Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-20
THE BROOKLYN SCANDAL.
Later Neral annte nra


sam wILKtrsoN' = TESTIMONY.
The New York Herald Of yesterday publishes
Sam Wlkerson's testimony before the investi-
"in the last week OF March, ls72, Theodore
Tilton came % my Cfhce in New York and took
cut OF hts pocket worn press proof OF = letter
which he said he purPOsed 20 publish In the
next issue OF his paper, the Golden Age, unless
Henry Ward Bcecber did him justice, ana
handed u 10 me- 20 read. lie said that be came
20 me because l bad an interest An its puehcs-
ton through my property in the Christ an Union
newsI speT, Of which Mr. Beecher wss editor,
ard through my partnership in the house which
pGSlished HE hooks. and because WAS the COM
mon friend Of hun elf and Mr.. Beecher. I Was
shocked At the rnischievpuzness OF the matter
he threatened 20 publish. l demonstrated with
him against its publication. A discussion en-
sued, on his part passionate and noisy. he CON-
piaines, frst, that fienry c. Bowen had with
out cause dismissed him from the editorship OF
the Independent aud OF the Brooklyn Union,
and ruined HIM i'm fame, prospects and estate.
that he had crowned this wrong by refusing 70
pay him q large debt tor editorial services, Of
which be Was IN pressing need, and compelling
him Go bring & SUN 20 collect the amount. HS
next plsint was that Mr.. Beecher had not helped
him in his troubles. Rising into a dramatic
rage, and trampins my room from corner 20
corner, and speaking with intense passion, he
declared. Il will have revenge ON him. I viii
pursue him into bis grave Il Was clear 90 me
that he psrpOse In coming TO me was 70 raise
money"
Mir. wilkinson farther testified that he was
agreement OF iSI2 between Beecher, Bowen aud
Triton, and minated that Tilton WAS finally
induced to sign on condition that the amount
due him from Bowen be paid. While negotis-
tions were pending, IiltOn stated implicitly 20
Wilkinson that the only wrong Beecher ever
DID HIM was to sddress improper language 20
apology. In reply 10 direct question he
secuted the idea of q grsver injury, and de-
in a morbid aginstion, and denied he ever
said there was anything criminal In Beechers
conduct.
TILTos INTERVIEWED.
A correspondent OF the Tribune held an inter-
view with MIR. Theodore Titon, at his resi-
dence in Brooklyn. Mr.. Titon sad that his
committee. Mrs. Tilton's testimony was that
no improper overtures had ever been made 90
her by Mr.. Beecher. Her husband characterized
this statement as deliberate falsehoOd, aud
apologized for IL by consideration Of the mo-
tives which led 20 Its utterapce.
MRS. TILToN WAS ONLY ASKED TWO oUEs-
First, was there ever any improper inter-
course between MIR. Beecher and yourself? and,
second, did Mr.. Beecher ever make any inn
proper overtures to you To both these ques-
brief address. She insisted that both her nus
band and Mr.. Beecher were great, honorable
and worthy men, who were at lOggerheade
through singular misspprehension. she dwelt
on the harm done 20 the cause Of christianity by
the false stories circulated about Mr. BeecheT.
which put him, who had forty years been urging
tuous and religious lie, in the light OF a hyp0-
critic and knave, and spoke OF the 50 fierings of
her husband till nearly all her hearers were in
tear. Thus closed the examination. " Poor
woman" said Mr.. TiltOn, "She IL guilty OF de-
liberate fslsehood on that occasion, but IL WAS
from the best OF motives In the world"
SEMI OFFICIAL STATEMENT PROM TILToN.
The Brooklyn Argus says; "Mr. TiltOn has
been severely censured by many persons for
having kept silence until now. He could not
have done otherwise. . ~ should be
generally understood that IL Mrs. TiltOn had re-
manned under the protection of her husband,
neither the promised statement nor any writing
of similar character would have been placed
before the committee or the public. In the
changed condition OF affairs Mr.. TtltOn feels
himself at liberty to reveal the proofs which he
has hitherto concealed. His home is broken up;
in q very few days he will be a wanderer upon
the face of the earth; his wife will regain pos
session Of her old home ana all that IL contains,
by his own generous git, and the world Will
judge between man and wife. Mr.. TiltOns
friends desire that this plain statement may be
made public, in order that the reasons for
breaking long silence may be properly UNDER
stood.
SINGULAR LETTER.
AS an important historical contribution 70
the story Of this scandal, the following letter
written by MIR. TiltOn two years ago, deprecs-
ting giving TO the public the details that would
stab many TO the heart, lie now given:
niLIvlEGsToN ST., BRooKLYH, Dec p 1872.
Nc Complaining Friend.-Thanks for your good
letter OF bad advice. You say, How easy 70
give the lie TO the wicked story and thus end Il
|
a whole library Of Statements hundred or
more-snd il would he strange IL some OF them
were not correct, though doubt II any are. To
give a e neral denial 10 such an encyclOpc tia
of assertions would be as vague and irrelevan
as 10 take up the Police Gazette, with IL q
twenty-four pages OF illustrations, and say,
"1his is all lie" So extensive a libel req uires
il answered 81 all, q special denial OF its seyera
parts, and, furthermore, it requires, in this
particular care, not only a denial OF things mis-
stated, but a truthful explanation OF other
tbings that remain unstated and in mystery. In
other words, the false story, M met at all.
should be confronted ana cOnfOunded by the
true one. Now, my friend, you urge me 20
speak; but when the truth Il a sword Gods
mercy sometimes commands 10 sheathed. Ia
YOU think DO not burn TO defend my wife and
little ones you know not the fiery spirit within
NE. But my wife's heart is more a fountain Of
charity, and quenches all resentments. She
says, " Let there be no suffering 20 our
selves alone" and fo-bids a vindicstiOn TO the
injury Of others. From the beginning she has
stood with her hand on my lips, saying, " Hush"
So when you prompt NE 10 speak for her, you
counteryail her more Christian mandate Of
silence. Moreover, after all, the chief victim
OF the public displeasure is myself alone; and 20
long as this is happily the case shall try with
patience TO keep my answer within my own
breast, lest IL shoot forth Ike a huDderbOt
through other hearts. Yours, truly,
THEODORE TILTos.
MoILIR HoLBRooK NABBED.-The woman