Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-08-27

l Il ncdlu VIII pedkaD1e lSfDOrSo that ever
thing l had done 70 stay his destruction b,
made matters worse and worse and that N
attempt to keep him from a public trial il
yolving such flow of scandal as has no
been let loose, had been used BY MIN to brr
up new troubles; that his unhappy wife VIZ
under his dictation, signing papers and r
carnations, and l know not what; that
short everything was breaking up. a,
the destruction from which / had sought
save the family was likely to be emptie
on other families, the church and III
community, with infinite horrors of woe +,
me, that my own innocence was buried und,
heaps and heaps..of rubbish, and nobody b,
my professed friend. if even he, could save q
to his assurances that he coull still do so
gave at least so much faith as to maintain III
der these terrible trials the silence which b
enjoined. Not until Mr.. Tilton, having a
tempted, through Frank Carpenter to rails
money from my friends, openly assailed M
In a letter to DIR. Bacon, did | break tins
silence, save by the simple denial of til
slanderous rumors against me year before
when, on the appearance of the first ope
attack from MIR. Tilton, immediately. witt
out consulting Moulton, called for thoroug
investigation with d committee of M
church."
Mr. Beecher says he finds himself in posi
ton where he knows his innocence withou
tions; declares that he is an hereditary hypo
chondriac, and that in certain moods of re
action the world becomes black IL he wer,
to write in such mood he should give falls,
colors and exaggerated proportions to every
thing. He then proceeds to give circum
stantlal narrative of his personal relation.
with Mr.. and Mrs. Tilton, from the day OF
their acquaintance down to the present day
He first knew Tilton as a reporter of his ser.
mons hQCQma rDnah atfoohaH - Al
man, and shortly after gave him position
on the Independent, OF which he
was editor. lie shortly after placed
hilton In charge of the paper during a
temporary absence in England, and ON return.
ing made arrangements by which the vounp
man became responsible editor of the ind.
pendent.
Friendly relations continued until 1864 ,.
says Mr. Beecher, when violent assaults
were made upon me by Tilton in the hide
pendent on account of my Cleveland letter.
AMI temporary discrimination of publica-
ton of my sermons in that paper broke off NV
connection with it. Although Mr. Tilton and
renamed personally on good terms. vet
there was GOODNESS between us in all mat
tiers of politics. Our social relations were
very kindly, and as late as 1869. at his re-
quest, sat to Page some fifty times for a
portrait. Itwas there that first met and talked
WITH Mouiton, whose wife was a member
OF plymouth Church. though he was not a
member, or even regular attendant During
this whole period never received from Mr.
Illton or any member of his family the slight
est hint that there was any dissatisfaction
With my familiar relations to his household
As late, think, as the winter Of 1869. when
going upon an extended lecturing tour. he
said: Il wish you would look in often. and
see that LIBBY is not lonesome, or does not
want anything" or words to that effect
Never by sign or word did Mr.. Tilton com
plain OF my visits in his family until after he
began TO fear that the IndeDendent would he
AIKEN from him; nor did he break out into
violence until on the eve OF dispossessiop
rom both the papers, the Independent and the
brooklyn Union. owned by Mr. Bowen. Dur-
ng these years of intimacy in Tilton's family.
was treated as father or elder brother -
In regard TO the matter of his alleged con-
ession 10 Moulton, and the paper which it is
harged ne obtained from Mrs. Tilton while
wing on bed of sickness. Mr.. b. saws:
" In sort of postscript she denied explic-
lily that l had ever offered any improper
oicitation to her. that being the only charge
made against me by Mr.. Tlton, or sustained
" the statement about the confession which
le had read to mel dreamed of no worse
barge at the time-thet was horrible enough.
ne mere thought that he could make it. and
ou,d nave extorted any evidence on which
0 base 1t, was enough to take AWAY INV
enses- 1t seemed to me as if she was GOING
? die that her mind was oyerthroyn' and
nat was in some dreadful way naixed mn in
I, and might be left by her death with this !
err1bie accusation hanging over me. I re-
lrned like one in dream to Mr.. MouI- |
ons house, where I said very little. and |
BON went home. 1t has been said that |
guilt and expressed remorse This |
ntfaTlV II sl-alx- Al
iiton retraction in my pocket should have |
lUs stullifed myself: On the next dav. at |
Vening, Mr.. Moulton called at nv house and |
ime up to my bedroom. He sad that Mrs
ilton, on her husbands return TO her after
nr interview, had informed him what she
ad done, and that / had her retraction.
-ouiton expostulased with me, and claimed |
lat had taken mean advantage and made
shonerable use of Theodore's request that
SHOULD VISIT her, IN obtaining from her
rltten contradiction to document
ot in existence. He said that all difficulties
'uld be settled without any euch paper. and
at ought to give it up. He made no YER
u threats, but he opened his overcoat. and.
it'll some emphatic remark, showed pistol.
hich afterward he took out and laid on ths
ireau near which he stood. / gave the paper
him. and after few moments talk he
IT,, Within day or two after this Mr..
u. ,
repaired to my study in the third story of
v house."
Dir. Beecher details his efforts to prevent the
andal being made public. which was threat
ed by the trial Of Tilton by the church. and
ys of Tllton: II was so determined to car |,
out my pledges to Moulton for him. aud do ,
IN human power to save him even from :
nself. that l was ready to resign il that
uld stop the scandal. / wrote a letter of '
slUpafinr - l.
alnst me, but declaring that had striyen ,
years to maintain secrecy concerning a !
lndal affecting family in the church. and i,
It as had failed l herewith resigned. This !
ter was never sent. A little calmer thought '
owed me how futile it would be to stop the I
uble, mere useless sacrifice; but showed y
20 Mr.. Moulton, and possibly he copied it.
ave found the original of it in my house
could at this moment remember any of s
other letters which l have written to Mr.. a
ulton. / would do So"
The following are the closing lines Of Mr.. G
echer's statement:
In the note requesting Your appointment "
sked that you should make a full inyesti-
ion Of all the sources of information. Y
4 are witnesses that / have in no way
ucnced or interfered with your rro-
dings or duties. have wished the
estigation to be so searching that
hing could unsettle it's resnlts b
s time, for the sake of decency and public
rails, that this matter be brought to amend.
is an open pool of corruption, exhaling
dly vapors- For six weeks the nation has
N up and sat down upon scandal Not
at war nor revolution could more have
a the newspapers than this question of
nestle trouble, magnifed thousand-fold. Ut
like sore spot in the human BODY,
wing to itself every morbid humor in the
ID. Whoever is buried with it, it is time "
this ahnDainafion ha hrariod I.lo.- III y