The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-22
TILTON ON BEECHER.

| puDuSHet. lie says while beecner possessed
a perfect knowledge of both his otfense and
apology, he has chosen to put on public
atfectation of ignorance and innocence con-
corning them, and has conspicuously ap-
pointed a committee of six OF the ablest men
of his church, together with ex-attolneys, to
| inquire into what he leads the committee to-
regard the unaccountable mystery of this
ottense and apology. as if he had neither com
mitted the one nor offered the other, or as if
both were the mere Pigments of another man S
imagination, thus adroitly prompting the
public to draw the deduction that Tilton
was person under some hallucination or de
fusion, living ina dream and forming fraud
Furthermore, in order to cast over this explain
alton the delicate glamour which always lends
a charm to the defense Of woman's honor
Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, lately my wife, has
been prompted away from her home to reside
among Mr.. Beechers friends, to cooperate
with him in his ostensibly honest and laudable
inquiry into facts. Concerning facts she as
we'll as he, has for years past, had perfect
knowledge with himself
This investigation. therefore, has been pub
licly pressed upon me by Mr.. Beecher, sec
conded by Mrs. Tilton, both of whom in so
doing have united in assuming before the
public the non-existence of the grave and
solemn facts into which they have conspired
ing, but of denying the truth. This joint as
sumption by them has seemed to the COM
mittee to be in good faith, and has led the
committed to expect to find nothing, but inno-
cence on the part OF Mr.. Beecher and Mrs
Tilton, and nothing but SANDER on that of
Mr. Tilton.
The writer then says it is now his unhappy
duty to give the facts and evidence to the COM
mittee for reversing their opinion.
He charges Mrs Tilton with joining Beecher
in conspiracy which cannot fail to be full of
peril and wretchedness to many hearts The
last opportunity for reconciliation has passed.
Tilton says Of Beecher: "This desperate
man must hold himself only, and not me,
accountable for the wretchedness which these
disclosures will carry to his own home and
heart, as they have already brought to mine;
and will add that the original documents re-
ferred to in the ensuing sworn statement are
for the most part in my possession, but the
apology and a few other papers are in the
hands of Francis D. Moulton.
Tilton then swears to statements, among
them the following l. That on the I'd of
October 1866, at Plymouth church, Brook
Ign, amarriage between Theodore Tilton and
Elizabeth NJ. Richards was performed by Rev.
H. W. Beecher, which marriage thirteen
years afterwards was dishonored and violated
by this clergymen, through the criminal
seduction of this wife and mother, as herein
after set forth.
2. That for period of about Is years, extend
ing both before and after this marriage. an
intimate friendship existed between Theodore
Tilton and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, which
friendship was cemented to such a degree,
that in consequence thereof the subsequent
dishonoring by Mr.. Beecher of his friends
wife, was a crime Of uncommon wrongfulness
and pertidy
3. That about years ago the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher began, and thereafter continued
a friendship with Mrs. Elizabeth r. Titon,
for whose native delicacy and extreme reli-
gious sensibility he often expressed to her hus-
band a high admiration visiting her from
time to time, for years, until 1870, when tor
reasons hereinafter stated he ceased such
visits, during which pc iod by many tokens
and attentions he won the affection and love
of Mrs. Tilton, whereby after long moral re-
sistance by her, and after repeated assaults by
him upon her mind with over-mastering argu-
ments accomplished the possession of her per-
son, maintaining with her thenceforward
during the period hereinafter stated, the rela-
tons called criminal intercourse.
This relation being regarded by her during
that period as not being criminal or morally
wrong, such had been the powers of his
arguments as a clergyman to satisfy her
religious scruples against such a violation of
virtue and honor.
Tilton makes other statements in the same
direction, showing the continued criminal
intimacy between Mrs. Tilton and Mr..
Beecher. Previous to the autumn of 1868
she maintained irmness towards her pastor,
the position of resistance, always refusing his
amorous pleasures, which were strong and
often repeated.
Tilton says the first suspicion which crossed
his mind that Beecher was abusing or might
abuse the affection and reverence which Mrs.
Tilton bore towards her pastor, was an inn
proper caress given by Beecher to Mrs. Tlton
while seated by her side on the floor Of his
library overlooking some engravings,
Tilton gives some disgusting details to fur
ther prove the criminality Of his wife.