The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-08-20
MOULTON'S STATEMENT
The committee furnish the following
report OF the statement made by Mr..
MOulton on the night of The 10th:

report OF the statement made by MIR.
Moulton on the night of the 10th:
GENTLEMEN er THE COMMITTEE When l was
last before You stated that | would, mt your
quest produce such documents a. | had, md
make such statement of facts rs had come To my
knowledge on the subject of your inquiry. |
fully intended so 10 do. and have prepared my
statement Of facts as sustained by the documents
and made an exhibition of all the papers that
have come in any way into my possession hear
ing on the controversy between the parties.
That statement must, of course, bear with
more or less force upon one or the other of
them. On mature reflection, aided by the
advice OF my most valued friends, have
reconsidcrcd that determination, and am Obliged
to say to you that feel compelled. from sense
Of duty to the parties, To my relation to their
troyersy. and 10 myself, neither to make the
statement nor to produce the documents. When
versy between Mcssrs. Bcechcr aud Tifton | had
no personal knowledge nor any documents in ms
possession which could affect either Every
thin" that | know of fact, or have received of
papers. has come to me in the most sacred CON
iidcnce, to be used for the purpose OF composing
and settling all difficulties between them,
knowledge Of their private affairs be-,
ing brought to public notice For this pnrpose,
all their matters have been intruStcd TO me AID
for none other II ! should now use them 1t
would be not for the purpose of pcac. and recon
ciation, but To voluntarily axe part in contfo-
yer-y which they have seen iii 10 renew between
themselves, How faithfully, earnestly and hon
cstly have laborcd to do my duty to the parties
To settle for myself and no other is NOW, ought
to do anything to aid either party in renewed con-
troversy by the use of that which | received and
have used only 10 promote harmony On my
honor and conscience | think | ought not, aud,
at the risk of whatever of misconstruction and
vitupcraiion may come upon me, must adhere
to the dictates of my own judgment and preserve
al least my own scfrespect. | call attention
again to the fact that yours is mere voluntary
tribunal, and that whatever do here is done by
voluntary and not compelled witness. Whether
ht
pei the production of testimony and stait'-
! meat of fact ! shall eyer produce these ,
statements. ! reserve to myself to judge of the
emergency which hope may never come against
my wish, | never have been in sympathy
with renewal of this conflict. part OF these
documents have been given to the public. In :"
far confidence in regard To them has ceased. IL
is bu Just, therefore. aud due to the parties, that
the whole of those documents portions of which,
only have been given, shall he put into your
hands. In response to the thrice renewed re
quest of the committee | have, therefore,
copies of them, which ] produce here and
place in the hands of the committees with
the hope and request that, after they
have been examined by them, they may
be returned 10 me. II any controversy
shall arise TO the authenticity of the copies or
of the documents on that point shall hold my
self tpcn 10 speak in defense Of my OWN honor
and the upfishtncss OF my course IN aii
this unfortunate and unhappy business, Of the
purity and candor of which appeal 10 the con
sciences of both parties io sustain me. do NOT
propose. and hope ! may never be called upon
hereafter, to speak either to the facts In pro
ducc any paper that have received from either
of the parties involved herein.
(Sgned,j FRANCIS ID. MouLToN.
After reading this statement Moulton
was subjected to u brief cross eXamina-
tion, in the course of which he reiterated
his readiness to establish the authenticity
of the letters, copies Of which he had
submitted to the committee, and also eS-
pressed his readiness to submit the orig
inals to the examination of a member
or members Of the committee. lie fur
ther refused to give any more evidence
or submit any other documents than such
| us were referred to by Mr.. Tilton in his
| statement before the committee
Mr.. Winsow, member of the com
| mittee, was, on motion, authorized by the
committee to go with Mr.. Moulton and
examine the originals and verify the
documents submitted.