Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-08-01

Beecher to DR.. Sbrrs; showed DR..
Storrs u letter wlch Elizabeth and
himself wrote, al which ne still
preserved. E.s
Did not chargeI3eecher with any
offence at all. Elizabeth stated
that. & i"
10 the questid how was the Of
fence stated, 1Iton replied: cit
began in this w$ =; that on q GER
tain day in the hmmer OF 1870, she
had informed nd husband that Mr..
Beecher had asAd her to be u wife
to him, together with al that this
implies. She w very solicit0us to
make it appear hat she did not ac-
cept his proposition, ant happily in
reading it, those who say it natur-
ally inferred that she did not accept
his proposition. 1t was a perfectly
correct statement.
Witness read the statement to
Beecher, who objected t. it, and he
made no furtheruse of l.. He how
ever prepared , document on his
relations to Bowen, in which Eliza
beth's letter, ii was stated, as well
as the letter Of apology which he
put in. not wishing to make the Of
fence more than that, was solicitous
not to have tho worst of the case
known. This vas also read to DR..
Storrs to whom the witness went
in great distress wanting counsel.
Q.-And 80 to get correct counsel
you misstated the case.
Yes. 1t was a statement
necessary t. be made after Mrs.
Woodhulps statement. l was out
of town aid the thing had filled the
country, snd Beecher had taken no
notice of it. 1t was seven or eight
days old, and L. went to DIR. Storrs
for counsel. He asked me about
the story. l said: ''Do not ask
me for that" He said: "Give Inc
some facts by which l can Judge.
Give me that which can be proved"
So / gave an account of my affairs,
very largely about Mrs. Woodruff,
and so on. The origin of that doc
unent was seeking for something
that would put before the public a
plausible answer to the Woodruff
tale. and conceived that by a chain
Of facts we might perhaps explain
il away. l read it to Mr.. Reecher
and he burst into long sigh and l
saw that he would not or could not
stand upon it, and Elizabeth burn
I'd or tore it to pieces.
Q.-Have you not frequently as
serted the purity of your wife i?
A.-NO. have always made a
strange technical use of words. 1
nave always used words that con.
7eyed that impression. have tax
IN pains to say that she was a de-
'oted Christian woman that neces-
'arily carried the other. 1t was
ike the document that l carried to
DR.. Storrs. | do not think he
taught the idea of that statement
Us he took it. l do not think that
t covered the whole. l have said
hat Elizabeth was a tender, deli
,ate, kindly, Christian woman, which
think she is.
Q.-Have not you stated she was
)ure ?
A.-NO.
Q.-Have you not stated that she
vas as pure as an angel?
A.-No. Mr.. Halliday says l
'aid that he asked me in Mrs. Brad
'haw's presence whether or not l
lad not said that my wife was as
'ure as gold. "No," l said, "Mr.
Halliday, because the conversation
% which you allude was this; |
aid go and ask Mr.. Beecher him.
elf, and he will say that she is as
'ure as gold ; it Is an expression
Which he used"
l have sought to give Elizabeth
good character, have always
wanted to do so. [ think she de-
erves a good character. think
he is better than most of us-het-
er than | am. do not believe in
oint of actual maral goodness, bar.
ing some drawbacks, that there is
n this company so white a soul as
Elizabeth Tilton.
Q.-Did you not state that in
ubstance to one or more of the
with whom you were
AIN substance, yes and l !
tate it now, but did not use the
hrase that she had never violated
er chastity.
Odd you not say that she was
ure?
A.--No.
Odd you not use expressions
hich you intended to be under
God as meaning the purity of the
oman?
Al did exactly. There are
ANY ways in which you can pro-
nee such impressions, and l have
ritten this document to produce
le same impression.
Witness relations and feelings t O.
ard Beecher since January I. 1871,
hen he made the apology, down to
re time when the church began to
1t out it's right hand and take wit.
sss by the throat, were friendly.
hey were friendly in the sense that
were not In collision with each
her, but were not those of friend
lip. Witness had taken Beecher's
'OlOgy, and given his word that