The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-22

!
ther state that the various negotiation
had between Bowen and myself, whicI
resulted finally In an arbitration, in whicl
Bowen, Clalin, Chas. Storrs, and Jai
freeman were referees, that there wa
considerable delay arising from my owl
absence South In early spring on accoun
OF sickness, Mr.. BOWen's absence durinl
the summer, End Tilton's absence durin'
the lall and winter, on his lecturiug tour
so that the arbitration did not terminals
until the Cd Of April, 1879. This arbitrs
tion was determined on by me, ant
nv determination given. Mr. Clat
n! n the following note:
M0ULToN To CLAFLlN.
BROOKLYN, April |, ~.
Ny Dear Mr. Claain After full con
slderation Of all interests other than Theo
dorO's that l have been advised to arbi
trate, on grounds which he will explain tc
you, and which hope will accord with
your judgment and kind wishes toward all
concerned, am
Cordially yours,
- fhANSlS ~ hOGLION.
Tilton, Bowen and myself appeared be.
fore the arbitrators, and all made state.
ments. After a full hearing, nothing
having been submitted to the arbitrators
except the business differences of Tilton
and Bowen, the arbitrators made award
that Bowen should pay Tilton $1,000, for
which Bowen drew up his check on the
spot, and the contracts were given up to
him. After the above settlement paper,
which has since been called tripartite
agreement, was signed by Bowen and Til
ton, Beecher signing 1t subsequently,.
The inducing cause to this arbitration
was the fact that Tilton had commenced
suit against Bowen, and had prepared m
article for the Golden Agc, in which he
embodied his letter to Bowen and a state
ment Of the circumstances. He submitted
that article to me, and I begged him to
withhold it from publication. l also
brought Beecher and Tilton together, and
Beecher added his entreaties 10 mine to
prevent its publication and close the suit,
which might work injury to Beecher and
others. | arranged to submit Tilton's claim
TO the arbitration, to which | had been in
vited before by Bowen, but which | had
refused, as before stated. In this inter
view between Beecher, Tilton and myself
l said, perhaps we can settle the whole
matter il [ can see Mr.. ClaAin, for Mr..
Cluain knows BOwen's will, and under
stands the importance of all these inter
csts. Beechcr said he would send Clatlin
to me, and might confer with him upon
the matter.
At the conclusion oil the arbitration the
parties signed the tripsrtite covenant,
which wss drawn up as understand by
Samuel Wilkinson. 1t was first signed
by Bowen in the form In which 1t was
first drawn. 1t bound the parties TO say
nothing Of any wrong done or offence
committed by Beecher, and fully exon.
Grated him thcrefrom.
Alter Bowen had signed II, il was then
handed to Tilton TO sign, and he refused.
He was willing to sign an agreement
never 10 repeat again the charges OF
Bowen, saying that II for no other reason
il the matter should thereafter ever come
to light 1t would appear that there had
been something between Beecher and
Mrs. TIlton, and II might be used as evi.
dence 10 the injury OF himself and family,
as well as Of Beecher's; therefore, It was
not for the interest OF either Tilton or
Beecher to sign It in the form OF first pro.
posed. No copy Ol that tripartite cove
nant was conaded 10 me. Appended TO
this covenant, and made part OF il, was q
copy ol the proof sheets OF an article for
the Golden Age. 80 that It might be known
exsctly what scandal II referred TO. How
that tripartitc covenant was published l
know not. As part Of that settlement,
it was arranged that Tilton should write
a letter to Bowen, 10 be published in the
IHdepend6nt, with certain comments 10 be
made by Bowen.
After the tripartitc covenent was signed
1t came 10 the knowledge Of BeecheT, as
he informed me, that Bowen was still
spreading tho scandal about him, at which
he was aDgered, and proposed TO write
Bowen letter, stating the points that
had been settled iu their reconciliation
and agreement, and the reason why
BOwen's mouth should be closed in regard
to such ISLANDERS.
l find among my papers pencil and
ink memoranda oi statements intended 10
be embodied In that letter which was
submitted to my judgment by BeeCher.
II is in his handwriting, and reads as iol-
lows:
" BERcuRR's STATEMENT OF DowRN's
COURSE
"First. that he allowed himself to listen
to nniOunded rumors; second, that he
never brought them either to me or in
any proper manner 10 the Church, and
that he only whispered them, and even
then only when he had a business end in
view; third, that he did not himself be-
lieve anything had occurred which un-
fitted inc for tho utmost trust, shown by
continuing for twelve to fifteen years
a conspicuous attendant at Plym-
outh Church, by contracts with
me as editor OF the Independent, by the
continued publication oil my sermons,
&c, working the privilege OF doing SO even
as late as the interview at Freelsnd's.
One of these points OF settlement
OF all difficulties atFreeland's was
reconciliation which was 10 lead TO
work together, in which there was not
single hint Of any personal immortality,
but every item was OF business. As q
result OF such agreement,
lst. | was TO resume my old familiarity
at his house.
Cd. To write him letter that he could
give his family TO show that l had restor-
ed confidence
Sd. To endeavOr 10 remove him from the
coldness and irOwns Of the parish as one
who had injured me.
4th. A card TO be published and which
was published, giving him the right 10
put In the Independent sermons, lecture
room talks, &c.
9th. was invited 10 Woodstock TO be
his guest as ! was at Grants reception.
9Th, or the settlement by committee,
whose record is with Clailin, have moth.
Ing to say. ! did not see Beecher during
the whole process, nor do remember 10
have spoken with him since.
7th. Now the force ol the statement
that he did not himself believe that l had
done anything immoral which should af-
feet my standing as man, citizen and a
minister, illustrated by the foregoing facts,
Is demonstrated by his conduct when he
did believe that Theodore Tilton commit.
ted immoraities. His disposition OF the
Independent. his ignominous expulsion
from 3. W.; his refusal TO pay him
the salary and forfeit Of the contracts
As a part Of this transaction BeCcher sent
me the following note:-
MONDAY.
MY Dear Friend II called last night, as