Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-07-28

WIS SlLlluS III d ECts push IcChAuR cudAl
with his vest open he colored like
rose when I saw him.
Qes.-The explanation was satisiac
tory TO you on that occasion2
| Aus.-Entirely so. / should have
thought nothing Of it had 1 not wonder.
| ei at the door being locked; the room
was a bedroom connecting with the
sitting-roon by sliding doors: both
rooms opened into the hail.
4 Ques. May they not have gone into
/ the sitting-roOm from the hall and
! thence into the bedroom? ~
Ans.-I will give them the benefit OF
| a doubt. - 4
Ques.-What was the explanation
4 given which you found satisfactory
Ans.-Annoyance Of children, my
wife said; our own ana the neighbors'
| children were Masking q noise: she
wanted a quiet talk with MFR. Beeeher,
and so she locked herself in.
Ques.-That satisfied you2
Ans.-Yes, it was entirely satisfac-
tory
Ques.-Was the siiding-doors open?
Ans.-They were shut.
Ques.-Was the hall door opened inn
medistely?
Ans.-Yes.
In reply TO further questions, Tilton
said that he never regarded the circum-
stances as evidence of wrong; the expla-
nation blotted it from his remembrance,
but he had since mentioned ii because
circumstances arse which made him
feel that her explanation of both scenes
was untrue; he first mentioned 1t, he
thought, to his mother; never thought
there was any wrong in it until in the
light of subsequent events; he would not
say there was anything wrong initnow;
Elizabeth always denied stoUtly any
wrong.
Ques.-You say that for year after
what you state as Mrs. Tilton's confess
sion she insisted to you that she had not
violated her marriage vows
Ans.-Yes; Elizabeth was in a sort
of vapOr0us-like cloud; she was between
light and dark; she could not see that
it was wrong; she maintained to her
mother, in my presence, that she had
not done wrong; she cannot bear 70 do
wrong; q sense Of having done wrong is
enough to crush her: she naturally seeks
for her own peace and 3 conscientious
verdict; she never would have had these
relations ifshe had supposed at the time
that they were wrong; Elizabeth never
does anything that at the time seems
wrong; for such large moral nature
there is a lack of q certain balance and
equipoise ;sssha has not a will that guises
and restrains, but Elizabeth never does at
any time that which does not have the
stamp of her conscience, at the time,
upon it.
Qus.-Do you sey that she did or did
not insist that she had violated her mar
Tiage VOWS?
Ans.-She always said that it never
seemed to her wrong, and Theodore, j
de not know that have wronged you"
Ques.-What do you understand her
as meaning by "to love is praiseworthy,
but the abuse Of love is sin?
Ans.-I rather think she means carry
ing love to too great an extent.
Ques.-Would not that include oTimi-
nal relations
AnE.-Yes.
Ques.-Then you understand her, as
early as 1868, as saying that the
abuse Of the gift of love by adultery
would be a sin.
Ans.-Yes. TEton continued that Mrs.
Tilt1n was fond of large reading, and
said AR. Beecher carried to her sheets Of
his Life of Christ and NoTlUOOd for criti-
cism. She was one Of the best Of critics,
and her judgment was not warped by
affection. He ITilton) was slwaes GER
tain that If Elizabeth liked what he
wrote, it was not on his account, and
though she was always glad when he
wrote q good thing, it was honest criti-
cism. II he had been q minister none
of this trouble would have come. She
was always sorry he was not minister,
-. 81 J, II
"Thank 5od,n said Tilton, "I do rot
belong to the priesthood or the church.
I am man of religious sympathies,
but who hates and despises religious
creeds. I do not believe in one Of the
thirty-nine articles, nor in either of the
catechisms, nor in the divinity. The
ipiunction of the scriptures move in the
divinity of Christ in the sense in which
il is held"
Witness continued, that his wife
gFieved over this with tears, and found
what was wanting in him in BeecheT,
who took advantage of it, and ought 10
spend the rest of his life in penite ee
and anguish. She regarded Beecher as
almost Jesus Christ himself. TiltOn did
not think that thought of passion and
criminality was in her breast; they were
altogether in Beecher's. She thought
only of love and reverence.
Ques.-Such a character would not
excite the thought of jealousy as to her?
Ans.-Not the slightest. [ never had
the slightest feeling Of Jealousy in regard
to Elizabeth. There wss time when /
felt that Beecher was using his influence
greatly upon her.
Ques.-To coLtrol her in her dOmes-
tic relations with yoUs
Ans.-No; but to win her, he was al
ways trying to get her to say that she
loved him better than me.
Ques.-She never would gay it2
Ans.-I don't think she ever did. She
loved his religious views. She loved
him as an evangelical minister; but
don't think that, on the whole, he was
as much to her as was.
Tilton next testified to the letter in
reference to the retraction. What struck
him in that business rs so damnabie in
Mr.. Beecher, was after coming
and confessing to himself and MOultOn,
bis criminal relations with Mrs. Hilton,
and then going round the corner to see
her, be should have come back in half
an hour, expressing his absolute heart
brokenness, whereas he had in bis
pocket this retraction from her
He did not wish to be questioned
about it. 1t was long story. The re-
traction was returned to him through
Mr.. Moulton; it was now ia Moulton's
safe, but he lFiltonl had a copy Of it.
The letter OF apology is in MOultOn's
writing, except the last line and sigma
ture. II he {Tiltonl had been present at
the time, it would never have been writ
ten. The money dispute with Bowen
was not alluded to, and during the testi-
mOny he said: The more l quarrelled
with Mr.. Beecher the better Mr.. Bow
en- liked it. II, as a result Of the contro-
versy, Mr.. Beecher should be dead,
Bowen would not be one of the mourn
e-s; he never wanted peace with Beech
er, but always wanted war; he 10 an en-
emy of Beecher, and would rejoice in
his downfall. The letter beginning:
"My dear Prank ana determined to
make no more resistance; FheodOre's
temperament is such,p etc., is in Moul-
TOMS possession. Tilton's letter ito
complaining friendn was written to no.
body, but as a public card; it was one of
q number of ingenious subterfuges, but
did not amountto anything; be wrote it
thinking 1t would please Elizabeth; its
effect was &c perpetuate the scandal.
Q1es.-fhe scandal would have died
out long ago, would It not? 1t has only
been kept alive by your writings?
Ans.-I have acted like fool, i adj
nit. Tracy, we all concede that, aud
Ques.-YOu have quoted letters Of
your wife to prove what your home was