Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-22
BEECHER SCANDAL.
MouIton's Statement
Statement of FGANcIs d. MorLroN

great sorrow to feel obliged to answer your
invitation, and with the permission Of the par
ties to put before you the exact facts which
have been committed to me or to come TO my
knowledge in tie unhappy affair under inves-
tigatiGn. In doing | shall use no words of
Characterization OF any OF them, or OF incul-
patton Of the parties nor shall attempt to
ascribe motives save when necessary to exact
~ express the fact, leaving the occurrences
their acts of omission and commission to be
interpreted by themselves. In giving CONVEX
| sations or narratives, l, of course, can in
most cases, give only the substance of the
first, and will attempt to give words only when
they SO impressed themselves upon my mind
| as to remain in my memory, and of the latter
only so much as seems 10 me material.
have known Mr.. Theodore Tllton since
1880, intimately in the kindest of social and
personal friendship. | have known Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher since 1860, and then
casually an acquaintance and an attendant
upon this ministrations up to tie beginning Of
occurrences OF which | shall speak.
Seeing Mr.. Tilton's vaedictory as editor of
the independent, N the 22d of Dec, 1870
inferred that there had been some differences
between himself and Mr.. Henry c. Bowen,
the proprietor. But learning that Tilton had
been retained as contributor to that Journal,
and editor OF the Brooklyn Union, of which
Bowen was also proprietor, supposed that
the differences were not personal or unkind
up to tina: time, although | had been a visitor
at 1lton's house, and had seen himself and
Mrs. Ii ION under all the phases of social in
tercourse. | had never heard or known of
the slightest disagreement or unkndness ex-
istipg between them, but had believed their
marital relations were almost exceptionally
pleasant.
On the 10Th day of December, 1870, being
at Mr.. Tiltons house, he came home from an
interview with Mr.. Bowen, apd in that inter-
view Bowen had made certain accusations
against Beecher, and had challenged him
(Tilton), as a matter of duty to the public, to
write an open letter which Bowen was to
| take to Eeether. OF which he showed me the
original draft, which is as follows
First draft marked GA"
Brooklyn, Dec. 90, 1870.
| Rey UcnrV Ward Bcechcr:
demand that for the reasons which you
explicitly understood, you Immediately cease
| from the ministry OF Plymouth church and
| that you quit the city of Brooklyn as resi-
dence.
(Signedl THEODORE TLroN.
Tilton explained that the words ''for rea-
sons which you explicitly understand" were
| interlned at the request of Bowen, and he
| further stated that he told Bowen that he was
prepared to believe his charges because
| Beecher had made improper advances to Mrs.
| Titon surprised at this, | asked him WHAT
when he replied, ''Don't ask me, | cannot
tell you | then said is it possible you
could have been so foolish as to sign that let
ter on the strength of Bowens assertion and
not have Bowen sign it too, although as you
say he was to carry it to Beecher.
| He answered, "Mr Bowen gave me his
word that he would sustain the charges and
adduce the evidence to prove them whenever
called upon" | said, II fear that you will
find yourself mistaken. Has the letter gone? ~
| He answered, "Bowen said he would take
it Immediately. | afterwards learned from
Eeecher that Bowen had done so because on
| the first of January following, Beecher gave
| me the copy he received as find by m m.
! orandum made at the time on the envelope,
and find by a later memorandum on the en-
veope, that the original draft was given to me
| by Tilton on the 9TH of the same month
insert here the following memorandum of the
facts above stated, made at the time giving
| the hour when it was made.
| Brooklyn, Dec. &c, 1870. Theodore Tilton
| informed me to-day that he had sent note
to Mr.. Beecher, of which Mr.. II. c. Bowen
was the bearer demanding that he (Beecher)
snonli 'e,''e nun MS PH'P'' "''' qu'' '"e o''y
OF bFooklyh'
Inc iet'er was an open one H. = Dover
knew the contents If it and said that he
| (Bowen) would sustain Tilton in this de-
mand.
III u"y vi '"o "'.', ''''' I l,'I ,i''.
on me at my nome ana sa'u tHa' ne h"u SEM
%ofu 10 bowen ,'as ne was Ro'nS 70 eau |,
neec"er w''i'lh nali an "ou.' VI 'hor''s 'na
DOWN cane up in'u '"I o',iIV " .'n Fue"' an
ger anu 'uiu nun II ne sn.uiu say " peec,,c'
"na' ne no"ehl neu '9iu nun So' u: ~
heecnef - "'ul'sIles' nv "outu uIs'i''s' "'''
''qr, .ne inuelenu1n. %,'n s,r n tna
n'ol' 'oIu nm .n"t II. he'si "au ooet ~
nuehceu py 'l'iea'S, anu ne Nou'u my oe Il
'he present e"se' anu ~, ne suos1q"eu.ty iVIeN
ca owen les'ei VI oiSiliss"i, n ,,' ,nos'
cnarses were anu 'ne "cI n VI NV, 49,. ,"'e1
view WIN APPEAR ~ 'I' g., toi''m1ns 80 @"
uresseu 10 bowen ~ n.9n' oea,ins ua,e :,