Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-09-02

f:lir conclusion 10 be drawn from Monl;on :
le:t..r of J IN. |. to Mr.. Brecher ii
knew that Mr. Berchrr had been falsely
accused of i'm purr advances. and that he
desired in his inmrst soul to suppress
the scandal. vet, if the simple truth wrr,
published, he coul,l stand. Knowing this.
he sail SO. Whatever Mo'Iltnn may say
now. since his malice has been excite by
certain exposures, is of lit, lie consequence
He now openly stands with TillOn whore
he has >eci etlv been from the beginning.
We conclude, therefore. in view of these
facts and circlm ,trncc>, thit the original
ch,rge of impure advances, ftlse thougl:
It was. has been dropped by these accusers.
and adultery, ut this late dtv. has been
substituted rs IN if.rrthought. We brand
this performance rs Il fraud ihtt ought to
end all controversy rs 10 the innocence of
Mr.. Bsechrr,
The committee, in referring To Beecher :
depression in December, 1870. at the
thought that he had e>tranTed Mrs. Til:on
from her husband, says: The pastor should
have sought counsel from the Christian
men of his own broth,-rhood. rather IN IN
to rely upon the counsel of the min Moul-
ton. Of whom he knew so little. and who's
character he 50 sadly mi- Judged. AMI il is
also apparent from Mr.. Bcechrr> own
statement tn I he erred in not guarding 50
closely his relations with the f:tmilv OF
Tilton that there could be no possibility
for tear in his own min even of an undue
affection by Mrs.. Tilton for him through
any needless friendslipo or agency of his.
Mr.. Tilt0n. in Lis statement before the
committee, speaks of h;> home :,s one Of
unusual hirmonv-an ideal home: bu =.
upon croS>-eXaminltiun. it clearly appear
eel that it wa> ANYTHING bat Il harmonious
home. The truth rs 10 thus is material.
both rs affecting Tiltnn cr-'libllitv ant
AS showing the character of Mrs. Illton :
domestic troubles. and tbs influences that
reached her daily life. Her painful testi-
monv reveals Il Jealous husband, accusing
her of intiieiie> with different men and
eXerting 4 sensual influence upon all.
She declares thtt her husband had fire.
qucntlv compelled her when sick 10 copy.
OF from his dlcttlion write, confessions
which She herself did not understand. and
in her dcsplring condition of mind cared
little about At times he threatened her,
locked her up. and declared himself
ashamed Of her presence when among
friends whose society was more attrtc I'VE
10 him. Her account reveals him fall of
, selfish eNaction>, indifferent to her wants.
neTlectful in her Illness. forcing d iSrepIt,-
hlt women into her society. till sometimes
she fled tor peace to the graves of her
children. Mrs. Tilton de, ltrt> her hu--
band did not hesitate to ;lvuw hI> right to
commit adultery on his ltrturny tours.
whenever he chose. And vet in season
and out of season, we find this man dr.b-
bling out hi> charges of dish nor ;,uain>,
his wife. | his is Il dismal rcyelt ion Fl ON
thc Ideal home. but one cannot read /.
and believe it possible lhtt She has in
. vented this recital Of her husbands char
tcter and life
This account of the domestic misery o.
the Til on family is corroboratcd 10y tll'
testimony of >'.Vtrtl Witnesses. and VERY
? fully by Miss liz beth \. Turner. VIII" i:
now 2j years OF are. and WIS IN INN II
of the family for -i.h: Years. This youn-
Woman is 4 teacher of music in 4 i, .ic>
sem nary in Pennsylvania, Slc is 4 per
i son of unusual intrlli igence. and her ap
. p,.:,rancc and manner before the conmt &c
, impressed all who hrar.l h T. testify thu
she WIS sincere and reliable arA wei
{, understood the flc,S Of which >he VA
y. taking
I source Of the scandal. then, is III
| :,llegel wurl> of Ms. Iilion. which >h
e\pl ,in> in such L manner ;t> 10 dep ~,
the allegation of all force an credit. Tncl
comes Mr.. Brecher. who -ol,mlv declare
= til It whttcVtr words. bv whatever Means
have been drawn from Mrs. Tiltun by he
- husband. he is innocent IF any an all i'm
: proprrty toward her. whether relating Il
il improper advances or to adultery. Ii i
{ not for the committee to defend the coHr-
! of Mrs Tilt m. Her conduct. upon. an
: theory Of human responsibility. is in,Irten
I sihlr. Our hope is that il may be marl
! clear. :,- the testimony affords much re-.
son To .tlievc il may he. that this ,i>trrs>e
e woman WIS so controlled bv her design
II inc husband. wien beset in states of min
/ differing little. if 1T al. from mental ,brr
{ ration. brought on bv illness and dome>ti
i" sorrow and gloom. a> to induce her. :
i least pa>slvelv. TO make Il charge OF in
l. proper advances hv Mr Beccher hat whe
her attention was pointcdlv called To tn
great wrong she had done. She qrictlv too
~ it back in SORROW and ptniience lS fu
-. lows
DECEMBER 80. l>1o.
II Wtarcd with importuniiv. ana veal
N entd by sickness. gave Il letter implic:
Il. ting my friend Henry Ward Bteche
T. under assurance that that would rem"y
II all difficulties between me and nv hu>bar
4 Thlt letter | now revoke | WAS persuade
r. to it. almost forced. when | WAS in 4 we;,
is encd state of mind. regret il and rec,
>, all its statements. f.. X. IILToN.
10 | desire to say. explicitly. that NJ
!, Bcechcr has never offered any improp
re >olicitions to me. but has always treat,
IA me in n manner becoming 4 Christian N
10 a gentleman ELIZABETH K TILTuN
There is medical testimony before II
ne committee, given by two eminent phys
er cians, Drs Minton and Corey. to the eff
n that such cases of mental power and don
e> nation bv Il husband of strong will over
y wife Weakened bv disease and dome>t
as trouble are not infrequent DR.. Core
ne who is eminent, and hi,s had large eNpel
lis cnce in mental diseases and phenomcn
Is saws: Such conduct on the part of Mr.
te Tllton, when subjected to the iniluenc
ar referred TO, is even consistent with an ho
III est mind
ie We have now reviewed as briefly ~ v
IN could the evidence before Us. There III
~ many facts and details we have not iii
ne cussed. We have cited the more impo
St tant of these and discussed the saliel
e' points. We have carefully examined II
le evidence relied on by the accuser to sust;l
II " the charges we are asked to believe.
e.
le Finally, who is this accuser that he max
60 so bold IL face? We may learn from II
n. testimony as well us by common rcpol
NJ. without descending to unpleasant partic
nj lars or personalities, that Theodore Tilt,
has in recent years been il very dlftere
r. MAN from what he was formerly reput'
"a to be. He will hardly deny that, both b
-. fore and after his espousal of the ne
d. marital philosophy, signs of dcgcnera'
or were setting in which have made HIM
90. discredtable man in this community.
the new role his elimination and downf,
/. are well stated in recent words by IN al
no ~, II, ,rnca-c of tima he Comes /