The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-07-22

who tho name-ut- Charlotte F.
Rudd4, Yhicb Assrl'een on. tna ip, the
Oo6etlOf General Sessiona iok .iha pa,
few days, on a charge of larceny from
General Phillip D Roddy. tl}sj Jury re-
turned p ,Yerdict Of not guilty. amid
Hearty iAPplahse in court. She was
remanded, to stand her trial on another
oharge-that Of perjury-bail in the
meantime being fixed at $40, 1000.
The letter of Theodore Tilton to the
Investigating oommittee;hns been pub.
lisheds: he says that, while Beecher
possessed1h perfect kno owlsdge of both
his offence and apology he Gas chosen
to put on public affectation of igno.
rance and Innocence CONCERNING them,
and has conspiou ously appointed a
committee OF six OF tine abiest men 6:
his chugcb. together with two attor.
neys. Is inquire into what be leaves
the committee to regard as the unac.
countable mystery uf this offence and
apology. as il he had neither commit.
ted the one or offered tho other, but as
il both we're the mere fragments OF
another mans imag nation-thus very
adreitly prompting the public to draw
the deduction that Tilton was
person under some halluoination
or deiusion. living in dream
and forging fraud. Furthermore,
In order to cast over this explanation
the delicate famor which always lends
a charm to the defence of woman's
honor, Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, lately
my vito, has been prompted away
from her home, to reside among Mr..
Beecher's friends, and to co.operate
with him in his ostensibly honest and
iaudable inquiry into facts concerning
which she. us we'll aa be, has for years
past had perfect aud vqnal knowledge
with himself. The investigation,
therefore. has been publicly pressed
upon me by Beecher, and secondly by
Mrs. TIlto". both of whom have rnited
In assuming before the public the non
existence Of the grave aod solemn
facts with which they have oonspired
to investigate, for the purpose not of
ellciting but Of denying the truth.
The first assumption by them which
has seemed to the committoe to
be in good faith, has virtually led
the com mittee into au examination, in
which The CON mittee expect to fnd, on
their part. nothing but Innocence. and
on Tilton's part nothing but slander.
Iilton then says it is now his unhappy
duty to give facts aud evidences to the
committee Tor reversing their opinion.
He charges Mrs. Triton with Joining
Beeoher in u conspiracy, which cannot
fail to hc full of peril and wretched ness
to many hearts. The last opportunity
Tor reconciliation aud settlement has
passed. Tilton says of Beecher: This
desperate man must hold himself only,
and not me, accountable for the
misery and wretohedness which these
disagreeable disclosures will curry to
his home and hearts. AS they have al
ready brought to mine. und will add,
that the origihnl documents referred
to III tue ensuing sworn statement are
for the most part in my possession,
but that the apology and few other
papers are in the hands of Francis D.
Moulton. Tilton then swears to state
ments. among them the following:
Firet-That on the 2d OF October,
1855. at Plymouth Church. Brooklyn,
a marriage between Thso. Tilton and
Elizabeth NJ. Richards was performed,
by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, wbic'i
marriage thirteen years afterwards was
dishonorsd and violated by this clergy
man, through the criminal seduction
OF this wife aud mother. as hereinafter
set forth Sscond--Thas for q period
OF about fifteen years, extending both
before and after this marriage, an init
mate friendship existed between Theo.
dore Tilton aud Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which friendship was Co.
mented to soch degree that in
consequence thereof the subsequent
dishonoriug by Mr. Beecher of his
friends wife was crime Of uncommon
wrong and pertidy. Third-Thut
about nine years ago. the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher. before and thereafter
formed friendship with Mrs. Eliza
beth Il. Tilton. for whose nntive deli
cacy and extreme religious sensibility
Le often expressed to her husband a
high admiration, visiting her from time
to time for years, until the year 1870,
when, for roasons herein stated, be
ceased such visits-during which pc.
Rod, by many tokens and attentions,
lie won tho affection and love of Mrs.
Tilton, whereby, after long moral
resistance by hor, and after repeated
assaults by Tim apon her mind, with
over.mastorlng arguments, accom-.
piished the possession Of her person,
maintaining with her thenceforward.
during the period hereinafter stated,
Al