The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

practice in order to prevent discovery,
and that her conscience had many
times impelled her to throw off the bur
den of faisehood by making a full con-
fe>sion to her husband, so that she
would no longer be living before him a
perpetual lie. In particular, she said
that she had been on the point of ma
king this confession few months pre-
viously, during a severe illness, when
she feared she might die. She affirmed
also, that Beecher has assured her re-
peatedly that he loved her better than he
had ever loved any other woman, and
she felt justified before God in her in
timacy with him, save the necessary de-
ceit which accompanied il, and at which
she frequently suffered in her mind.
TX. That after the above nam med con-
feasion BY Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton,
+ she returned TO the country 70 await
such action by her husband as he might
/ see fit to take; whereupo after many
considerations, the chief Of which WAS
that she had not voluntarily gone astray,
I but had been artfully misled, through
religious reverence for Henry Ward
Beecher, her spiritual guide, together
also with desire TO protect his family
/ from open shame, Mr.. Tilton condoned
the wrong, and he addressed to his wife
such letter of affection, tenderness and
respect as he felt would restore her
wounded spirit, and which did partially
produce that result.
Here FOLLOW the full particulars Of the
futile attemp' at reconciliation-in
which appear numerous letters from
Beecher and Mrs. Tiltoh, the gizt of all
of which has been published heretofore;
and also numerous affectionate letters
from Mrs. Tilton to her husband, which
show the blessful state of their marital
relations subsequent 70 the corruption
OF the VIE BY Beecher.
SEPARATION OF MIR. AND s6Rs. TfLTON.
Xxx. Not long after the scandal be-
came public, Mrs. Tilton wrote ON slip
Of paper and left it on her husbands
writing-de7k, the following words:
| Snow that exposure. has come, my
whole nature revolts 20 join with you or
standing with you.'
Through the influence OF Beecher's
friends the opinion haslong been dill
gently propagated that the scandal was
due to MIR. Tilton, ard that the alleged
facts were malicious inventions by him
to revenge himself for supposed and
imaginary wrongs done to him by Beech
er. Many words were spoken from time
to time by Mrs. Tilton TO the praise and
eulogy Of Beecher, which, being extern
sively quoted through his congregation,
heightened the impression that Tilton
was Beecher's slanderer. Mrs. Tilton
being herself authority for the state
ment. In this way Mrs. Tiltoa and one
of her relatives have been the chief
, causes Of the great difficulty of sup
pressing the scandal. They have had a
habit of saying: "Mr. Tilton believes
such and such things" and their nam-
: ing of these things by way of denial has
, been miSchievous way of circulating
: them broadcast. In this way Tilton has
been made to appear as defamer, where
: as he has made every effort in his power
: TO suppress the injurious tales which he
has been charged with propagating. On
all occasions he has systematically refer
red to his wife in terms favorable to hel
character. Further, Mr.. Tilton would
not have communicated 10 the commit,
tee the facts contained in this statement
except for the perverse course of Rev
Henry Ward Beecher ond Elizabeth h
Tilton to degrade aud destroy HIM in The
! public estimation.
2 XXI. That one evening, abou. two
: weeks after the publication Of Mr.. Til
toms letter to DR. Bacon, Mrs. Tilton, or
: coming home al 4 late hour, Informed
g her her husband she had been visited a
. a friends house by committee of in
i yeStigation, and had given sweeping evi
;, dence acquitting Beecher of every
: charge. This was the first intimatior
e which Mr.. Tilton received that any suct
r committee was then in existence. Furth
!. ermore, Mrs Tilton stated that she hac
done this by advice of a lawyer whom
e Beecher had sent to her, and who in ad
o vance Of her appearance before the com
e mittee, arranged with her the questions
and answers which were TO constitute
, her testimony in Beecher'a behalf Oh
, the next day after giving this untrue
testimony before the committee sh,
!, spent many hours Of extreme suffering
:, from pangs OF conscience 1t having ties
tilted falsely. She expressed to her hus
band the hope that God would forgiv,
f her perjury, but that the motive was tt
save Reecher and her husband and alst
4 TO remove all reproach from the causl
OF religion. She also expressed similar
= contrition to one of her intimate friends
4 XIII. Finally, that in addition to tn,
y foregoing facts and evidences, other con
- firmations could be adduced If needed
: to prove the following recapitulatec
q statement, namely, that the Rev. Hen
; ry Ward Beecher, as pastor and frienC
! of Mr.. Tilton and his family, tresspass
= ed upon the sanctity of friendship anC
hospitality in long endeavor to seduc,
4 Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton; that by tn,
artful use of his priestly authority witt
: her, she being mis- pupil in religion, h,
: accomplished this seduction; that for
period of year and a half, or there
about, he9maintained criminal inter
course with her, overcoming her previ
Gus modest scruples against such conduc
by investing it with false justification
: as sanctioned by love and religion; tha
: he then participated in conspiracy tt
degrade Theodore Tilton before the pub
lie by the loss of place, business and re-
pute; that he abused Mr. Tiltt MS for
giveness and pledge of protection by
I thereafter authorizing Il series of meas