The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-24

,rhe committees Answer.

The following from one of the inyesti
eating committee, and a member OF Ply
mouth church. is the nearest official reply
so far received to the statement made by
Mr. Tilton. His reply contains. as will be
seen, certain amount Of special pleading,
but as its leading points are, it is alleged,
to be borne out by Mrs. Tilton, who con-
fessed to her husband that she had com
mlted adultery with Mr.. Beecher, but he
(Tlton) said nothing about it until Decem-
Der of the same year. Mr. Tilton con
tlnucd during all the time TO attend
Beecher's church.
On December % the sworn statement Of
Mrs. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher is as note
according to the statement, Tlton admits
he knew that Mr.. Beecher was endoavorng
to corrupt Mrs. Tilton. She had told her
husband so. Nevertheless he took no steps
to prevent Mr.. Beecher paying frequent
visits to her, or in any way showed that he
felt Mr.. Beecher was doing him wrong.
From his own statement it appears that on
July 30, 1870, Mrs. Tilton confessed to
her husband that she had committed adul-
terry with Mr.. Beechei, but Iilton said
nothing about it until December % of the
same year.
Mrs. Titon continued during all this
time to attend Beecher's church. On De-
cember 25 Tilton himself was called by
Mr. Bowen to clear himself of the charges
of immoral conduct, otherwise he could
not be allowed to remain editor of the H.
dependent. Then Tilton tor the first time
spoke to Bowen, who was on unfriendly
terms with Beecher. of the immoral propo-
sition made by Beecher to Tilton's wife.
Then Tilton and Bowen joined hands in
opposition to Beecher Shortly afterwards
Dr. Bacon called on the reverend gentle
man, and asked him to resign his position
as pastor of Plymouth church. Five days
afterwards Tilton sent for the first time his
complaint, through Frank Mou'ton, to
Beecher, to the effect that Beecher had
made immoral approaches to Tilton's wife.
On December 30, Mrs. Triton made the
first written confession, which she alleges
was dictated by her husband, and which
charged only improper advances on the
part of Mr.. Beecher,
The so-callcd apology of Mr.. Beecher to
Mr.. Tilton was, it is claimed by Beechers
friends, never given to Tllton, and never
meant for him. 1t was written entirely by
Moulton in the dusk of the evening at Mr.
Dna,ha,', THO lnct pnpal-e
of Moulton in the third person. The whole
matter, it is claimed, was in trust form,
and not intended to be Immediately given
to Tilton. The last senter ce in the original
Is widely separate from the previous por-
ton. The letter proper was not signed by
Mr.. Beecher but the memorandum on the
other side of it was. Mr.. Tlton got pos
session of this document on December 81.
and the next day wrote threatening letter
to Mr.. Bowen.
1t is claimed, therefore, by Beecher's
friends and supporters that TiltOn kept
silent on this subject over year, using the
influence of Moulton and Beecher to get
back on the independent and Union, and
failing, he tells Wllkeson his story and sue
ceeds in getting $1,000. 1t is declared by
Mr.. Beecher's friends that the letters of
Mrs TitOn, denOuncing her mother and
others, were dictated by Mr.. Tilton. She
said to Mr. Moulton that she could not re-
fuse to do anything her husband asked her.
TiltOn alleges that the first time lie had
any idea of his wife having given testimony
before the investigating committee was
after she had given such testimony. with
out notifying or asking his advice or per
mission. She, on the contrary declare,
that she told her husband that she had
been asked by the committee to appear be.