The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-24

existence of that fact, and was an endeayor, |
faithfully carried out by me in every way pos |
sble, to protect the families of both parties |
from the consequence Of public disclosure of |
Mrs. Tilton's admitted infdelitles to her hus- |
band.
Following the above is an explanation of the |
Woodruff affair and Mr.. Beecher's letters in |
that connection. There is nothing new in this |
part OF the statement except the assertion that |
Titon used his Influence constantly with Mrs.
Woodruff to prevent her publication of the
whole thing.
THE CHARGE OF BLAcKMAIL.
Respecting the charge of blackmail, Mr..
Moulton says: Il saw questions put in the
cross-examination of Tilton, as published in
the Brooklyn Eagle, and also published in the
newspapers with how much'of truth l know
not,-that Mr., Samuel WilkesOn had charged
that Tlton's case in controversy with Bowen
was for the purpose Of Matchmaking him and
Beecher, and that he (Wilkeson) knew that
there had been crime committed against
Tilton or his household by Beecher Beecber
never intmated to me that he thought there
was any desire on Tilton's part to blackmail
him; and as had the sole management of the
money controversy between Triton and Bowen,
which have already fully explained, I know
there was no attempt on Tilton's part to black
mail or get anything more than what be-
Iieved his just due from Bowen. So that am
certain that Mr.. Wilkeson is wholly mistaken
in that regard. The question whether Wilke-
son knew or believed that any offence bad been
committed will depend upon the fact whether
!, he knew of anything that had been done by
Beecher or Tilton's wife which called for apol-
ogy at the time he wrote the tripartte cove
nant. 1t will be remembered that the trpar-
title covenant was made solely in reference to
the disclosures which Bowen had made to IT,
ton and Tilion had made to Bowen; and Til
tons letter sets forth that the only disclosure
he made to Bowen of Beecher's acts towards
himself were of improper advances made to his
wife, and that he SO limited his charge in order
to save the honor of his wife. These questions
will be answered by the production of the letter
| of April 2, 1872.
New YORK, April 2, 1872.
| My Dear Moulton-Now for the closing &C
| of Justice and duty.
| Let Theodore pass into your hand the writ
| ten apology which he holds tor the improper
| advances, and do you pass it into the flames of
| the friendly fire in your room of reconciliation.
| Then let Theodore talk to Oliver johnson.
| l hear he and Carpenter, the artist, have
made this whole affair the subject OF conyersa-
| ton in the clubs.
Sincerely yours,
| SAMUEL WILKEsoN
This letter. it will be observed, contains no
protest against biackmailing, either on Tiltons
| part or my OVID, upon Beecher or Bowen, and
| is OF the date of the trpartite covenant. Will
keson, also, hearing of Tilton's troubles kindly
| offered to procure him very lucrative employ
ment in large enterprise with which he was
| connected, as appears from letter dated jan
uary IL. 1871.
January II, 1871.
Dear Tilton-You are in trouble. 1 come to
| you with letter just mailed to Jay Cooke ad-
| vislng him to secure your services as platform
| speaker to turn New Eegland or Old England
| or the great West upside down about our
| Northern Pacific.
Pluck up heart! You shan't be trampled
down Keep. quiet Don't talk. DON'T
| PUBLISH. Abide your time, and it will be a
| very good tlme Take my word for it.
| SAMUEL WlLKEsoN.
1t will be observed that this letter was dated
after the letter of apology, and after the letter
| OF Tilton to Bowen, and Wilkeson could hardly
have desired to employ in SO grave an enter
prise one whom he then knew or believed to be
attempting to blackwell his EMPLOYER And
besides, his kindly expressions and advice to
Tilton seem to me wholly inconsistent with
| such an allegation.
think it just, in this connection, to state a
fact which bears, in my mind, upon this sub.
Tilton was in want Of money, and 1 took
leave, without consulting him, to send him nv
check for thousand dollars and a due bill for
that amount to be signed by him, enclosed in a
letter which here produce.
The following is the document:
MoULToN TO TILToN
New YORK, May 3, 1873
| Dear Theodore-I enclose to you check for
one thousand dollars, for which please sign the
enclosed Yours,
f. d. MoULToN.
Ind orsement on above by Tilton.1
Dear Frank-I can't borrow any money-for
l see no way of returning it.
Hastily, TT
After the above paper was returned to me-
| on the same day sent him the thousand dol
lars leaving it to be matter as between our
selves and not money transaction. / know
to the contrary of this so far as Beecher is con-
cerned, that Tilton never made any demand on
| him for money or peculiarly aid in any way or
form. He asked only that Beecher should in
| terpose his influence and power to protect him
| from the ISLANDERS of those who claimed to be
| Beecher's friends; while Beecher himself with
generosity and kindness toward Tilton which
| had characterized his acts during the whole of
| sisted, through me, in aiding Tilton in estab.
| fishing his enterprise of the Golden Age. for
| which purpose he gave me the sum of five
thousand dollars, which l was to expend in
| such manner as L deemed judcious to keen the
enterprise along, and if Tilton was at any time
| in need personally, to aid him. 1t was UNDER
money should go to Tilton as if it came from
| my own voluntary contributions for his benefit,
and that he should not know-and he does not
| know until he reads this statement, for do not
believe be has derived it from any other source
| that this money came from Beecher or thinks
that he is In any way indebted to him for it. l
| annex an account OF the receipt and expendi-
| lures of that sum.