Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-10

he is innocent Of any and all Improperly toward
her, whether relating TO improper advances OF
adultery.
The committee did not propose to defend the
course of Mrs. Tilton. On any theory OF human
responsibility it was indefensible. The testimony
showed that, under the influence OF designing
husband, " then in condition of mental alteration
she had at least passively made charges OF I'M
proper advances by Mr. Beecher, but when her
attention had been called to the great wrong she
had done she quickly retracted them in sorrow
and penitence. Eminent physicians appearing
before the committee had testified that such con,
duct on the part of Mrs. Tilton, being subjected
to the influence referred to, was not inconsistent
with an honest mind AS illustrative OF this
latter proposition the committee refer to the
have been written by Mrs. Triton. in which she
says she is perfect coward in Tilton's presence,
and that lit is physical impossibility to tell the
in Wv which she SAYS: with all my woman's
soul l am innocent of the crime of inn
pure conduct alleged against me-" In the state
ton Of Mr. Tilton and Mr. Carpenter, and taken
to DIR. Storrs in 1872, Mrs. Tilton shows that she
was made to believe that conspiracy had been
formed against her husband. Subsequently, in
letter. she is found asking the forgiveness of Mr..
Beecher for the sufierings she had caused him.
The committee had heard much from Tilton OF
confessions made by his wife to him, but they
were Obliged to receive his statements on
this point without confederation. On
one occasion, according TO the testimony Of Miss
farmer, she told her husband that Ii was lie
that she had confessed to him her intimacy with
Mr. Beecher. This witness the same person
who 1t WAS said by Tilton and Moulton, was sent
to a boarding-school to get rid of her, because
she had heard Tilton make charges against her.
Miss Turner and Mr.. Tilton both agree in saying
that it was Tilton's plan to have her go
away, because she had stated to her
friends that Tilton had twice attempted
intimate relations with her during the absence
of Mrs. Titon in the country. Tilton was fast
losing place and position because OF his social
views and practices, and feared the publicity of
this girls statement. The sum of $4,000 was in
vested to pay her expenses while at school, but
the committee say the absurdity of supposing
that MI Beecher would invest that sum to get
persons to leave town, to whom Mr.. Tilton had
been pedding his scandal, was transparent
Persons to whom Tilton had talked in some form
of the scandal were too numerous to justify an
investment of $4,000 on each of them by any
body whose wealth could not be counted by mill
ions just as Miss Turner was leaving for
school Mr. Tilton procured from her with the
aid Of his wife, letter denying the reports of
improper liberties. Here Mr. Tilton shone
conspicuously as manufacturer of evidence.
Mr.. Triton, when before the committee, when
reference was made TO the Griffith Gaunt" let
ter, seemed to think that the ofense of Griffith
Gaunt was adultery and accordingly relied upon
the letter incontrovertible evidence of his
charge. In this he is mistaken
Ii was a principle OF common law that a mar
ried woman cannot commit or be held to commit
a crime perpetrated in the presence of her hus-
band and this upon the idea that the husbands
presence and influence amount to duress, and
that she Is, therefore, not responsible. Whether
TO excuse Mrs Titon, IL could be seen in what
Mr., Tilton was able to eXtort from her without
her volition or real assent something OF the rea-
sons which moved the early expounder of the
English common law to assert the doctrine re-
ferred TO.
The committee having reviewed the evidence
proceed to contrast the characters of Mr. Triton
and Mr.. Beecher In respect to the former, the
committee ask: Who IL this accuser that he
makes so bold face? He had lately become
very different man from what he was formerly re-
ah N ha iDna nf get
which make him discredited man in the com
mnnity. After his espousal of the new marital
philosophy his downfall was rapid and complete.
In sketching his career an able writer says: In
process of time he comes before the world as the
indorser of Victoria G. Woodruff, and lends his
name to biography Of her which would have
sunk any mans reputation anywhere for common
author rises again" Such is the accuser.
The accused is Henry Ward Beecher, the pastor
of Plymouth Church, who has been clergyman
with harness on for forty years. He has been
living in the clear light of MONDAY, before his
people and all men, life of great Christian use
fulness and incessant work. Those who have
been most intimate with him, at home and
abroad, report nothing of his life or conversation
but what comes of purity Of sou.
We are asked by Tilton and Moulton to believe
that Mr.. Beecher, with his long and useful life
and high character to sustain him, is unworthy
of confidence regard or respect. Christian char
acter and great services, which usually con-
sidered tower of strength and defense, when
one II assailed are to go for naught according TO
Mr., Tilton. We are invited TO give up this man
and send him and his good name and family 10
the vortex of moral destruction. We are to do
this upon whats Upon some Wild absurd and
contradictory assertions OF Mr.. Tilton, who in all
this work does not succeed in Disgusting his
malicious and reyengeful designs. No tribunal
administering justice ever held charge of adul-
terry proved by mere alleged words, written or
spoken, that are denied and not connected with
circumstances and appearances pointing unmis
takably 10 the guilt of the accused.
Upon review of all the evidence relied on by
Al
terly fails to sustain the charges made, and make
the following statement of conclusions:
]. We find from the evidence that Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher did not commit adultery with Mrs.
Elizabeth r. Tilton, either at the time or times,
or at the place places set forth In the third and
fourth subdivisions Of Mr. Tilton's statement,
nor at any other time place whatever
2. We find from the evidence that Mr.. Beecher
has never committed any unchaste or improper
act with Mrs. Tilton, nor made any unchaste or
improper remark, proffer. or solicitation to her,
Of any kind or description whatever.
3. IL this were question of error OF judg- |
ment on the part Of Beecher 1t would be easy TO !
criticse, especially In the light of recent events
In such criticism, even in the extent of regret
and censure, we are no man would join |
more sincerely than Mr.. Beecher himself
4. We find nothing whatever In the evidence |
that should impair the perfect confidence of Ply
mouth Church or the world in the Christian char
acter and integrity of Henry Ward Beecher. -.
hs 81
Church and its beloved and eminent pastor, 80
much and SO long afflicted
HENRY w. SAGE,
AUGUSTUS SToRRs,
HENRY M. CLEVELAND,
HORACE b. CLAFLE,
john WINsLow,
s.. V. WHITE,
Committee of Investigation.
BROOKLYN, Aug. u, 1874.
SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS
The Associated Press dispatch says that
the report of the committee when pre-
sented was received with great acclaim.
The following resolutions were Of
fered:
Resotged, That the evidence laid before the
Examining Committee not only does not afford
any foundation for putting the pastor Of this
church, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, upon trial,
but, on the contrary establishes TO the perfect
satisfaction of this church his entire innocence
and absolute personal purity with respect to all
charges now or hereafter made against him by
Theodore Tilton.
Resokred, That confidence and love for our
pastor, so far from being diminished, are height
ened and deepened by the unmerited suferings
which he has so long borne, and that we wei