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

Beecher.TlltOn trouble could not
have been settled without coming
30 prominently before the public. 1t
has now become so common a topic of
conversation that in justice to all
parties the press must give full
account of all that transpires. BE
low is the substance of
TILToN's STORY.
The sworn statement of ThcO-
dore TiltOn regarding the scandal
between himself and Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, which he read be-
fore the Beecher investigation com
mittee, was made public, notwith-
standing the announced agreement
between him and the committee to
withhold it from publication till the
close of the investigation. 1t is
preceded by a letter to the commit
tee ofinvestigation, which concludes
as follows: l call you to witness
that, in my first brief examination
by your committee, l begged and
implored you not to inquire into the
facts of this case, but rather to seek
to bury them beyond all possible
revelation. Happy for all concern
ed had this entreaty been needed.
1t is now too late. The last oppor.
tunity for reconciliation and settle
ment has passed. This investiga-
ton, undertaken by you in ignorance
of the dangers against which Mr..
Beecher should have warned you in
advance, will shortly prove itself to
your surprise to have been an act of
wanton and wicked folly, for which
the Rev. Mr.. Beecher, as it's origin
ator and public sponsor, will here
after find no space for repentance,
though he seek it carefully and with
tears. This desperate man must
hold himself only, and not me, ac-
cOuntable for the wretchedness
which these disclosures will carry to
his own home and hearth, as they
have already brought to mine.
Then follows the arrangement of
Mr.. Beecher in twenty-five counts,
making six close columns of print,
in which are published much docu-
mentary evidence, and he close with
the following
INDICTMENT,
Finally, that, in addition to the
foregoing facts and evidences, other
combinations could be adduced, if |
needed, to prove the following re-
capitulated statement, namely, that
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, as
the pastor and friend of Mr.. Tilton
and his family, trespassed upon the
sanctity of friendship and hospitali-
ty in long endeavor to seduce Mrs.
Elizabeth r. Tilton; that by the art
full use of his priestly authority
with her, she being his pupil in re-
ligion, he accomplished this seduc-
ton ; that for year and a.half or
thereabout, he maintained criminal
intercourse with her, overcoming
her previous modest scruples against |
such conduct by investing it with
false justification, as sanctioned by |
love and religion that he then par
ticipated in a conspiracy to degrade
Theodore Tilton before the public
by the loss of his place of business
and repute; that he abused Mr..
Tilton's forgiveness and pledge of
protection by thereafter authorizing
a series of measures by Plymouth
having for their object the
putting of stigma upon Mr.. Til.
ton before the church, and also be-
fore an ecclesiastical council, inso-
much that the moderator of that
interpreting these acts by
Mr.. Beecher and his church, declar-
ed publicly that they showed Mr..
Beecher to be the most magnani-
nous of men, and Mr.. Tilton to be
knave and dog; that when Mr..
Elton thereafter, not in malice, but
or self-prOtection, wrote letter to
Dr.. Bacon, abiding therein to an
,ffense and apology by the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, he (Mr.
3eeoher) defantly appointed COM
nittee of his church members to in.
Iuire into the injury done him by
Ir. Tilton by the aforesaid allusion,
nd implying that he (Mr. Beeeher)
lad never been the author of such
ffense and apology, and that Mr..
Elton was Il slanderer; that to
make this inquiry bear previously
gainst Mr.. Tilton he (Mr. Beecher)
previously connived with Mrs. Il.
;. TiltOn to give false testimony in s
lis (NIr. Beechers) behalf that '
lr. Beecher's course toward Mr..
'iltOn and family has at last result |
d in an open destruction of Mr.. {
'i!ton's household and home, and
l the desolation of his heart and I
fe. THEODORE TILToN,
Sworn to before me, this Goth day v
f July, 1874. v
THEODORE BURGMAsTER, notary
ublic. I
After Iilton had read his state T
ent to the committee, he was cross. "
Iamined at considerable length. O
he more important facts elected S
7 the examination are given below. a
fter giving an explanation of the Ii
eecher-B Owen.Tilton trouble, and :.
hich resulted in the latter being -