Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-10

proper advances and nothing else. Is it likely
If the main offense had been charged, Mr.. Beechel
would have been satisfied with anything short OF
retraction of that!
The committee say further on this point that
Mr.. Tilton in the last four years has many times
said, verbally and in writing. that the charge was
the lesser offense. This is important under the
rule that where complainant has made different
and inconsistent statements of an ofense which
he alleges, his credibility Is damaged and In
most cases destroyed. In manuscript prepared
by Mr. Tilton, which he called the true story
and which he was in the habit OF reading to
newspaper men, personal friends, and TO Others,
without, il would seem. much discrimination.
considering how anxious he professed himself to
be not to make known his secret, the ottense was
stated to be improper advances. The further fact
that Tilton treated the matter during four years
as an offense whicfpcoud be properly apologized
for and forgiven is wholly inconsistent with the
charge in its present form. Mr.. Titon. in his
written statement, complains that Mr.. Beecher
abused his (Tilton's) forgiveness. 1t Is believed
that no case of adultery on record can be pro-
duced where an injured husband, upon learning
of his wifes infdelity. kept the fact to himself
for six months and then, after private complaint
to the offending party, received and accepted an
apology for the otfense and declared II forgiven,
and this followed by a restoration OF courtesies
ana of friendship That the so-called apol-
ogy was not for the main offense of adultery
the committee say Tilton clearly proves in
his cross-examination when he states that
the day after the apology was. procured,
when he met Mr. Beecher at Mr. Moulton's room,
he (Beecher) burst out in an expression Of great
sorrow to me and said he hoped the communica-
ton which he had sent me by BY Mr.. Moulton
told Mr. Moulton he had done wrong, but not so
much as some others had-referring to his wife,
who had made statements to Mr.. Bowen that
ought to be unmade-and he there volunteered TO
write letter to Mr. Bowen correcting the facts
which he had misstated.' Here, say the commit
tee is clear light as TO what the apology does not
refer to-. 1t disposes of the apology forever as a
paper referring to adultery. 1t refers to nothing
of the kind. If the wrong done TO which Mr..
Beecher refers was adultery, how could these
words be used in reference to it: He had done
wrong, not so much as some othersg' Those
words and the apology are susceptible of but one
construction-they refer as Mr.. Beecher says, 10
his deep regret for statements which he
and his wife had, under certain informa-
ton, q few days before made to Mr.. Bowen
which led him to execute purpose already en-
tertalned Of removing Tilton from the Brooklyn
Union and the Independent. It appears also that
the next day Mr.. Beecher did write letter to
Mr.. Bowen, which Tilton says he volunteered to
write, and which is referred to in Tilton's bust
ness troubles with Bowen. Next consider Moul-
what was in his mind as well as in Tilton's, as
to the character of the offense. Ii Moulton I'M
derstood the charge to be adultery, then he Is en-
titled to the credit of invention or discovery that
this crime could be the subject of an apology and
q ready forgiveness or Cancellation on the part
of the offender and the injured husband. That
Moulton did not believe or understand that the
offense was adultery IL shown by the same class
Tilton.
In reply to Mr. Beecher's letter of June 1, 1873,
in which he says his mind was clear and that he
should write for the public a statement that
would bear the light of the judgment day, Mr..
Moulton first wrote these words: " Ii the truth
must be spoken, let 1t be. know you can stand
If the whole case was published Tomorrow.
Apparently fearing this might rather tend TO de-
termine Mr.. Beecher TO publish the whole case
than otherwise, he crossed out these and other
lines with a pencil and commenced anew. In
his art on he words
occur: " You can stand If the whole case were
published tomorrow"
The committee say Moulton was right in this
statement, and that the pity Is that Mr.. Beecher
did not publish such statement at once.
The committee here state their conclusion that,
IN view of the facts and circumstances before
them, the original charge of impure advances
was false. though it had been dropped by the
cusers and adultery had been substituted as an
afterthought. The committee brand this perform
ance as fraud that ought to end all controversy
Mr.. Beecher believed that for reasons Of malice
and revenge Mr.. Tilton was preparing to make
deadly assault upon him, and it was his supreme
duty TO prevent IT by all possible honorable
means. Moulton professed to deprecate Tilton's
purpose and declared If Mr.. Beecher would trust
him he could and would prevent 1t, and so now
began series of letters and steps, under the di-
rection and advice of the diplomatic and mutual
friend, having for their object as Mr. Beecher be-
lieved, the suppression of the scandal and the
in some measure, II practicable, of
Tilton to position of employment.
Speaking OF Mr.. Beecher's letters the commit
tee say much has been said, and not without
some justice, of their extraordinary words and
tenor, but in interpreting the letters 1t must be
that Mr.. Beecher, under the excite
ment of deep feeling uses strong words and emo
tional expressions, and that in this sore trouble,
he was dealing with Mr.. Tilton, who had shown
himself at times tickle, malicious, revengeful and
mercenary. In the light of these facts there Is
not letter from Mr.. Beecher nor an act OF his,
however ill-judged, through these four years of
NJ Nipf uripf ~ pd
upon the plain theory that he was fighting to sup
press an outrageous scandal which consisted of
a false accusation against him. made by reputa-
Bile woman and further. that he was endeavoring
TO help man whom he felt he had unduly injured
In business matters upon representations which
he was made to believe, chiefly by Moulton, were
not well founded.
The committee here alluded to the fact that
Mrs. Titon, as her domestic troubles came on, be-
gan to look more than ever TO her pastor for SYM
patty and advice, and consider il not unlikely
that her feelings toward Mr.. Beecher became 20
strong TO diminish the proper influence that
belongs TO every good husband.
The committee express regret at two errors
into which il Is apparent Mr.. Beecher fell. They
feel that in his threatened troubles the pastor
should have sought counsel from Christian men
of his own brotherhood rather than rely upon
the counsel of man of whom he knew SO little,
and whose character, az the sequel proved. he so
sadly misjudged. They also think that in view
of the surrounding circumstances Mr. Beecber
erred In not guarding so closely nj relations s
be no possibility for fear In his own mind
even of an undue affection by Mrs. Tilton for him
through any needless friendship or agency OF his.
The committee allude TO Mr. Tilton's statement
before them that his home was one of unusual
and say that on his cross-examination
1t clearly appears that 1t was anything but happy
or harmonious home. They then cite Mrs. Tiltons
evidence on this point and say her account OF the
domestic misery in the Tilton family is eorrobo,
rated by the testimony OF several witnesses, and
very fully by Miss Elizabeth A. Turner, who Is
now twenty-three years of age and was an inmate
of the family eighty years.
The committee then ask: Will innocent men,
and especially clergymen, night as Tor their iiFes
10 suppress an injurious scandal. even though IL
be born of extortion, falsehood and revengef
This question had been too often answered by
history In the affirmative. IL was easy to wonder
that Mr. Beecher should trust such men az Til
ton and Moulton, now that their characters are
known and the committee felt like visiting the
seyerest censure upon Mr.. Beecher for imperiliDg
the precious interests confded TO him through
the confidence reposed in them
The charge made by the accuser IL easily pre-
ferred and not easily disproyed II 10 not enongh
for the accuscr 10 say: II make this CHARGE
now let il be disproved or taken a. confessed.
All tribunals have required, in determining the
truth or falsity Of such charges, such proof OF
facts and circumstances az point unmirtakaDy
to the guilt of the accused ~ are not con-
sistent with any theory of innocence. The COM
mittee then cite "Greenleaf on Evidence" 10
.ub.tantiate the proposition. and then go on
10 say that there Is nothing whatever disclosed
by the evidence that proves that the ac-
clsed parties have ever been found together I'M
der sris nicious circumstances. such In some