Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-23
FIRST EDITION.
MIR. Eseecher Speaks
his PRELIMINARY ASswERs-A GENERAL DENIAL OF
THE WHOLE CHARGE,

intend to make public his statement. A person
who assisted him in copying it, Mr.. Augustus
| Maverick, took it, unknown to Mr.. t. to the
Brooklyn Argus, and had it printed. During
Yesterday, MIR. Beecher was occupied in receiving
the advice and sympaty of his friends, and late
in the evening furnished for publication the
subjoined general and sweeping denial of all the
allegations made by Mr.. Tilton
MR.. BEEcHERs STATEMENT.
/ do not purpose at this time to make dc,
| tailed examination of the remarkable statement
| of MIR. Theodore Tilton, made before the Com
| mittee OF investigation and which appeared In
the Brooklyn Argus of July 81 1874 l recog-
| nlze the many REASONS which make 1T of trans
cendent Importance to myself the church, and
and the cause OF public mortality that l shall
| give full answer to the charges against me.
| But having requested the Committee of Inves-
tigation to search this matter to the bottom it is
to them that l must look for my yindication.
But cannot delay for an hour to defend the
| reputation of Mrs. Elizabeth II. Tilton, upon
| whose name, in connection with mine, her hus-
| band has attempted to pour shame.
One less deserving of such disgrace / never
knew. From childhood she has been under my
eye, and since reaching womanhood she has had
| my sincere admiration and affection. | cherish
| Tor her pure feeling, such a gentleman might
| honoraby offer to a Christian woman, and which
he might receive and reciprocate without moral
scruple. reject with indignation every Impu-
tation which reflects upon her honor or my own.
| My regard for Mrs. Tilton was perfectly we'll
known to my family; when serious difficulties
| sprang up in her household it was to my wife
that she resorted for counsel and both of us,
| acting from sympathy, and, AZ it subsequently,
| appeared, without full knowledge, gave unad-
| vised counsel which tended to harm.
| have no doubt that Mr.. L lton found that his
wife's confidence and reliance upon my iudg-
ment had greatly increased while his influence
| had diminished, i'll consequence of mark ed
change i'll his religious and social views, which
was taking place during those years Her mind
was greatly exercised lest her children should be
| harmed by views which she deemed vitality false
| aud dangerous
was suddenly and rudely aroused to the rea-
| ty of impending danger by the disclosure of
| domestic distress, OF sickness, perhaps unto
| leath, of the likelihood of separation, and the
scattering of family every member Of which
had tenderly loved. The effect upon me of the
| discovery of the state of Mr. Filton's feelings
and the condition of his family, surpassed III
| orlow and excitement anything that had ever
experienced in my life. That my pre- sence, in
| tuence, and counsel had brought to a beloved
family sorrow and alienation, gave, in my then
| state of mind, poignancy to my suffering which
| | hope no other man may ever feel.
| Even tn be suspected of having offered, under
| the privileges of peculiarly sacred relation, an
| ndecorum to a wife and mother conld not but
| deeply wound any one who il sensitive TO the
| honor of womanhood. There were peculiar rea-
| 4ons for alarm in this case on other grounds, in-
asmuch az was then subject to certain malig-
I q
| family would bring upon them an added injury,
| derived from these shameless falsehoods
| Believing at the time that my presence and
| counses had tended, however unconsciously to
produce social catastrophe, represented i'm
minent, gave expressions to my feelingsn an
| interview with mutual friend, not in cold and
cautious, eelf-defending words, but eagerly,
| taking blame upon myself, and pouring out my
| heart to my friend in the strongest language,
| overburdened with the exaggerationH of I'M
| passioned sorrow. Had been tile evil man Mr.
| rilton now represents, should have been calm
| er and more prudent 1t was my horror of the
evil imputed that filled me with morbid intensity
| at the very shadow of it.
Not only was my friend affected generously,
| but he assured me that such expressions If con-
veyed to Mr. Tilton, would soothe wounded feel
| ng, allay anger, and heal the whole trouble.
| He took down sentences and fragments of what
| had been saying, to use them as mediator.
| A full statement OF the circumstances under
| which this memorandum made L shall give
to the Investigating Committee.
| That these apologies were more than ample
to meet the facts OF the case IL evident, in that
| they were accepted, that our intercourse resum-
| ed in frendness that Mr.. Tilton subsequently
| ratified it in writing, and that he has continued
| for four years, and until within two weeks to
| live with his wife.
| Is il conceivable, if the original charge had
| been what is now alleged, that he would have
| condoned the offense, not only with the mother
| Of his children, but with him whom he believed
| as the falsity of this story is apparent when it
is considered that Mir. 1ilton alleges that he
carried this guilty secret of his wiie's intdelity
for six months, locked mp in his own breast, and
| that then he divulged it to me, only that there
might be a reconciliation with me. MIR. Tilton
has since, III every form of language, and to a
multitude of witnesses, orally, IN written state
nents, and in printed documents, declared his
faith in his wife's purity.
After the reconciliation OF MIR. Tllton with me-
every consideration of proprety and honor de
manded that the family trouble should be kept
IN that secluson which domestic affairs have a
right to claim sanctuary and to that Sc
cusion it was determined that it should be con-
fined.
Every line and word of my private and conf
dental letters which have been published ID Ill
harmony with the statements which now
make. My published correspondence on this
subject comprises but two elements The ex-
preston of my grief, and that of my desire to
shield the honor of pure and Innocent woman
l do not purpose to analyze and contest at
this time the extraordinary paper OF MIR. lllton
but thore are two allegations which can not
permit to pass without special notice. They re-
fer to the only two Incidents which MIR. TIltor
Q pretends to have Witnessed personally; the one
an alleged scene in INV house While looking oVel
} engIavings and the other a chamber scene In
8 his own house His statements concerning
T these are absolutely false. Nothing of tue kind
ever occurred, nor any resemblance OF any sncl
things They are now brought to my notlce foI
y To every statement which connects me dis
honorably with Mrs Elizabeth II. Tllton, O.
d which in any wise would impugn the honor aiit
= purity of this beloved Christian woman. gv'
lie most explicit, comprehensive, and solemn
| DENIAL HENRY WARD BEEoHEh.
BRooKLyN, July %, 1874
, PROCEEDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
T. Yesterday afternoon, the investigating com
a mittee held further meeting, and began tn
/. cross examination of Tilton, who had been spe
\ cay summoned After the adjournment of tn
+, committee, member of 1T stated that MIR, lll
ton, when asked to furnish the originals OF tn
documents of which he gives cope in his state
ment, refused to do 30. Mr.. Tilton, on the othe
hand, when questioned in relation to the matte
l. denied that lie had 80 refused.
II STATEMENT FROM MRS. T1LToN.
} Mrs Tilton was all day engaged i'll the prepar
Il alton of statement denying in most emphati
5 terms all the charges brought against her an
e against Mr. Beecher This letter of denial wi
" be LAID before the public this afternoon or to
morrow morning.
New Gastle stems.