The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-21


January 10, 1871
A casual glance at this document shows
that Mr.. Beecher was not as successful IN
this retraction which he evidently did not
dictate, as in the case of Mrs. TiltOn and
the retracton itself, in its cautious word
ing, was so much more damaging as evil
dence than Il direct charge of the woman
that might be contradicted would be, that
it was thought best that it should not see
the light of day, and it has not until now.
The question was, did he ravish this per-
son? He admitted to me the connection,
but insisted that he used no force, only DIAL
lance. That accusation had been repeated
by Bowen, and the best Beecher could get
from her was that she had ''told Bowen
things injurious" to Beecher; that she al
ways speaks strongly, and was 'nearly be-
side herself and used enmeasurld terms,
which represented rather my feeling than
my judgment"
But what was desired to get denied was
the fact itself. and that fact the criminal
connection which was neither matter of
''feelng' nor Judgment" in the sense in
which the words are used in the letraction.
But whether done by force or dalliance is
question of both feeling and judgment,
and so much is rctlacted; and knowing the
relations between this woman an Beecher
| to have been not only cordial and friend
| ly," but there afterwards very init
mate, I gave credit to this ver-
sion OF his intercourse, and particu-
| larly because Mr. Beecher, to confirm his
| statement that he had not rsvished her,
brought TO me several letters from her to
ham, which still hold showing the cen
tinuance of friendly relations with her
do not give the ladys name, and withhold
the photo lithograph of her letter, because
do not wish needlesSly to involve q repu-
tation which has thus far escaped public
mention by any Of the parties to this con-
troversy. If the facts stated here should
identify the person concerned with him.
and ii those who are interested in her feel
aggrieved, let them avenge that grief, if
upon any one, upon the pastor of Plymouth
church, and not upon me, as | have been
threatened it would be if | ventured to
state the facts of Beecher's guilt in this
case. l have felt the blows of Plymouth
church already because have told the ex-
act truth about their pastor. have been
threatened with more if | shall continue to
do so. But, unawed by threats and. as far
as may be, unbiased by wrong, injustice
and false accusations. the facts shall be
stated as they are known to me-and
known TO god and only adding that this
last terrible narrative of crime was given
me by Beecher in the presence Of witness,
dismiss this trag episode to the main
controversy.
| submit that If had been inclined to
blackmail Henry Ward Beecher either for
myself or Tilton, Beecher knew and the
public now know, in degree, that had
much more cogent and all-powerful facts
in my possession to strip him of his fortune
to purchase my silence than the case of
Mrs. Tllton, and that if / had been, as he
alleges, untrue to him, or if | had been, as
is alleged in the report of his committee,
''coadjutor with Tilton," secretly from
the beginning TO eXtort money from
Beecher through series of years, instead
OF standing as shield to him, pro-
tecting him any and everywhere
against the consequences of his own
wicked acts, and only receiving
money from him to aid in so shielding him,
first. to support and educate the girl
Bessie, lest she might injure him by pratt
ling in the church under the influences of
Mrs. TIlton's mother, Mrs Morse, who,
Bessie says, in her letter in former state
ment, promised her dresses to tell lies which
tact she relates under her own hand-and
only otherwise TO aid him in some degree
to repair the wrong which he admitted and
now admits he had done to Tilton in break
ing up his business, SO that the temptation
of poverty and want might not come to
him as an induccment to turn upon
Beecher, the author Of his misfOrtunes. /
say if had been inclined to extort money
from him, either Tilton or myself might
to-day have been the recipients of all the
salary, earnings and emoluments of Henry
Ward Beecher, except enough only for a
reasonably economical li,,;,,. =, tS
and family.
MoULToNs REASONS FOR ATTEMPTING TO
HELP BEECHER.
In view of these terrible revelations, the
question will, indeed, well be asked, as it
has been; ''llow could you, Mr.. Moulton,
sustain Beechcr, knowing all these things,
so monstrous, horrible and revolving Z" TO
this question, urgently springing from the
facts, answer that did not know them
all at once, as the public now know them.
| began in the interest of friend. | met
another man of brilliant genius and high
standing, older than |, who asked my
friendship, which | promised him. and who
trusted me implicitly; and as disclosure
came after disclosure, as fact piled ON fact,
could only stagger along under the load.
These acts of guilt had already been done,
many of them years before, and at the time
hS pioHiiNSu iiost idituiuiD uuu WIFI SIN
cere sorrow, tears rolling down his cheek,
that all that was past, and his future be
bright and hoy,a his past had been deemed
to be by those who knew him not. However
much might cease to respect or love any
party IN the controversy, yet there were
other hearts to ache, There were innocent
children to be destroyed, famiics--more
than one or three-to be separated, and Il
blight put upon christianity and Il shock to
the moral sense Of the community such as
it never bafore received, if threw down