Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-09-10

wrong-doinu are utterly wantingin this case The
case then rests upon mere words and assertions
supported by no circumstances whatever that are
the usual indications OF adultery.
Tilton SAYS he knows the fact from his wife's
confession and from her subsequent confession 10
Moulton and her mother. But Mrs. Tilton saws
TINS confession was eXUOrted from her by an i'm
porous, malicious husband. and by fraudulent
meals, the pretenSe being that she must say
something in order 10 exUricate him from his
business perplexities. She was made 10 believe
Ia mere was some conspiracy hatcnlng against
ny AUSo3nd. The fact that she Withdrew the
charge when Mr.. Beecher first confronted her. on
tHe evening Of Dec. 80. together with the further
l&cl mar she has ever since denied the truth of
me charge when free from the dominating in
nuence Of her husband. was referred 10 and
SPetI&Ily commented upon by the committee.
1nS source OF the scandal was the alleged words
" uLs. Ililon which she explains IN Sueh man
credit.
1hen comes Nj. Beecher. who solemnly declares
IhII VIVA eNer words By whatever means. had been
drawn from Mrs Tflron nv her husband. he is
INNOCENT M OF any and all improperly toward her,
n ne -elat!lS tolmpvOpe- advances or auu!terE.
- y. IIITlLNISe dld MOI propose 10 ueIe4u the
OUlee .! : elE>' Hilton. On any theory OF human
responsibility Il was indefensible The testimony
showed jhaI' under the influence OF q designing
ny Wnen IN condition Of mental aGerraJlon
sne LIo al least pasSiyely made charges OF I'M
proper advances by Mr.. Beecher. but when her
1tl5L.Ion 4ho oeeu called 10 the great wrong she
n1g UclG . sne quGSIy retracted them III sorrow
1l-t' Pe4IteAce' Eminent physicians appearing
before the committee had testified that such con
oUcI on me part of Mrs. TiltOn. being subjected
10 ue lLlA4ehce referred TO. was not inconsistent
win an honest mind. As illustrative of this
latter proposition the committee refer 10 the
letter puohshed by Mr.. Moulton. purporttng 70
nave Peen written by Mrs. TiltOn. in which she
says Sne Is q perfect coward liz TiltOns presence,
and nat II Is physical impossibiity 10 tell the
ruin ana also 10 a subsequent letter
II when she says: with all my woman,s
II rsraN.a FlF NJ
pure conuuct alleged against me-" In the state
I!leII, dlSo Mnlcn was prepared under the dlrec-
Ion u IlE. 1tIlon ana Mr.. Carpenter, and taken
10 III ot"EIs IN 49,. Mrs. TiltOu shows that she
was mace 10 believe that a conspiracy had been
formed against her husband. Subsequently, in a
1eJer' she Is found asking the forgiveness of Mr..
Beecner Tor the suferingS she had caused him.
The committee had heard much from Tilton Of
con1esslons made by his wife 10 him. but they
TINS point without confederation. On
one OCCASION according TO the testimony of Miss
Idrner, she told her husband that il was lie
that she had confessed to him her intimacy with
MI. beecher 1hls witness was the same person
who. it was said by Tilton and Moulton. was sent
TO a ooa-ldng-sGhool to get rid of her. because
she had heard TiltOn make charges against her.
Miss turner and Mr.. Tilton both agree in saying
that II was ILtOnS plan TO have her 60
away, because she had stated TO her
friends that Iilton had twice ATTEMPTED
intimate relations with her during the absence
OF Mrs. Hilton in the country. TiltOn was fast
losing place and position because of his social
TINS gIrl statement. The sum of $4,000 was in
vested TO pay her expenses while at school. but
the committee say the absurdity of supposing
that Mr.. Beecher would invest that sum TO get
persons to leave town. to whom Mr.. Tilton had
been peddling his scandal. was transparent.
Persons to whom Tilton had talked in some form
Of the scandal were too numerous to Justify an
investment OF $4,000 on each of them by any
body whose wealth could not be counted by mill
ions. just as Miss Turner was leaving for
school Mr.. TiltOn procured from her. with the
q LETTER a
improper liberties. Here Mr. TiltOn Shone
COnspiCuOuSly as a manufacturer of evidence.
Mr. Illton when before the committee, when
reference was made TO the = Griffith Gaunt" let
ter seemed to think that the offense of Griffith
Gaunt was adultery, and accordingly relied upon
the letter as incontrOvertible evidence of his
charge. In this he is mistaken.
1t was principle of common law that a mar
ried woman cannot commit or be held TO commit
crime perpetrated IN the presence of her hus-
band. and this upon the idea that the husband :
presence and influence amount 10 duress and
that she Is therefore, NOT responsible. Whether
or not ii necessary to invoke this rule of law
to excuse Mrs. TlltOn, 1t could be seen in what
Mr. TiltOn was able TO eXtOrt from her without
her volitiOn or real assent something of the rea-
sons which moved the early eXpounder of the
English common law 10 assert the doctrine re-
ferred TO.
The committee having reviewed the evidence
proceed to contrast the characters of Mr.. TiltOn
and MIR. BeeCher. In respect to the former. the
committee ask: Who is this aCcUser that he !
makes so bold face? He had lately become
very different man from what he was formerly re-
ported to be. Signs of degeneracy have set in
which make him discredited man in the com
munity. After his espOusal of the new marital
philosophy his downfall was rapid and complete.
In sketching his career an able writer says: " In
process of time he comes before the world as the
indorser of Victoria c. Woodruff. and lends his
name TO biography of her which would have
sunk any man s reputation anywhere for common
sense. Such book is tomb from which no
author rises again. Such is the accuser.
The accused is Henry Ward Beecher, the pastor
e 81.
with harness on for forty years. He has been
living in the clear light of MONDAY, before his
people and all men. life of great Christian use
fulness and lncessant work Those who have
been most intimate with him, at home and
abroad, report nothing of his life conversation
but what comes of purity OF sou.
We are asked by TiltOn and MOuton to believe
that Mr.. Beecher, with his long and useful life
and high character to sustain him. is unworthy
of confidence, regard or respect. Christian char
acter and great services, which are usually con-
sidered tower of strength and defense. when
one Is assaied. are to 90 for naught. according
MI. Tilton. We are invited TO give up this man
and send him and his good name and family to
the vortex of moral destruction. We are TO do
this upon what? Upon some wild. absurd and
contradictory assertions of Mr. Tilton who in all
this work does not succeed IN Disgusting his
malicious and revengeful designs. No tribunal |
administering justice ever held charge of adu- |
terry proved by mere alleged words. written or |
spoken. that are denied and not connected with |
circumstances and appearances pointing unmis !
takably TO the guilt of the accused.
upon a review OF all the evidence FeIleO on DIV |
the accuser. the committee conclude that he ut |
tcrly fails sustain the charges made, and make
the following statement of conclusions:
l. We find rom the evidence that Rev Henry |
Ward Bcecher did not commit adultery with Mrs |
Elizabeth r. TiltOn. either at the time or times,
at the place places, set forth in the third and
fourth subdivisions of Mr. Titons statement, |
nor at any other time or place whatever.
=. We ind from the evidence that Mr.. Beecher |
has never committed any unChaste or improper |
act with Mrs. TiltOn, nor made any unchaste or |
improper remark. profer, solicitation TO her, |
of any kind or description whatever.
3. If this were question OF error of judg- |
ment on the part Of Beecher. hWould be easy 10 |
crticise, especially in the light Of recent events.
In such criticism. even in the extent OF regret |
and censure. sure no man would join |
more sincerely than Mr.. BeeCher himself.
4. We find nothing whatever IN the evidence |
that should impair the perfect confidence of Ply |
mouth Church or the world in the Christian char |
acter and integrity of Henry Ward Beecher.
And now let the peace of God, that passeth all |
understanding, rest and abide with Plymouth |
Church and its beloved and eminent pastor, so |
much and so long afflicted.
HENRY ". SAGE.
AUGUSTUS SToRRs,
HENRY ". CLEVELAND, |
HORACE B. CLAFLIN,
JOHN WHsLow,
s. Y. WHITE,
Committee Of Investigation.