Daily Kennebec journal., 1874-07-22

months before. The paper in Mr.. Moulton's
hands was a statement by Mrs. Tilton of the
substance of the confession which she had be-
fore made, and of her wish and prayer for rec
onciliation and peace between her pastor and
her husband. This paper furnished to Mr..
Beecher the first knowledge which he had as
yet received that Mrs. Tilton had made such
confession. At this interview between Mr..
Beecher and Mr.. Tilton, permission was
sought by Mr.. Beecher to consult with Mrs.
Tilton on that same evening, That permission
being granted, Mr.. Beecher departed from
MIR. Moulton's house. In about half an hour
he returned thither, expressing his remorse
and shame, and declaring that his life and
work seemed brought to aisudden close. Lat
er in the same evening Mr.. Tilton, returning
to his house. found his wife weeping and in
great distress, saying that what she had meant
for peace had only given pain and anguish;
hat Mr.. Beecher had just called on her, de
claring that she had slain him and that he
would probably be tried before council of
Ministers unless she would give him a written
paper for his protection, whereupon she said
he dictated to her and she copied, in her own
handwriting, suitable paper for him to use
to clear himself before a council of ministers
Mrs. Tilton having kept no copy of this pa
per- her husband asked her to make dis
tinct statement in writing Of her design and
meaning in writing it, whereupon she wrote
as tollows
Dec. so, Midnight
My dear Husband Il desire to leave with
you before going to bed a statement that Mr..
Henry Ward Beecher called upon me this
evening and asked me if would defend him
against any ACQUISITION in council of minis
tiers, and l replied solemnly that would in
case the accuser was any other person than
my husband. He (H. w. b. dictated let
ter which copied as my own, to be used by
nm as against any other accuser except my
husband. This letter was designed to vindi-
cate Mr.. Beecher against all other persons
save only yourself. | was ready to give him
this letter because he said with pain that my
letter in your hands addressed to him, dated
Dec. %, chad struck him derd and ended his
influence. You and | are pledged to do our
bes1 to avoid publicity. God grant speedy
end to all further anxeties.
Affectonately, ELIZABETH.
On the next day-namely, Dec. 81, 1870
Mr.. Moulton, on being informed by Mr.. Til.
ton OF the aforementioned transaction by Mr..
Beecher, called on him <Beecher) at his resi-
dence, and told him that reconciliation
seemed suddenly made impossible by Mr..
Beecher's nefarious act in procuring the let.
ter which Mrs. Tilton had :hus been improp-
erly persuaded to make f.lsely. Mr.. Beecher
promptly, through Mr.. Noulton, returned the
letter to Mr. Tilton, with an expression of
shame and sorrow for having procured it in
the manner he did. The letter was as fol-
lows;
December 30. 1870.
Weaiiei with importantly and weakened by
sickness, gave letter implicating my friend
Henry Ward Beecher, under assurance that
that would remove all difficulties between me
and my husband. That letter | now revoke
L was persuaded to it, almost forced, when |
was IN weakened state of mind. | regret
and recall all its statements
(Signed) Z. r. TnroN.
l desire to say explicitly that MIR. Beecher
has never offered any improper solicitation,
but has always treated me in manner be-
coming a christian and gentleman.
(Signed) ELIZABETH II. TILToN.
At the time of Mr.. Beecher's returning the
above documen, to Mr.. Tilton, through Mr..
Moulton, Mr.. Beecher requested Mr.. Moul-
ton to call at his residence in Columbia ST.,
or the next day, which he did on the evening
OF Jan. lst, 1871. long interview then en-
sued, in which Mr.. Beecher expressed to Mr..
Moulton great contrition and remorse for his
previous criminality with Mrs. Tilton, taking
to himself shame for having misused his sa-
cred office as clergyman, to corrupt her mind,
expressing determination to kill himself in
case of exposure, and begging Mr.. Moulton
to take pen and receive from his lips an
apology to be conveyed to Mr.. Tilton, in the
hope that such an appeal would secure Mr..
Tilton's forgiveness. The apology which Mr..
Beecher dictated to Mr.. Moulton, was as fol-
lows
Mr.. Beecher's apology in trust with +. d.
Moulton :-"My dear friend Moulton: ask
through you, Theodore Tilton's forgiveness,
and humble myself before him as do be-
fore my God. He would have been better
man in my circums tances than l have been.
| ask nothing except that he will remember
all the breasts that would ache. l will not
plead for myself; even wish that were
dead, but others must live to suffer. will
die before any one but myself shall be excul-
pated. All my thoughts are running out to-
ward my friends and toward the poor child ly-
ing there and praying with her folded hands.
She Is eulltlsss; sinned against, and bearing
the transgressions of another, and her forgive
ness | nave. L humbly pray to God to put
into the heart of her husband to forgive me.
l have trusted this to Moulton in confidence.
III. w. BEECnER.
In the above document the last sentence
and the signature are in the handwriting of
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher.
Eleventh, h,-That Mrs. Tilton wrote the fol-
lowing letter to a friend:
ia Livingston street, Brooklyn,
January 9th, 1874.
Dear Friend A cruel conspiracy has been
formed against my husband, in which my
mother and Mr.. Beecher have been the chief
actors. Yours truly,
ELIZABETH r. TILroS.
Owing to the extreme length of this docu-
mo Ii Ill ln s.1n. Il