Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-27
Synopsis Ofthe Plymouth Church
Report.

NEW YORK, August 23.--Tte Her
aid gives the following as synopsis Of
the forthcoming report of the Ply
mouth Church investigating Commit
tee: The report is somewhat lengthy.
The document Is given As if it were in
two En,rtS-one mere review of the
evidence ana the other giving the con-
ciusions of the committee. Of course
these are all in favor of Mr.. Beecher.
| The Statement of Theodore Tilton is
| first taken up and gone over by piece
meal, ami each main allegation set
plainly forth without verbiage, the
principal being given of course to the
alleged criminal commerce between
Mr.. Beecher and MIR. Tilton's wife.
This is compared with the statement
in the cross examination and the Ter
givAIsation there used. 1t is shown
that the statements of what is now
known rs 1.-The ankle SceDe' are not
supported By the evidence of the per-
son who claims to have been witness
TO it, inasinuCh as he could not swear TO
its taking place at any particular per-
iOd daring term OF nine years.
J The report then goes on to review
| TiitOn', allegations of personal chastity
! ana claim Of high moral character COM
pared with the evidence of other rer-
sons as TO his alleged corrupt practices
and criHinally immoral conduct--no-
tably in the ease of the girl known as
Bessie Turner, whose evidence is given
to show Ia Tilton has stated himself
to be what he is not. TherefrOm is de-
,idct.A, IL charge of perjury, showing
that Tiitua ot;ueS under oath in one in
Al fn1
other, the ct inInittee giving as con-
cltsiOn To this particular branch of the
subject The rule in law that the entire
4 Testimony OF any one shown to have
/ committed perjury is worthless. The
report then goes on to review the testi-
rnony of several uninpOrtant witness
es, among them Mrs. Stanton, coming
at length to the crOsS-eXaminatiOn oil
Mrs. Tilton, giving her accusations OF
brutality and infidelity against Tilton;
still further showing distinct cOntradic-
tions of Tilton's accusations. Mrs. Til.
tons evidence is also quoted, giving
her denial as having ever had criminal
intercourse with her pastor and her
own explain ,tiOns of several of the
most prominent portions of her letters.
From this the report proceeds, with the
short statement of Frank MOulton'S, aa
given to Committee, and dismisses ii
briefly a5 having made nc charges
against any body.
Finally. the Beecher statement itself
taken, contrISted with several of the
more serious portions of Tilton's, shows
that circumstances in themselves dam
aging were in reality easily capable OF
eXpInnation. After this review, Civ
ing in detail the more prominent cpl
sodts Of the entire controversy, the re-
port sums up the whole matter, pro
and con, showing Oh one hand man
Istanding before the whole world with p
lgreat reputation for spotless purity OF
character or moral worth, and on the
; other, IA man of proven bad and crimi-
nal character, the latter making accu
sations against the former. The one
with nothing to prove his story except
IL person Il allegation, proven in part tC
hs a perjury, and supported by Sc mt
letters, which may mean dozen things
but the one ;f,e,tning given to them
This story is .!"nied by all having any
connection with the matter but one
: With the Gircu Instances, "a we'll as The
burden of proof, all are on one side
The other unsupported by anything
bat bad character the Committee fnd'
that Henry Ward Beecher is not guilt!
of the charges preferred against him
1t is probable short paragraph may
be added to the report noticing brief,
the failure of Moulton to bring any
new evidence to bear on the subject
which can in the slightest alter thi
conclusions the Committee have come
f.,