Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-09-04
THE BEEoHER INVESTIGATION.
Report Of the Committeo-mr. Beecher
Pronounced Innocent of Charges
Made Against Him.

~Irvol ma
TlyInouth Cnurcn (pIoohiyW.
densely packed on the evening OF inc
28th to listen to the report of the Beecher
Tovoetio.tinr % C,,, ,,;ttoa which ,vas re- ad
= W., ,SSVi eaV,S ~ 11 ~
III SUBSTANCE Us IoiloWS.
In conducting the investigation the committee
state that they had faithfully endeavored to make
It thorough and impartial and to obtain such
facts as were relevant to tho inquiry from all
attainable sources of evidence. For this purpose
they requested the attendance of a large number
of witnesses most of whom had testified before
the committee, one notable exception being Mr..
Francis B. Carpenter.
Mr. Moulton had promised to testify fully, but
had failed TO do so. He had submitted three
short statements in writing TO the committee,
Consisting chiefly Of the reasons why he declined
TO testify at the call of the committee.
In addition TO the evidence of the persons who
had testified, they had examined NUMBER OF let-
ters ana other documentary evidence Whlch WeIo
supposed TO relate TO the SUBJECT matter ol the
inquiry.
The committee state that the ofense as alleged
by Mr. Tilton during some four years and until
recently to numerous persons, in writing and
Otherwise, was an improper suggestion or solicit
tation by Mr. Beecber to Mrs 1iton but as timo
passed and purposes matured this charge was eu-
iarged to that OF adultery
The committee state that, after having given
the evidence the most careful consideration, they
find tberefrom that in 1861 Mr. Bcecher became
editor and Mr.. Tilton assistant editor Of tho
Independent, and during this relation were warm
and intimate friends, Mr.. Tilton urging Mr..
Beecher TO visit his house. very
friendly relation sprang up between tho
Continuing down to December, 1870. These
friendly relations were understood and cordially
approved OF by Mr. Tilton. Some years before
any open trouble appeared between Messrs.
Beecher and Tilton the latter's doctrines as set
forth in the IndeDendent, of which he had become
editor aroused SO much indignation and opposi-
tjon In the West as 10 lead to the starting OF the
ddydnce newspaper in Chicago. He CTilton) had
come 10 denv tbe insniration of the Scriptures
and the divinity of Christ and his So
ciai views had changed IN the direction
of free love these RELIGIOUS and social changes on
orief and sorrow 10 Mrs TiIton Mrs Tilton vol
untarily sought her pastor for counsel and gym
pathy and set forth in strong terms the suffering
her husband's course was causing her, IL ap2
pears that during these wears Mrs. Il. had become
strongly attached TO Mr. Beecher, and in july,
1870, Confessed to her husband an over-shadow.
ON or about the 10Th of December. 1870, Mrs.
TiIton separated from her husband, going with
Tor Mr. Rnecber and mnds to him n Statement of
bar snfYarjngs and tbe abnse which she had re-
ceiyed at The hands of her husband, which
oTeativ shocled Mr. Reecbar He asked and re-
seived permission to send to Mrs hilton his
Sjrc ,bpnsn in5,monf IN sncb matters he con.
side,,od bettSF tban bis own Snbseanently he
J IN With bis wife tbat IL was de-
s{rahia that Mr. Tilton shonld separate
from her husband Mr. Tilton however,
snhsocnsntlv forced his wife IN return 10 his
house by sending for. and obtaining possession
Of their YOUNGEST child who was sick with the
Sron,P her mot6er's honse The neIt day after her
ratnrn NO. On tho 5Itb sba sneared n miscar
rioca ,,ybinb rasn1ted In ser;ons iliness cnntin
ninS mill after the lat Of Januarv her physician
LIZ ~ dii attadenca o,S bar kon, ~ 5stb 70
tba 31th Of Dscember inclnsive Early in Decem.
her This wear. owing TO the marked change In Mr.
I'iifonS syaIitions and social Views Mr. Rowen
felt con .tra1ed 70 Give him notice that his sery
ices os editor Of The Tndenen1ent wonid terminate
at a dov named in tbe notice Subseuuentlv to
Ibis n6tice and on or abont The o0th Of December
Mr. Haven entered into a Contract with Mr. Til
Ton by which he was to be the editor of the Brook
iyn' D1Ht Tr1jon and chief contributor of the
Yn DuIy UtsVs auu SiSi S ~ t % do az
arter making This contract Mr.. Bowen received
snch Information of Tilton's immortality as
alarmed him and led to an interview between
himself TiIton and oliver Johnson at the house
of Mr. Haven on the 26th dav of December 1870.
At this interview Mr.. Tilton sought to retain his
nIoce and Mr. Bowen's confidence by Offering to
toin Bowen in an attack on Mr. Beecher.
This interview resulted in the letter writ
fen and signed by Mr. Tilton demanding
tba+ NJ NJ" Rearber Jsave Plvnontb mint and
BROOKLYN. On reading this letter, which was de-
iiyered by Mr.. Bowen Mr.. Beecher expressed his
denounced the writer. Mr.. Bowen then derded
the letter. and gave him some account of the rea-
sons why he had reduced Tilton from the editor
ship of the Independent to the subordinate
position of contributor, saving that Mr. Til
ions religious and social views were running the
paper. and that he was now considering whether
he could consistently retain him as editor of the
Brooklvn Union or chief contributor of the Inde-
DendeHi
They conversed for some time, Mr. Bowen
wishing Mr.. Beecher's opinion which was freely
given Mr. Beecher said he did not see how Mr..
Bowen could retain his relations with Mr. Tilton.
Mir. Bcccher spoke strongly of the threatening
letter and the revelation he had lust had CON
cernin@ Mr.. Tilton's domestic Affairs.
MIR. Bowen read the threatening letter and said
he Would stand bv Mr. Beecher. and he told Mr..
Tilton the next day of the conversation he had
Mr. Beecher, though he had no doubt that Til
ton would have lost his place, saw that his nnu.
ence was decisive and anticipated Tilton'S over
IT now appears that on the 2qth OF December
1870. Mr., Tilton having learned the advice Mr.
Raecber cave Mr. Bowen and which was likely Id
brino him face IN face with loss of Mace and no
sitionI extorted from his wife. then living in o.
miscarriage. a document implicating Mr. Beechel
"a document eyincino her love for her pastor and
pccnsing him of hayin, made an improner soIicits
ton. On the following day he sent Mouiton tc
Beeeher, requesting interview with Mr.. Beechel
accordinply met Tilton at Moulton7s house. TiI
ton received him with a memorandum in his
hand and nroceeded To CHARGE Mr. Reecher with
hSing nnfriendIy TO him. with seeking his
dow6GalI' spreadine Injurious r1mors
about him. Undermining him. and adj
vising Bowen to dismiss him; injurmg him in
his family relations, joining his (Tilton'sl
mother-in-law in producing discord in the house
advising separation, alternating his wifes a1ec'
tion from him, with gaining her love more thaI
virtue, with teaching her TO be lnsincere, lying
and hypocrtical, and ending by charging that he
mad made wicked proposals 10 ner. ditoh t In tneh
produced written paper purportlng to be
memorandum OF cOhiessloh made IN July
previous to hlm oy his vile OF her love for Mr.
Beecher' and that he had made proposals 10 hel
OF an impure nature. -, oo,,
Inc committee say II Is clear tnat on tne S9tn
day OF December, when the so,called mem0ran
dunn of confession was procured from Mre: Itlton
the chief melting cause OF that step on Illton's
part was his belief that Mr.: Beechel
had caused him the loss OF place, busi
ness and repute. Mr.. Beecher says this
charge OF impure proposals Iell upon MN llke
thunderboit; AT Mr.. lliton.s request Mr. Beechel
repaired with MN TO MS house, where ElizabetL a
was waiting Tor nlm' ana learned from her nps tht
truth OF the stories SO far as they concerned her
RMS interview resulted IN written reuacton o.
the charges Dy Mrs. Triton, VINO, IN sort OF OF
postscript to the retractlon, denied explicitly ina
Mr.. Beecher mad ever offered any improper sonc
ltatlons TO heri me next evening Mr, MoqltoI
calicu at MT beechers mousse anu eHposluialet
with him. for having obtained the retraction
sayinS IL In was was an ullIienpiy aCt, ant n
lhaI Mrs haH areHuy recantSu & the r
ana that mr; j. nau 9esuoyelu ms WIZ nI nis
papgr, 9l c0hiiessioni 1r' MVt9h II Cihinvu Ina
n d cUu M DO settIod & mithont va s1Ii ~
PAPSrs' anu tIat NJ PteeReI o9gnt 10 RHo up @ tn'
one ne nhu ne lhoultolJ Haue no thTeatsi Du