Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-14
BEECHER,S STATEMENT.
HIS DENIAL OF TILrON'S Oh ARGEs
HIS EXPLANATION OF THEN.

The folio wing Is the statement of Henry Ward
Beecher made to the Investigating committee
of Plymouth Church yesterday:
Gentlemen Of the Committee: In the statement
addressed 10 the pubic on the 22d of July last
gave an explicit. cOmpre hensive, ana solemn
denial to the charges made by Theodore Tilton
against me. That denial now repeat and re-
affirm. l also stated in that communication
that should appear before your committee
with more detailed statement and explanation
OF the facts in the case. For this the time has
now come.
TILToN's FALL.
-Four years ago Theodore Titon fell from one
or the proudest editorial chairs in America.
where he represented the cause of religion,
humanity, and patriotism, and in a few months
thereafter became the associate and Iepresen-
tative OF Victoria Woodruff and friend of her
strange cause. By his follies he was bankrupt
In reputation, in occupation, and in resources.
The interior history, of which l am now to give
BRIEF outline, is history of his attempts TO so
employ me as to reinstate him in business, re-
store his reputation, ana place him again upon
the eminence from which he had fallen. 1t is a
sad history, to the full meaning of which have
but recently awakened. Entangled in the
wilderness of complications, 1 followed until
lately
A FALSE THEORY AND DRLUsIvs HOPE,
believing that the friend who assured me of
his determination and ability to control the pas.
nonate vagaries of Mr.. Tilton, to restore his
household, to rebuild his fortunes, and vindi-
self confessed failure has made clear to me
what for long time did not suspect-the real
motive of Tilton. My narration does not rep
opinion of Theodore Tilton. It begins at nv
cordial intimacy with him In his earlier career,
shows my iamentatlon and sOrrowful but hope
full affection for him during the period Of his
scribes my repentance over the evils Detailing
him, of which was made to believe myself the
cause; my perseveriDg and friendly but despair
ing efforts to save him and his family by any
sacrifice Of myself not absolutely dishOnorabe,
and my growing conviction that his perpetual
follies and plumbers rendered his recovery i'm
possible. can now see that he IL, and has been
from the beginning of this difficulty,
A SELFISH AND RECKLESS soHEMRR,
pursuing plan OF mingled good and hatred,
misunderstanding, plots and lies, to which my
own innocent words and acts-nay, even nv
thoughts of kindness toward him-have been.
made TO contribute. These successive views of
him must be kept in view to explain nv course
through the last four years. That 1 was blind
s0lOng to the real motive of intri gue going on
around me was due partly to his own over
whelming public engagements, partly to my
complete surrender OF the affair, and all papers
and questions connected with 1t, into the ands
OF MIR. Moulton, who was intensely confident
that he could manage it successfully. suffered
much, but inquired little. Moulton was chary
20 me Of Tilton's condolences to him, reporting
20 me occasionally in general way TiltOn's
words and outbreaks OF passion only as elements
OF trouble which he was able to control, and as
addition proofs of the wisdom of leaving it to
him. His command of the situation seemed to
me at the time complete, immersed as | was in
incessant cares and duties, and only too glad to
be relieved from considering details of wretcheG
complications, the origin and fact OF which re
main, IN spite of all friendly intervention,
perpetual burden to my soul. L would not read
in the papers about 1t. 1 made Noulton for a
long period my conhdant and my only channe;
of information.
TILroN's OBJECT FILTHY LUCRE.
From time 10 time suspicious were aroused in
me by the indications that Tilton was acting
the part of an enemy, but these suspicious
were rapidly allayed by his own behavior
toward me in other moods, and by assurances
of Moultcn, who ascribed the circumstances to
Misunderstanding, or to malice on the part of
others. 1t lie plain to me now that it was not
until Tilton had fallen into disgrace and lost
bis salary that he thought 1t necessary to assail
me with the charges which he pretended to
have had In mind for six months. The domestic
offense which he alleged was very quickly and
easily put aside, but yet in such way az to
Keep my feelings stirred up, in order that |
might, through my friends, be used to extract
from Mr.. Bowen s. 900, the amount of the
calm in dispute between them. Check for
that sum in hand, Tilton signed the agreement
OF peace aud concord, not drawn by me, but
accepted by me as sincere. The Golden 1gs
lad been started. He had capital to carry il
on; for while he was sure that he was to head a
great social revolution, with returning pros
perity he had apparently no griels which could
not be covered by his signature to the articles Of
peace; yet the changes in that covenant, made
by him before signing IL and represented to me
as necessary merely to relieve him from the
imputation OF having originated and circulated
certain old and shameless ISLANDERS about me,
were really made, as now appears, TO leave him
free for future operations upon me and against
me.
TILToNIAN AIRS.
SO long as he was, or thought he was, on the
road to new success, his conduct toward me was
az friendly as he knew how to make 1t. His as
sumption of superiority and Dagnanimity and
his patroniZlng manner were trifies at which
could afford TO smile, and which 1 bore with
greater humility since 1 still retained the pro-
found impression made upon me, as explained
in n<ufr 80
cause OF overwhelming disaster to him, and that
his complete restoration to public standing and
household happiness was reparation justly re-
make; but with peculiar genius for blunders he
fell almost at every step into new c0mpli cations
and difficulties, and in every such instance it
was his policy to bring coercion to bear upon my
honor, my conscience, and my affections for
expense.
WORKING ON BERoHKR's SYMPATHETIC SIDE.
Theodore Tilton knew me well. He has said
again and again to his friends that If they
wished to gain any influence over me they must
work on the sympathetic side of my nature. To
this he has addressed himself steadily for four
years, using as lever, without scruple, my at
tachment 10 my friends, to my family, to his
own SNv nouseheId, and even my old attachment
TO look on him as favorably and hopefully as
possible, and ignorant of his deeper malice,
labored earnestly, even desperately, for his sal
walton. For four years / have been trying to
feed the Unsuitable egotism, to make the man as
great as he conceived himself to be, to restore
to prosperity and public confidence one who in
the midst OF any efforts in his behalf patronized
disreputable people and doctrines, refused when
besought him TO separate himself from them,
ard ascribed to MY agency the increasing ruin
which he was persistently bringing upon HIM
self and which 1 was doing nv utmost to avert.
1t was hard to do anything for such man; 1
might as well have tried to fill q sieve with
water. In the letter stages Of the history he
actually created and melted difficulties, appar-
emily for no other purpose than to drive me to
fieeh exertions. i refused to indorse his wild
views and associates, and the best could do
was to speak well of him, mention those good
qualities and abilities which still believe him
TO possess in his higher moods, and keeping 81.
lsnce concerning the evil things, which was
assured and believed had peen greatly exag-
Grated by public report. 1 would not think him
80 bad as my friends did, and trusted to germs
OF good which l thought still lived in him, to
Moulton's apparent power over him, and to the
power OF my persistent self-sacridces. Moulton
came to me ct hrst ~ schoolmate and friend
OF Tfton, determined to reinstate him, always
suspected, without regard to my interests but
on further acquaintance with me undertook
and promised to serve his friend without doing
wrong to me. He said he saw clearly how this
was TO be done 80 as to restore peace and
harmony to Tilton's home, and bring to happy
end all Misunderstanding. Many things which
he COurnAl01 I ahaolutelv refuaad. hat uo-..