The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-27
The Great Scandal.-COntinued.

papers which had deposited with Moulion 70
| safe keeping:
| my DEAR FRIEND MouLToN-l am clad to
| send you a book. etc MANY, many
friends has God raised up to me, but to no one OF
them has He ever given the opportunity and The
! wisdom to serve me as YOU have. You have also
| proved Theodore s friend and Elizabcths. Does
God look down from Heaven on three unhappicr
creatures that more need friend than these! Is
it. not an intimation of Gods intent of mercy to
all that each one Of these has in you tried and
proven irisnds But only in you are we thus unit
Ills mediation Theodore, Elizabeth, and l could
be made friends again. Theodore will have the
hardest task in such case. but has he 10; proved
himself capable of the noblcst things: won.
der if Elizabeth knows how generously he has
carried himself toward me. Of course can
never speak with her again without her permits
SION and do not know that even then it wou.G be
"BHooKLYN, Feb. 2, 1871.
MY DEAR Mrs. TILToN: When l saw You
last did not expect ever to see you again, or to
were my own thoughts. The friend whom God
cent TO me (Moulton) has proved above all friends
that ever had able and willing to help me in
that tied up the storm that was ready to burst
on our heads. You have no friend, Theodore ex-
who has it ad his ou 80
honor. 1t does my sore heart good to see in
Novlton 81 unfcigned respect and honor for you.
1; would kill me il thou. hit otherwise. lie will
be As true a friend to your honor and happiness
IA a brother could be to u sister. In him We have
common ground. You and may meet in him.
past h ii hotter aase May mot
this friend stand . priest in the new
sanctuary of reconciliation and mediate,
DO no, let my earnestness fail of its end. You
believe in my judgment. l have put myself
wholly and gladly in Moulton's hands, and there
consent bat he has not read it. Will you return
il /" me by his own hand: l am very earnest in
not TO he subject ' to- even the Chance Of mscar
III. W. BEEcnER."
l have no recollection of seeing or hearing read
The letter of Mr. Tilton of the same date. In my
rtitr to MGs. Tilton l alluded to the fact that l
did not expect when saw her last to be alive
many days. That statement stands connected
with Il series of symptoms which l first expe-
ricn"rd in 1856. l went through the Fremont
campaign speaking in the open air three hours
At t mv 'nvs w aaHs in the TeeH have
-y"n way. very seriously thought that was
;ninS to have apoplcxy or paralysis. or something
preaching. should have fallen in the pulpit if l
Ead NOT held on to the table: Very often came
rrar falling in the streets During the last fifteen
Eyar~ have gone into the pulpit suppose 100
times with a very strong impression that should
never come out of it alive. Have preached more
-crl'ors than any human being would believe
WEeA felt all the while that whatever had got
I" say to my people must say 1t then or never
would have another chance TO use it. If l had
consulted physician. his first advice would have
&c n. = You must stop work. but was in such
situation that could not stop work. read the
best medical books on symptoms of nervous
Hr',~tralion, and overwork. and paralysis,
'a>r. The three points / marked were: l must
have good digestion, good sleep, and l must so
ii working. These three things were to be rec
nayiIcd. and in regard to my diet, and stimulants,
and medicines made the most thorough and
>rarching trial, and, as a result, managed my
body 80 that could get the most work out of it
without | n
word about this to my family it would have
brought such distress and anxiety on the part of
years SO steadily taxed my mind TO the utmost
;kal there have been periods when l could not
at;"rd to have h people express even sympathy
ahout it. and showing it to me, would be just the
drop too mach.
In 1863 l came again into the same condition
tust before going to England. and it was one of
hose reasons why was wishing to go. The war
was at its height. l carried my country in my
heart: had the Independent in charge. and was
working, preaching aud lccturing continually.
knew was likely to be Frustrated again. In De-
reiGbcr, 1870. the sudden shock of these troubles
hro"-ht on again these symptoms in more vio-
cent form. was very much depressed in mind,
add all the more because it was one of those
h!n@s tha; could not say ANYTHING about. was
Gears these symptoms have been repeatedly
drought on by my intense work, carried forward
M an underlying basis of SO much sorro" and
pulpit l have very frequently alluded to my ex-
pyr;Atinn of sudden death.
feel that have more than once already been
nvara stroke that would have killed or paralyzc
l". and carry with me now, as | have 80 often
r2"ricl in years before this trouble began. the
daily thought of death door which might
1,'-il for me at any moment, out of all cares and
ahors into welcome rest.
during the whole OF the year 1871 was kept in
l state of suspense and doubt not only as to the
huU:e OF the family Tor the reunion and happi-
of which had strivcn so earnestly. but as
10 the degree to which might personally be sub
;rnublc he brought into the church and n,a-Gi!ird
y publicity. The officers of the church sought
. Investigate into Mr.. Tilton's religious views
.!t. moral conduct. and on TIE latter pn;nt had
Hv"E deceived INTO the belief that he was hot in
asst. As To the religious views, l still hoped
or a change for the better, as it was pro-
members for nou-a,tendarce; and as he
,>~rrrd to ME after his withdrawal,
his might have been dong; but his wife sun at
rccu,lcct having with him u conversation in winch
"A" iimly in,imatcd to me that he thought 1t not
unlikely that he might % back INTO ms s ola
thc past. and SO. when NaS urged by the EXAM
min. Committee to take SEINE steps, said was
nnt without hopes. Mean" h,le, one wing OF me
female suffrage party had got hold OF the story N
a di~roitc and exaggerated form. such = mad
nr>e: been intimatcd to me BY Mr.. TIlton his
friends. did not then suspect what no" Know
that these a.rociou>ly false rumors originated
with Mr.. Tilton himself. only saw the c'ii
rowing instead of diminishing. and perceived
that while was pledged TO silence. and therefore
could not speak in my own defense. some one
was forever pcrscvcring in falsehood. growing
continually in dimensions, and these difficulties
were immensely increased by the utilization of
Mr.. liiton with the Woodruff clique.
In May, 1871, Mrs. Woodhull advertised a forth
coming article shadowing an account of dis
turbancc in Mr.. Tiltons family. but without
using names. 1t was delayed osiensihly by Mr;
TiilDn's influence with Mrs. Woodruff until
November. 1874 During this suspension of her
publication she became the heroine OF Mr. Moul-
ron and Mr.. Tilton She was made welcome 10
both houses, with the liberation but not the cor
dial consent Of their wives. l heard the most
cxtravagant euloyics upon her. She was repre-
scented as genius born and reared among rude
influences, but only needed to be surrounded by
refined society to show noble and commanding
nature. l did not know much about her, and,
though my impressions were uniavorabie' hcr
real character was not then really known to the
world met her three times. AT the first interview
she was gracious. At the second she was cold
and naughty, but at the third she was angry and
threatening, for had pcrcmptorily refused to pre-
side at a lecture she was about to give at Stein
way Hall. The most strenuous efforts had been
made by both Titon and Moulton to induce me
to preside at this lecture and to identity myself
publicly with Mrs. Woodruff. 1t was represent
ed to me that need not. in SO doing, expressly
give assent to her doctrines, especially with re-
gard to the marriage relation, upon which point
she was beginning to be more explicit in opposi,
ton to the views which !, in common with all
urged that could preside at the lecture and intro
duce her upon the simple ground Of advocating
free speech and liberty OF debate; but, as l uh-
derstOod that she was about to avow doctrines
which abhor, would not be induced by this
plausible argument to give her public counte-
nance and after continuing to urge me up to the
very day of the meeting without any distinct
threats, but with obvious intimation that my
personal safety would be better secured BY.
taking this advice, Mr.. Tilton himself
| at the meeting, where Mrs. Woodruff
gave vent, as | Understand for the first time
In public to the full exposition of her free-love
doctrines. The very thought that I should
have been asked under any circumstances
and upon any excuse to preside or be present at
such meeting was inexpressibly CALLING to me.
Whatever my astonishment might have been, the
motive Of Mr.. Titon and Mr.. MOutOn in asking
such thing, had not at the time as clear
perception as l now have. The re-
| quest was nevertheless humiiating. At about
| the same time found that the circle Of which
Mrs. Woodruff formed part was the center Of
| loathsome scandals, organized, CLASSIFIED and
pcrpetuatcd with greedy and unclean appetite
| for everything that was foul and vile.
Mr.. Beccher here details his efforts to prevent
| the scandal being made public which was threat
| ened by the trial Of Tilton by the church. and