The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-28
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL TUESDAY JULY % 1874

great distress, saying that what she had
meant for peace had only given pain and an
guish: that Beecher had first called on her,
declaring that she had slain him, and that
probably he would be tried before a council
of ministers unless she would give him
written PIPER for his protection; where
upon, she said, he dictated to her and she
! copied in her own handwriting suitable pa
per for him to use to clear himself before
council of ministers. Mrs. t. having kept no
copy of this paper, her husband
asked her TO make distinct statement in
writing of her design and meaning in giving
it, whereupon she wrote as follows:
DECEMBER 80, 1870, MIDNIGHT.
My DEAR HUsBAND:-I desire to leave
with you before going to bed
upon me this evening and asked me
it 1 would defend him against any
accusation in a council of ministers, and
1 replied solemnly that would in case the
accuser was any other person than my
husband, he II. w. b. dictated letter
which copied as my own to be used by him
as agains. any other accuser except my
husband. This letter was designed to vim
dictate Mr.. Beecner 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
December 20, bad struck him dead and
ended his usefulness You and / are
pledged to do our best to avoid publicity
God grant speedy end to all further ankle
ties. Affectionately, ELIZABETH.
On the next day, namely, December 81,
| 1870, Moulton. on being informed by Tilton
OF the above named transaction by Beecher
called on him (Beecher) at his residence and
told him that a reconciliation seemed sud-
denly made impossible by 8eecher's nefari-
Gus act in procuring the letter which Mrs.
Tilton had thus been improperly persuaded
to make falsely. BeecLer promptly, through
Moulton, returned the letter to Triton with
an expression of shame and sorrow for hav-
ing procured it in the manner he did. The
/ letter was as follows:
DECEMBER, so, 1870.
Nearied by importantly and weak
ened by sickness. / gave LET
ter duplicating my friend H. w. Beecher,
under assurances that that would remove
all difficulties between me and my husband.
That letter 1 now revoke. Twas persuaded
ened state of mind. 1 regret and recall all
my statements. (Signed) Z. r. TILToN.
desire to say thrt Mr.. Beecher has never
offered any improper solicitation, but has
always treated me in a manner becoming a
christian and gentleman.
(Signed) ELIZABETH r. TILToN.
At the time of Beecher's returning the
above document to Tilton through Moulton,
Beechei requested Moulton to call at his
| residence in Columbia street, on the next
day, which he did on the evening of Jan. |,
1871. A long interview then ensued, in
which Beecher expressed TO Moulton great
contrition and remorse for his previous GRIM
inality with Mrs. Tilton, taking to himself
the shame for having misused his sacred Of
flee TO corrupt her mind, expressing deter
mination to kill himselfin case of exposure,
and begging Moulton to take pen and
receive from his (Beecher's) lips an apology
to be conveyed to Tilton, in the hope that
| TIah
giveness. The apology which Beecher die
tated TO MOulton was as follows:
In trust with +. ID. Moulton. NY dear
friend Moulton. ask through you Theodore
Tiltons forgiveness. | humble myself be-
fore him as do before my God. He would
have been better man in my circum-
stances than / have been. L can ask
nothing except that he will remember
all the other breasts that would acne. will
not plead for myself; even wish that were
dead. But others must live TO suffer. i
shall die before any but myself shall be in
culpated. All my thoughts are running
out toward my friends and towards the poor
child lying there and praying with her
folded hands. She is guiltless, sinned
againat bearing the transgression of anoth-
er. Her forgiveness have, | humbly pray
to God to put into the heart of her husband
to forgive me. L have trusted this to Moul-
ton in confidence.
(Signed,) HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
In the above document the last sentence
and signature are in the hand writing of the
Rev. III. w. Bsecher. Eleventh, that Mrs.
1ilton wrote the following letter to friend:
la LIVINGSTON ST., BROOKLYN,
January 5, 1871.
DEAR FRIENDS: \ crnel conspiracy has
been formed against my husband, in which
my mother and Mrs. Beecher have been the
chief actors. Yours Truly.
ELIZABETH TILroN.
18th that in the following month, Moul-
ton wishing to bind Tilton and Beecher by
mutual expressions of good spirit elected
from them the following correspondence:
BROOKLYN, February Z, 1871.
Mr. DEAR FRIEND: In several converse
lions with you, YOU have asked about my
feelings toward Beecher, and yesterday you
said the time had come when you would
like to receive from me an expression of the
cheerfully, that Notwithstanding the great
suffering which he has caused to Elizabeth
and myself, bear him no malice, shall do
him no wrong, ST. discountenance every
project, by whomsoever proposed, for any
exposure of her secret to the public; and, If
know self at all, shall endeavor to act
toward Mr.. Beecher as | would have him, in
similar circumstances, act toward me.
ought to add, that your own good Offices in
this case have led me to higher moral feel
ings than might otherwise have reached.
Ever yours affectionatiately,
THEODORE Triton.
On the same day Beecher wrote to Moul-
ton the following:
FEBRUARY Z, 1871.
My DEAR FRIEND MoULToN:-I am glad
to send you a book, etc. Many, many
friends has God raised up to me, but to no
one OF them has he ever given the oppor-
tunity and the wisdom to serve me as you
have. You have also proved Theodore's
| friend and Elizabeth's. Does God look down
upon three unhappier creatures that more
need friend than these? Is it not an init
nation of Gods intent of mercy to all that
each of one of these has in you a true and
proved friend. But only in you are we
thus united, would to God, who orders
all hearts that by his kind mediation, Theo-
dore, Elizabeth and / could be made friends