursue him 10 the grave" II was
clear 10 me, says Wilkison, that what Til.
ton wanted was money, and that his pur.
pose In coming 10 me was 10 raise money.
he left my oftico calm and happy in the
prospect ol an arrangement outlined to
him which should Immediately give him
in hand the money Bowen owed him, re
store his old relations with Beecher and
Bowen, and procure for him 14ltering
mention in the Independent aud a
handsOme notice in tho Christian
Union Of his newspaper enterprise
The well known tripartile arrangement
came from the negotiations initiated
after this interview. Bowen agreed 10
pay forthwith Tilton's unpaid salary and
to publish preparatory card in the Jnde
pendent. On the night Of April 81, 1872
when the agreement WSs ready for sig
nature, Tilton was In happy frame ol
mind and oveIajwed with love and sd-
mlration Beecherward. Wilkeson gives
the terms OF the agreement as originally
drafted. This paper was read at meet.
ing OF four gentlemen, Of whom Tilton
was one. he was charmed with 1t and
said he could coDscientiOusly and heartily
subscribe his name to every word Of Il
and would sign It twelve times over II
that would induce Bowen 10 sign /. once,
and he took up pen TO sign il, but was
restrained by u suggestion that Bowen
night be less willing TO sign 1t If TiIton
signed 1t first. II was carried away with
out Tilton's signature.
. WilkesOn's statement continues as fol-
lows: In O full and kind conversation
between me and Mr.. Tilton alter the
meeting on The night oi April Cd broke
up, he replied 10 clear Gu! question
put 10 him that the only wrong Mr.
, Beecher bad ever done him had been "a
address improper language TO bis vile
and that for that he held In his hands an
ample and satisfactory written apology
| repeated TO him the mention Of grAVel
injury than that made TO me by person
] whose information was alleged 10 be de-
rived in part directly from himselE IL
0 part at second hand from confession
Of his wife. With great epirit be
denied the truth OF both ol these state
i menls he called the informant on the sec
ond hand, aseXually morbid monomaniac
who had imagined every word she utter
Su' AV EbOIuIulIy bnlu luGIe WAS uOl
shadow Of truth in her story. He express
ed amszement that the other person
should stAte that he had ever said there
was anything criminal In Beecher's con-
duct, and denied In the fullest aud most
energetic manner that be had even said &C
or said anything that could be so constru
, ed BY truthful and healthy mind, and
he returned 10 his previous declaration
that Beecher's sole offence was improper
language TO his wiic, and repeated Il
anew, and again repeated that the writer
caniession ard apology he had in keeping
a was ample atonement for that wrong
The next morning, on the 3rd Of April
Tilton came to my cGice IN the Equitable
Insurance Companies building; he wa.
flushed and sullen. There was hitch IL
: the money payment, he said abruptly. tha1