The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-08-27
THE TlLT0M-BEEcHER SCANDAL.
Addisfsaal Statement of Francis d
MOultoas

Additional Statement - Francis ID.
The long promised statement Of Francis D..
Ward Beechcr, was given to lhe public on the
e1st II is a formidable document, comprising
about twenty columns Of ordinary newspaper
M Mouiton prefaces his statemept with an IN ex-
planatory card in which he details the circum
stances which called it forth. He had been
friend of M. Tiiton from boyhood and had always
admiration. In 1870 he had learned
that Mr.. Beecher had given Mr.. Tilton grave
canse OF ofense, and because he believed the rev.
citation of the scandal would undermine the foun-
dations of social order and blast the prospects
and blight the family of one of the most brilliant
men Of this generation he bad labored assidu-
Ously to keep 1t concealed III effect harmoni-
settlement of all difficulties. This labor had
continued for four years, and when it had failed
to accomplish what was desired. Mr.. Beeeher had
HE own wrong doing and at the same time de-
manded that he should tell what he knew, as ii
would justify his attack on him.
Mr.. Beecher in his statement had said that he
brought this investigation without Moultons
knowledge or advice. Even while mourning
what seemed to him the unwisdom of the pro
ceedings he had done all he could to avert the
catastrophe. He had denied the united and pub
lie appeals made by both Beecher and Tilton 10
produce the evidence in his possession. bat he
had stated that clearly in an emergency he should
BY the published accusation of Mr.. Beecher his
own selfrespect made it imperative that the
. truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth should be told and he therefore gave
to the public the statement he had
prepared for the committee, but which at the
earnest solicitation Of the friends of Mr. Beecher.
he had withheld. Its publication was not in the
interest of either party, but solely for his own
protection against public accusations which af-
fected himself personally. He was profoundly
gricved at the necessity which seemed to compel
ha I.nt tInn 10 iaf faI
the fact that the disclosure could scarcely work
more harm TO Mr.. Beechcr at the present time
than il would have caused him in January.
1871 when, but for his interference the public
would most assnredly have been put in posses
sion of the whole truth. The statement To the
committee here follows
Mr.. Mouton, after recounting the fact of
his acquaintance with Mcssrs. Tilton and
Beecher, and his admiration Of their
genius, says that up to the date Of Tiltons
Salsdlstory va as editor Of the n; ,iaaepSS"aem
and had seen himself and Mrs. Tilton under all
phases of social intercourse, but had never
heard or known Of the slightest disagreement Or
unkindness existing between them. and believed
their marital relations were almost exceptionally
pleasant.
On the 26th of December Mr.. Tilton. returning
from an interview with Mr.. Bowen, told him that
Bowen had made certain accusations against
Beecher and had challenged Tilton to write an
open letter demanding that he should cease his
ministry at Plymouth Church which Bowen was to
deliver He told Bowen that he believed his accu-
sations against Bcccher because he had made i'm.
proper advances to Mrs. Tilton. He atterward
learned from Mr. Beccher that Bowen had dcliy-
cred to him the open letter referred 10. In a day
or two after Mr.. Titon informed him that when
he told Bowen that he was going to call on
Bceeher he came up TO the otfce IN great anger
and told him that if he should say to HccChcr
what he (Bowenl had told him concerning his
(Beechers) adultery he would dismiss him from
the Iidepeadent and the Union. Titon told him
he had never been influenced by threats, and he
w mt ha th,s nra4 al
quently received Bowcn's letter of dismissal.
On the evening of the 30th of December Titon
came to him and said that by his wifes request
he had determined to see Beecher in order To
show to Beecher the confession Of his wife of in
tercoursc between them. which he t'liiton) had
never NJ to that time mentioned to Beccher, and
the fact of the confession of which his wife had
told him that she had never told Beecher; that
her confession had been made in the July pre-
vious in writing, which writing he flitonl had
afterward destroyed, but that his wife, fearing
that if Bowen's accusations against Beechcr were
made public the whole matter would be known
and her own conduct with Beecher become cX-
posed, had renewed her confession in her own
handwriting. which Tilton handed to him (Moul-
ton) to read. Tilton wanted him 70 20
down and ask Beechcr to come up and
him cTiltonl at Moulton.- house. He went and
said to Beecher: Mr.. Tilton wants you to come
and see him at my house immediately He asked
what for. Moulton replied: ! He wants to make
some statement to you in reference to your rela-
tions with his family" He then called to some
one in the back room to 90 down and say that he
should not be at prayer-meeting. and Moulton
and Beecher went out together 1t was storming
at the time when he remarked: There i an ap-
propriateness in this storm" and asked Moulton,
" What can dos what can ! dor He said:
- Mr. Beecher, am not Il Christian, hut, If yon
wish, will show you how well heathen can
house, and he showed him into chamber
over the parlor. where Mr.. Tlion was,
and left them together; In about an hour Mr..
Beecher came down and asked him ifhe had seen
nf ElZabeth He said he had
SAID Beechcr: This will kill me- and asked
Moulton to 90 walk with him. They walked to
Mr.. Tilton's house together. On the way he
said: This is a terrible catastrophe. 1t comes
upon me if struck by lightning.
Beechcr went into 'Tilton's house, and Monl-
ton departed for his own house. Within an hour
home, Mouton accompanying him. When they
arrived at Beechcr's house he wanted Moulton
to stand by him in his emergency.
Ss Ps tod him he Moa beanpd the
interests of women, children and iami-
lies were involved, if for other
That ended the interview that night. During
this evening nothing was said by Beeeher to
the truth or falsity of Mrs Tiltons confession.
nor did he inform him that he had obtained from
her any rccantation Of the confession, Monlton
returned to his house and had some conversation
with Tilton, in which he told him that he had re-
cited to Beecher the details of the confession of
his wiics adulterics, and the remark which
Beecher made was This is all dream. Theo-
to him. MOulton then advised Tllton that for the
sake of his wife and family. and for the sake of
Beechers family. the matter should be kept quiet
and hushed up.
The next morning Titon came 10 his house
and informed him, with great anger, that Beecher
had done a mean act: that he had gone from the
interview of the night before to his house and
procured from Elizabeth a recantation and re
traction of her confession. He said for that act
he would smite him." that there could be no
peace. He said: You see that what have told
,NrtI ,f that
dent" Titon said that Beecher, at the inter
view of last night, had asked his permission to
90 and see Elizabeth, and he told him he
might go, which statement was confirmed
by Beechcr himself and Beecher left him
for that purpose. Moulton said to Til
ton: Now, don't get angry; let us see if
even this cannot be arranged, ! will 90 down
and get that retraction from him" In the even
ing Moulton visited Beecher, and told him he had
done mean and treacherous act, treacherous.
first, toward him. from whom he wanted help, in
the night before what he had procured from Mrs
Tilton, and that he could not expect his friend
ship in this matter unless he acted truthfuly and
beesS9 Gwad vda n nars M 6ad "fher rmna d
intercourse with Mrs. Tilton. You have
done great injury to Tilton otherwise
Now, when you are confronted with it. You ask
permission of the man to again visit his house,
and you get from that woman who has confessed
that you have ruined her a recantation of the
truth for your mere personal safety. That won't
save YOU. At InaI interview DcctneF admitted
with grief and sorrow the fact Of his sexual rela-
tions with Mrs Tilton. He said that Mrs.
Beecher and himself without knowing of the
confession of Mrs. Tilton to her husband,
had been expressing great sympathy
toward Mrs. Tilton, and taking active interest
with her against her husband. Moulton said:
Mr.. Beecher, want that recantation. ! have
without it:' He replied; 4 don't know; can t
WI What a's will H You T do 1--WE W It to your Moaon
sion. If you act honoraby will protect it with
my life as | would protect the other with my
life. Mr.. Tilton asked for that confession this
morning and said | will never give it to you !;
you shall not have ii from my hands until have
exhausted every effort for peace"
Mr.. Beecher gave him back the paper. When
he went home with the recantation he found Til
ton there and showed it to him. He expressed
been able to get it, and he then showed to him
how very foolish it would have been in the morn
ing to have proceeded angrily against Bcecher.
He made another appeal for peace saving that
in the way. if they We're properly dealt with they
would be beaten ont Of the way. He expressed
his willingness and desire for peace.
On the 1st of January, in accordance with a
previous understanding, he went to Beecher s
house and went into his study, where he told him
again Of his great surprise that Elizabeth should
have made the confession Of his criminal COM
merce with her to her husband without letting him
know anything about it, making his destruction
at any moment possible and without warning
to him. He expressed his great grief at this
wrong which he had done as minister and
friend to Theodore, and, at his request, Moulton
took pen and paper and Beecher dictated to him
the paper known as 6 the apology" all of which
was in Moulton's handwriting except the words.
:. have trusted this to Moulton in confidence" "
and the signature, which latter were in Mr..
Beecher's.
Mr.. Moulton says this was intrusted to him in
confidence, to be shown only to Tilton 1t had
reference to no other fact or act than the cOnfes
sion Of sexual relations between Beecher and