The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-14
From the Maine State Press Of Aug. 1871
History of Seven Days.
The news for the week ending Wednesday
August 18th.
THE GREAT SCANDAL.


Beecher and Moulton, and, as the latest intelli-
gence, that Moulton would testify, having OBJ.
tanned the consent of Tiltoa to present all the
papers and tell all that he knew about the mis-
cradle business In view of that arrangement
we certainly expected to lay before our readers
the present week full account and the conclu-
sion of the affair so far as the testimony of the
parties are concerned. Mr.. Moulton went to
work at his statement and it was to have been
given Friday, but Mr. Moulton did not appear.
Saturday the committee desired to be absent,
and Monday night was set On that occasion
Mr. Moulton appeared and merely presented, it
is said copies of the letters entrusted to him by
Beecber, and only those which Tilton made use
of, entirely or in part, in his statement, which
he obtained by taking them in short hand and
about which he lied when he said he had the
originals and would show them to the Commit
tee. Aside from these letters, Mr.. Moulton's
statement does not cover four fooscap pag es.
The Brooklyn Eagle says that Moulton tells
its reporter that despite the fact that he had
the authority of both parties (Beecher and Til
tom to make full disclosures, his quickened
conscience now largely in care of the great and
good Gen. Butler, wouldn't allow him to sleep
O nights should he reveal the condolences en-
trusted to him. [Moulton used language great
deal finer thar the foregoing.l The Graphic,
on the other hand, says that on Saturday night
Mr.. Beecher made to the Committee certain
astounding revelations ard that steps were then
taken to cause Moulton to deal lightly with
Beecher by simply giving the letters. This
statement is already contradicted by another
which declares that Moulton is acting on the
defensive in order to cover his own character
in aiding Tilton to blackmail Beecher. At any
rate Gen, Butler has hand IN the case and
anything may be expected not otherwise
possible The statement of Moulton as
far as made has, it is said, nothing new
in it, and is only explanatory Of the letters
1t is also shown that many of the letters are d.
vided and given as separate letters with differ
ent dates, which, when taken together and in
proper connection will read very differently.
The unfortunate part of the whole is that Mr.
Beecher has not made the letters to appear in
that light.
During the week the New York papers have
been prolific in the production of interviews,
reports, rumors, etc., those given by one paper
one day being contradicted by another journal
the day following. In Mr.. Moulton's letter,
reference was made to letter of Mrs Hooker.
sister of Mr.. Beecher, in which she urged him
to confess his criminal intimacy with Mrs. Til
ton, and threatening to proclaim the same from
his pulpit if he did not In explanation it is
said that Mrs. Hooker was great friend of
Miss Woodruff and was entirely under her in
fuence. From her she heard the stories rela-
tive to her brother and Mrs. Tilton, and she
wrote the letters fully believing the truth of the
woodruff declaration. A letter has also been
published, written by Rev. Or. Edward Beecher
to Mrs. Hooker, stating that he had Investigate
ed all the stories and believed them all false
Mr. Sherman, clerk of the Plymouth church,
in an interview Tuesday night, declared posi-
lively that he knew the whole case, and that
Beecher could, if he would speak, clear the
whole matter up, but it would involve other
parties He declared that the Woodruff CO.
terie was nest of black-mailers, having in
volved great many distinguished people in
their tolls who would be exposed if Beecher
cleared himself. Sherman says that he even
now advises Beecher to keep still. Silly. in
deed, for Beecher's good name, if untarnished
is of more account to the Christian world than
score of lesser lights. On the other hand
Tilton's counsel, ex-Judge Morse, says that his
client has perfect case in law, ard there has
been talk of a suit being begun by Tilton
against Beecher. On the whole although col
umns of stuff have been printed, all that can be
said at this time is that there have been no new
developments in the Great Scandal during the
week.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL.
Full returns of the elections have not yet
been received from North Carolina, Tennessee
and Kentucky. The general report estimates
the Democratic majority at from 10000 to
$4,000 In thel former state, with seven of the
eight members of Congress of the same polit-
ical icomplexion, being a gain of two for tie
Democrats In Tennessee there was no state
ticket, but the issue was made on the civil
lights bill which is shown to be very unpopu-
lar in that section.
In Tennessee the election developed very Bit
ter feeling between the whites and blacks, and
the consequent excitement ran very high At
small town called Somerville there was some
fighting. The sheriff and one of his brothers
were killed while attempting to arrest man
for shooting a negro. The man was also Sc
verely wounded. The Mayor and several other
citizens fired at negroes. The accounts all
come from partisan whites who at best have
loose notions respecting the proprietry of tell
ing the truth. State troops went to Somervlle
from Memphis, but there vas no use for them
when they got there or at any time Negro
uprsings are reported in Clark and other coun-
ties, but the reports evidently false and got
ten up for the purpose of creating prejudice
against the colored men. 1t is very strange
that the whites, in a state where they outnum.
Der the negroes two to one should be in very
great fear of negro uprisings, particularly
when the former have all the arms or the best
of them.
Another fight still more serious is reported
to be going on at the small town of Austin in
mississippi, opposite Arkansas, where the col |
ored people are In majority The immediate
causes are not given, only chat there is trouble
between the whites and blacks. The stories are
so exaggerated and one-sided that no reliance
can be put in them, but they are to the effect
that large number of negroes have surround
ed the town, driving the whites into the court
house. There were from 700 to 1000 negroes re-
ported, and 200 whites. A later despatch re-
ports some fighting and the killing of several |
coiored men, but no particulars All the des. |
patches come from place quite distant from |
Austin, and are largely fctions. Armed men
of both races were reported as going to Ans
tin. These appear to be the first of a contin-
ued series of collisions which will be more or
less bloody.
Congressional nominations have been made /
in several leading districts. Among the mem
bers re-nominated or sure to be, are j. A. Kas-
son of Iowa, Judge Poland of Vermont and |
Gen. Garfield of Ohio. In Iowa the Demo- |
cratic party seems to have subsidized or put on |
mask called anti-monopoly, and under that |
name are nominating congressional candidates. |
New parties have been formed in Kansas and /
Michigan. In the former state the platform
declares against the administration, that the
PRESIDENT be elected by direct vote, against
railroad grants and tariffs and for the restora-
ZION Oh the Income tax. On the matter of the
currency, the Kansas Independents are very in.
definite and they also tacitly favor "Pendleton-
ISM in reference to the payment of the nublic
debt. Michigan has held reform cooua.s.:
and established party which il ia nro-,