The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-08-28
FROM tie srriDgH-I. Mas. Repub!:clu
A BRIEF OF TIE WHOLE MATTER.


ia tn" following concise statement. 10
g-th-r with references TO such documeH-
tary evidence a. serve 10 support one
side or the other. This statement i
made mp with the utmost impartialiry.
ani no testimony of any Importance i
intent .Onally left unnoticed. We have
left ont any reference To the story Of
Mrs. T. &. Stanton, aS no dates We're
given. though the circumstances she
narrated. took place, probably. in 1S7u,
or 1871.
In 1868. Henry G. Bowen wrote from
Woodstock. Conn. a letter never Yet
published, in which he said: Il some
times feel that | must break silence.
One word from me would make rebel
lion throughout Christendom. y con-
Germs the present case. it i not necceSsa-
ry to 90 back further than 1865. when
Theodore Tilton was in the height Of his
fame. having been two years on the IN
GeDeHdeHf Mrs TiltOn SAYS that her
husband already began filling her mind
with bad rumOrs about Mr.. Beechcr.
But it was not till 1866 that Beecher De-
gan to visit the house. Sometime about
then occurred the bedroom scene, which
occasioned a family jar, and so Is remen-
bered by the TiltOns, but is very natur-
alIv not remembered by Beecher. who
never had his attention called TO it till
1874. Mr.. Beecher dates their acquaint-
ance still further back than Mrs. TiltOn,
and remembers giving her a souvenir Of
Europe on his return TO this country in
1863. His memory is more correct than
hers, for we find letter of hers, dated
Dec. 2S, 1866. in which she writes to her
husband: Il have been thinking of my
love for Mr.. b." He has been the
guide of our youth until the three last
dreadful years. (See Republican Of
Aug. 13.) \ month later. Mr.. Beecler
was playing IA full hour with the chill
dren," etc. In 1866, TOO. occurred the
split on the HdepeHdeHt, which, both
from Mrs. Tilton's and Beecher's teSJi-
mony. did not interrupt the social rela-
tions Of the parties. In 1859, Page
was painting Beecher's portrait To Til
toms order, and Tilton was asking
Beecher TO run in and clipper his wife
while he was off on lecturing tours On
the 10th Of October. 1868. Tiltou alleges
criminal intercourse To have occurred at
Beechers, and soon after again at his
own house. as yet unknown to him.
Moulton first appears at the Page sit
tincS. In January. 1862 Til-on IN
letter to his wife appears I" b. desPond-
ent about his pecuEiary affairs, cniDinS
economy, and lamentS li> own eytrava-
gance as well a. her-.
We come now to the epoch Of $50.
Early in the winter and spring, Mrs.
Tiltun SAYS her husband beg-,u to talk
10 her. assuming that size had done
wrong with Mr.. Beccher.' talking days
and nights about it. CJilaterally. We
have letters Of he's written Oh the Gth.
18th. and 18TH OF january, all burning
with love 70 her husband. Beecherap-
pears in one Of them. ;'s making call,
i'm fine spirits and kissing the Wheel
ocks all around. Lizzie Wood included"
Theodore's statement Is that I'm the
spring Of 1870 he noticed complete alb
sorption Of his wife III Nr. Barjler. that
She went into the country early on that
account She returns. OH July Sth,
within few hours after her arrival"
confessed to him, and quotes from her
seducer the term -'neSt-hiGiur." Mrs.
T.. in her testimony, denies that she cv-
ercOnf"SSed. Beccher, in his testimony.
says that. in the latter part of the same
month. he visited her at her request,
found her much depressed. and prayed
with her just before leaving. lie denies
utterly the imprOprietieS. Il is under
stood that Mr. Beecher will declare that
the letter of his containing the above
term, and perhaps the other letters. are
forgeries
Mrs. TiltOn j. sent back 10 the cJun-
ry to receive soothing letters from TheO-
dore, as he says. and We skip to Deem
ber, 1870. Sometime in this month. the
young girl appears at Beecher'S. exposes
the cruel treatment Of Mrs. TiitOn, and
the solicitations Of herself by this man.
Mr. and Mrs. Beecher Immediately visit
Mrs. TiltOn at her mothers. and hear
her story, though she says nothing OF
having confessed. or even Of being az
cused of intimacy with Beecher. Chief
ly Oh the counsel OF Mrs BcecHer. a
separation i advised. one Of the great
sins for which Mr. Brecher is to show
such a bitter and abiect repentance
The separation Seems 10 have been quick
ly over with. or never to have taken
place. Events now come thick On the
18th OF the same month. Henry G. Bow
en- denOunces Beechcr in the presence
of Tilton and Johnson. as IAN unsafe
visitor in the families of the congrrGa-
ton. and, in the presence OF Ti.tOn
alone. narrated one instance of outrage.
He then wrote Il letter warning Beechcr
to leave the pulpit aud the city, which
Tilton. at his crafty suggestion. signed
Uetrer Of Iiltum 70 Bowen. dated Il week
later) on the 21th. Bewen calls on
Beecher and presents him this letter.
(See Beechrrs statement Heecier re
plies that TiitOn i cray and the two
talked him over pretty thoroughly,
Beecher being quite innocent Ofrhn Mep-
hiStOphelian character Of his visitor
shortly after" and OnfOr" the old year
was out, T'ilrOn was driven ont from
BOweH's newspapers with -,DUrgiH-~-
In the midst OF rhiS revolution IN Til
tons prospects ION the JJtii 81 Drc"In-
berJ. Beccher WIS taken 10 ADHiiJu>
house to see Tilt1u. and WAS -Arre de
nOunced b. the latter a. the -educef 81
his wife. .'AStounded, " hr apparently
entered no denial According 70 Beech
er's statement. at TilJon's regur~r.-ac-
cOrding to TiltDn'~ >taremru; al Beech
er's request. -B-echcr aGj NOHltOn
went 10 TiltOu'~ house. the former goes
in. finds the wife sick, aud iu sta
tue~qua rrcumb-ut attitude. ia prayer.
He obtains hi> statement. put- 1t ~ las
pocket. and returns. Tiitcu uDon reach
ing home. obtains from the SICK vile an
other statement. teSrifyin@ 20 ti!- fact OF
the one given to B.echer B---her goes
home like "a -leep-w@!Aer. On th=
Eexr dav. Igulrou calls and a3yi-e- him
TO give gD this statement. a. Tii,Ju had
&
it up. AMI then the apology was written
III the manner set forth by Heecher.
III the February following w-r- writ
ten the two striking letters from i5'rc.l-
er 10 NOuIton and 10 ir~- IliJ'H- iA-
latter denies ever having seen 'n- "L-
addressed 70 her but the Writrr"chuowi-
edges IT, In tue Summer oi I>l occur
the letter- Of Mr.. TiI-Ju IN which i- the
allu-ion 10 Cachariur fiauuJ. IA May
Mr. Woodruff first disclosed her knOwl-
edge Of the affair. and from then 10 No.
vember. Is12 TiitDn made herCic efforts .
20 hold her IN ch-ck by pUtjiu- Li~ maine
70 biography of Grand otherwise mag
nifying her. ln November, lSi<. >Ae
published her full disclosure IN the III
terval. the GDiieH -lgs was started and
Beech-r contributed il ISL and lsfz /
about - 900 70 IL ~uppCr-. In J.ie -prlHS .
of 1872. TiItDu having returned ifJM III"
lecture field discouraged. Threatened - .
publish in the GDi@eH Iye the l--t-r wit .
ten 10 him by Mr.. Bowen. Jan ], .
ISL. and Bowen becoming frightened .
paid Tilrou 5000 (which. ACCORDING 90 .
all accounts wa- his rightful due, and .
the tripartire agreement Of amnesty. .
concord. anf future peace Wa -i2uei- .
Then. III 1873. came tie publication oi |