The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-27
THE BEECHER SCANDAL,
Friday Evening Prayer Meeting
at Plymouth Church.

Friday Fvening Prayer Meeting
at Plymouth Church.
AN ATTEMPT TO INTERVIEW MR.
BREOHER.
He Promises to Mako Things Plain
In Good Time.
General Butler Advised Against the
Exposure.
NBw YORK, July 25.-At the session
Of the Plymouth Church Investigating
Committee last evening Oliver johnson
testified In relation to the interview be-
tween himself and Mr.. Tilton In Decem.
Der, 1870. In this interview Tilton re-
lated, and johnson said he heard It for
the first time, the complaints about
Beechers conduct toward him. Tilton
spoke Of Beecher having alienated the
love OF his family from him, and other.
wise having injured him in his business
relations. But there was no allusion OF
that. time to any such charge as that Of
adultery. Hence in his letter Of 1873
johnson did not refer to any charge Of
adultery.
There was q good attendance at the
usual weekly prayer meeting last night ;
but several OF the best known members
OF Plymouth Church were absent. The
hymns given out were consolatory in
their tendency, and In the prayers the
warmest sympathy for the suffering pas
tor and most earnest solicitations for his
safe deliverance, were expressed.
Rev. Mr.. Halliday, the assistant pastor,
closed the services by giving ont the
hymn, "Mid scenes Of confusion and crea.
ture complaints" which was sung with
considerable feeling, After the benedic.
ton had been pronounced and the men,
bers gathered in groups, Mr.. Halliday re.
marked, so that all might hear, " sup
pose you are all anxious to hsar how
Brother Beecher is tonight left him
only an hour and a half ago, and he Ia in
admirable spirits, and l believe weighs
more than he has for year." Halliday
said later that he tried to get Beecher 10
attend the meeting, but the beloved pas
tor was too busy and hurried. Being
asked II Beecher was still preparing his
statement, Halliday replied, Probably !;
! don't know but he has It already pre-.
pared" The next session Of the Investi.
eating Committee will be held on Mon
day next.
= The Committee Of the Plymouth
Church, which is making an investiga.
tion into the great scandal, was not in
session to day.
An effort to interview Mr.. Beecher this
morning resulted in obtaining from him
only the declaration that the charges were
absolutely false, and that he would. In
good time, make that apparent. He
added that he was entitled to the right
accorded to ordinary criminals at least
the right Of being heard before being con.
demned.
MIR. Tracy, of the counsel conducting
the case before the committee in the in.
terest Of Mr, Beecher, says: "Mr. Beech.
er's fault was venial, the stupidity that
induced concealment was damnable."
General Butler says he has no connec.
tion with the case; is not counsel for Mr..
Tilton or Mr.. Moulton, but cannot speak
Of the future. OF Mr.. Tilton's statement
the General adds: II think It q most un-
fortunate thing that it should ever have
been made public. ! advised very strongly
against It's being given to the world. Il
Is most unfortunate thing"
Mrs. Tilton says Of the production oil
her statement denying the allegations oil
her husband, that she closeted herself
alone at 10 o'clock at night, and spent
until 8 CLOCK next morning in preparing
that document, She aiterward read 1t to
Mr.. Overington, and the only alterations
not made BY herself were some grammati.
cal changes and alterations Of punctua-
ton. Being asked If she intended to oc-
cupy the old home, In Livingston street,
Mrs. Tilton replied that so many mel.
ancholy associations are connected with
the place that she breads the effect they
might produce on her mind and heart.
She expresses her entire confidence in q
favorable result OF the present investiga.
tion.
STATEMENT BY GEN. TRACY-PRINcrPA1
POINTS AZ GIVEN BY TIE COMMITTEE.
NRw YORK, July 2e.-The Tribune
furnishes the cross examination OF MIR.
Tilton before the Beecher Investigating
Committee. It is pretaced by the follow.
ing letter from Mr.. Sage:
"Mr. Tilton's direct testimony having
been published without the knowledge or
consent ot the committee Of investigation
and fragmentsry and inaccurate reports
OF his testimony, under the cross examina.
tion, having been published by means un.
known TO the committee and without its
consent, whereby Il is said that Mr.. I'll.
ton feels that an injury has been done
him; 1t Ia believed that In fairness 10 all
parties the whole Of Tilton's testimony
should be made public at once. t.i
-' -sEGi 8. w. SAGE, Chairman"
BRooKLYN, July 25--The testimony
makes ten columns Of the Tribune. The
following are the principal points Of in.
terest: "Sheet Gin answer to ques.
tions by Gen. Tracey, Mr.. Tilton said he
could not give the date Of the transaction
which he said he witnessed at Mr.. Beech.
er's house at the time Of the examination
of the engraving. His vile continued to
attend Plymouth Church after the trans
action, but not regularly. q About
the time he ceased to be the
editor Of the Independent he made
distinct allegation to Bowen against Mr..
Beecher OF the offence he had committed
against him, and the letter was agreed on
between him and Bowen, demanding
that Mr.. Beecher should Quit Plymouth