Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-27
THE BEECHER SCANDAL.
Tflton's Cross. Examination

The crossexamination OF Tflton by the
Beecher Investig stine Committee is Published
| in full in the New York papers:
Being asked when he fret learned that Mr.
| or Mrs. Beecher had In any way communicated
| facts TO Bowen which Influenced him in the
matter of his (Mr. Tilton's) dismissal. witness
| the day after the apology was written, the %,
possibly the Sd, OF January.
Mrs. Tilton thought witness retirement from
| Beecher, and as witness was very Indignant
| against Bowen. that unless some reconciliation
took place between Beecher and her husband
ness to have an interview with Beecher, and
wrote note to that effect. The sole purpos OF
that interview was that Mrs Tilton felt that
Beechen snd witness n were In danger Of COLTS
place. Tiltons dismissal from the Union wa
two days after that interview. The interview
had nothing to do with il:
q. Did you not complain Of Mr.. Beecher for
not aiding you to remain on the Independent!
A. No, sir; i would have scorned IL.
Mr.. Tilton continued, and said he never told
Samuel Wllkeson that Beecher had not be-
friended him in that matter.
In further testimony witness said he accepted
the apology made and forgave the offence with
Christian man to assume. His relations there
after with Beecher were not friendly, but not
hostile. They were relations which Moulton
FORCED with an iron hand. Witness had taken
pains 10 have IL appear in all quarters that
Beecher and himself were not in open hostility
and suppressed his self.respect many times In
doing IT. He never stated the offence OF Mr..
Beecher to DR.. Storrs. Showed DIR. Storrs
letter which Elizabeth and himself had written
and which he stilled preserved. Did not charge
Beecher with any offence at all. Elizabeth
stated that TO the question,
| CHOW WAS TIE OFFENCE coMMrrTED?"
Iilton replied, sit began in this way: That on
formed her husband nat Mr.. Beecher had
asked her TO be wife to him, together with all
that It implies" She was very solicltous TO
make IL appear that she did not accept hts pro-
position, and happily in reading il those who
saw IL naturally inferred that she did not &C
cept his proposition. It was q perfectly correct
statement. Witness read the statement 20
Beecber, who objected to il, and witness made
no further use OF IL. He, however, prepared a
document on his relations to Bowen, in which
Ell letter was stated, as well as The let
make the offence more than that. He was So
hcitous not to have the worst known. This was
also read 70 Dr. Storrs, to whom the witness
went in great distress, wanting counsel.
y. SO TO get correct counsel you misststed
the Gaze? A. Yes; IL was sstatement necessary
to be made. After Mrs Woodhull's statement
was out OF town and the thing had filed the
country, and Beecher had taken no notice of it,
IL was seven or eight DAYS old, and i went TO
Dr. Storrs for counsel. He asked me about the
story, and 1 said, Do not ask me for that"
He said, "Give me some facts by which I can
ludG give me that which can be proved" So
gave an account Of my affairs-very largely
about Mrs. Wo0dhull-and soon the origin OF
that document YVES seeking for something that
would put before the public plausible answer
TO the woodruff tale, and | conceived that by
Sct.on of facts we might perhaI explain ii
a'7ay. L read it TO Mr.. Beecher, and he burs,
into long sigh, and saw that he would not or
could not stand upon il, and Elizabeth burned
or tore il TO pieces.
Q. Why did you abandon the document? A.
Because there was no success in il.
q. Why was it? Not because he did not &C
ceptZ "A. Because he CID not accept or reject
| il. He would let no statement be made, and so
the thing was burned.
TILToN's OPINION OF HIS WIPE.
Q. Have you not unfrequently asserted the
purity of your wife? A. No, have al ways had
a strong technical use of words. I have always
used words that conveyed that impression.
have taken pains to say that she was a devoted
Christian woman. That necessarily carried the
other 1t was like the statement carried O.
Dr. Storrs. do not think he caught the idea
OF that statement. AS he took II do not think
beth was a tender, delicate, kindly Christian
woman, which think she IL.
Q: Have you not stated that she was pure I?
Q. Have YOU not stated that she was as pure
as an angel? A. No, / have not sought to give
Elizabeth coed character. 1 have always
wanted to do so. i think she deserves a good
character. / think she lie better than most of
Us, better than am. L do not believe, in point
Of actual moral goodness, barring some draw
backs, that there Is in this company 30 white q
Tilton was next exs mined in relation TO
wILKEsoS's STATEMENT.
in, stating that the conversation between him
self and Wilkeson was about Bowen, whose
charges against Beecher IL was desired should
ee withdrawn. Witness expressed gladness to
have this done, for he thought every charge
against Beecher endangered his wife; but when
the paper was brought to him 70 sign it was a
compliment TO Beecher, rose colored, in which
witness was to look up to Beecher with flial
respect He said 81 won't sign that to the end
OF the world )" and cut out few lines but would
not use them. Ifwukeson communicates the
uif %aA
nom Beecher il IL false. Beecher has commu-
nicsted through Moulton requests that witness
be assisted by him; but he would not take a
penny OF Beechers money If he suffered from
hunger and thirst, and said that IL, directly or
indirectly Moulton communicated TO him any
OF Beecher's money IL would break their friend
ship Witness complaint to wilkeson was that
Beecher had been unjust. not that he had not
held him. Witness had taken Beecher's apology
and given his word that he would not have him
exposed.
Q. Is il your sentiment that this is an offence
for which one man can apologize TO another? A.
know there is code Of honor among gentle
men tnat man cannot condone such an offence,
but cannet see what offence man cannot for
give where an apology lie made by the person
committing II to the person against whom il is
committed III a man believes in the christian
religion he ought 10. . sometimes forgaye anf
sonnet mes did not. I do know the line OF dIT-
fereDoe.
Q. Is that your Handwriting? (showiug q slip
of paper on which was written II. w. B., grace,
mercy and peace, Sunday morning, L. IT, A.
remember that; one morning Mr.. Beecher met
NE on the street and told me how much pleasure
IL gave him. L have sent kindlier things than
tb at to him.
Q. Did You feel as you spoke? a. did. Mr..
Moulton said two or three times: "Mr. Bsecher
is In q eat depression; can't you do something
to cheer him?' One morning L walked to the
church with him. In many circumstances 1
manifested feelings OF kindness towards him. 1t
would be q lie for me TO say that had q warm
frierdship for Mr.. Beecher, and that 1 felt as
kindly to him as IL the offence had not been
committed. If had been q man morally great
i would have blotted il out and trodden IL under
foot. was competent to forgive in q large de-
gree. 1 forgaye him in my best moods. but at
other times 1 did not. L am not a very large
man.
MRS. wooDHULL's VISITS.
In reply to an inquiry whether Mrs Wood
hull came frequently 70 his house, and whether
his wife did not protest against her presence
there, witness said Mrs. Woodhull was three