The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-18
Gke9RteIIiae
BEECHER-TILTON.


-
Another Letter from George Alfred
Townsend to the Chicago TIL
bune.
NEW York, August 1l.-sltting in
that dim, funereal house where for ten
years the Tilton family resided, passing
through all the passages of social, do
nestle and scholastic intercourse sitting
there quite alone with Theodore Tillon, /
said:
II have been all day trying to grasp
your character and reconcile your serenity
Of feeling toward your vile with the out.
rage she has committed upon you. Shall /
tell you the main points the world makes
against your"
"Yes," he said, I'll could he out In
the world and look in upon myself, l
might make myself better understood TO
the world. You may ask me anything
you like. Do not be delicate. don't
think there remains anything for people
TO write against me which they have not
said.
USED TO BE THEODORE TLToN,
Thought Now / find that am pol
trOon, q blackmRiler, q fellow Jealous Of
another mans lame; and my vile, whose
letters to me, unless / am blind and can
not read, show an appreciation of me ex-
sggerated and even passionate, tells the
world that am as bad as they say. You
may ask me anything, down TO the mar
row."
"Then," said l, 1.-THE grossest offense
you have committed, In the estimation Of
your own sex, was continuing relations
with your vile after you knew her to
have been impure TO you"
perhaps" said Mr.. Tilton, 'many men
who say that never came 10 the opportu.
nifty oil showing what their conduct might
be.
WHRN A THUEDERB0LT STRIKES A VESSEL
1t makes an immediate catastrophe, so
that one must do what he had never pre-
pared himsell for. The story Of Eliza
beth's guilt was related tome voluntarily.
never accused her. She had been out
in the country staying awhile, and was In
a poor state of health. That ieverish, re.
llgious nature she had, probably urged her
on 10 make her hAlf.conscious belief that
she hSd only perpetrAted a spiritual love
by q carnal act, complete, by Kidding 1t Of
the element Of deceit. She therefore re-
solved 10 open the story to me OF her own
volition, hoping that l might understand
Il, or, II l could not understand it, she
would take the worst.
IT WAS IN THIS VERY ROOM
She was sitting there where you are.
came in and stood yonder. She address,
ed me at once, and in a minute my heart
was pierced through and through.
stood there trsnsfixed, and q hundred
things came 10 my mind, that ankle scene
amongst them. She used the words oil
her religious emotion 10 express the con-
iession Of adultery. She passed out,
leaving me there as II standing neither
upon nor under any words whatever,
perfectly empty OF emotions, just blasted.
As If 10 make her acknowledgment per-
feet and her confession absolute, she sent
up to me that written statement, and
then, as II she had done all, her spirit gave
way. Both Of us spent the night alone,
IN THE MIDST OF THIS NIGHTMARE.
"In the morning l went early TO my
office in the Brooklyn Union building,
and / could not write. Ifelt that Unjust
come TO some determination on this thing.
thought It over in all its relations; my
children, my home, his children, himself
my good name to BIO hereafter tattled
down the years, the peculiar nature OF
the victim, and her religious intensity,
Atlast | said: That mani Is growing old,
He has but q few years to live. will
punish him only to this extent, Elizabeth
shall.go and tell him that know from
her own lips what pattern OF Goodness
he Is, and that ! am living, suffering
sacrifice for his children as well as my
own l said, Yes, ! will be in my secret
sell q conquerer,
TWILL BE LIKE CHRIST"
Mr.. Tilton was now standing up. The
repuled resemblance he has borne 10 the
head Of the Christian sect seemed 10 me
no fiction, ss with his pure features, long
a8xen, curling hair, and largo, unimpas-
stoned eyes, he looked at me. He con-
tinued:
"For two weeks lived
KIND OF RcsTAcY.
walked the streets as II / scarcely touch
ed the ground. The greatness Of the
temptation 1had put away, the msgnsni.
nifty Of the lie was leading, the sacrifice
made me radiant, wrote without labor.
My occupation was more tasteful TO me
than II had ever been. II had killed
my wronger, or tainted him, or conspir-
So"
Tiltonf" :
"Ohl No man could keep IN that I'M
natural height There must have come
relapse. Domestic incidents, busipess
references to Beecher by my publisher, !
hundred indictments, brought me back tc
the world. There was the torture OF Inc
secret itself. lsaw, besides, that confess
sion had brough no true peace to my wife
THE SPILL HAD BEEN BROKEN
which attached her to me.
zone day Bowen came TO me and said
I want you 10 be more careful 10 praist
Plymouth Church In the Union. II Is
great power here 10 build up our pspel
on, You don't pay any attention to IT,
~ proke out passionately. Said I: q
will never mention Plymouth Church II
any line ! write, never cross Ia threshold
and never praise Mr.. Beecherr
"'Why 10 thar exclaimed Boven
You must know / never permitted him II
the lndspendsnt to give me any policy =
t%I 70 alter o. omit anything l wrote.