Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-15
BEECHER'S STATEMENT
A Complete Review of All the
Acts and Incidents of the
Dirty Drama Of Brook
Ign Hights.
The Great Preacher in his Own
Defense What he has to say
about TiltOn and his
Charges.
A Straight-Out Denial, UnsuppOrt-
ed by Other Testimony
Beecher's History of the
Internal Troubles.
Those Letters and Other DOcu-
mentary Evidence in Posses
sion of MCultOn-Severe
on the "Mutual
Friend"
The WOOdhull StOry-The Scarlet
Woman ExpOsed-A Seathing
and EXcOriating DOcu-
ment, Etc.

NEW YORK. Au gust lS.-GENTLEMEN
OF TIE COMMITTEE-In a statement
addressed to the public, on the twenty
p second Of July last, gave an explicit,
tompTehensive and solemn denial TO
the charges made by Theodore Tilton
agai lst me. That denial ] now repeat
and reaffirm. i also stated in that COM
municauon that I should appear before
your committee with a more detailed
statement and explanation Of the facts
in the case. -Four years ago 1Ilton fell
from one OF the prOudest editorial chairs
in America, when he represented the
cause of religion, humanity and pros
-Derfty. aud in few months thereafter
.beea me the associate and representative
% Victoria Woodruff, and a friend Of
her strange cause. BY his folly be was
bankrupted in reputation, in occupation
.aud in resources, the interior history of
which I am now about to give a brief
outline. Ii is a history of his attempt
TO so employ me as to reinstate him in
business, restore his reputation, and
Elase him again upon the eminebce
E from which he had fallen. 1t is a sad
his tory, to the fUu meaning Of which
have but recently awakened. Eutan-
Cled il a wilderness Of complications. L
follow ed, until lately, false theery and
a delL'-ive hope, believing that the
friend aFhO assured me Of mis- deteTmi-
nation and ability to control the pas
sionate va garies of Mr.. IiltOn, to restore
his household, 10 rebuild his fortune,
and TO vindi,aste me, would be equal TO
that. His self-coniessed failure has
made clear to Ule what, for long ume,
4 did not suspect, the real motive of Mr.. |
TiIton. Ny narration does not repre- |
sent a single Standpoint only as regards |
nv opinion OF Thee. TiltOn. 1t begins I
at my C rdial intimacy with him in his /
earlier career, and shows my lamenta- |
lions aud sorrOWful but hopeful affection /
for him during the period Of his initial |
wanderings from truth and virtue. 1t /
describes my repentance over evils be- |
4 ling him, of which / was made 10 /
ne. ieve myself the cause; my perseveT- |
ing and friendly despaiTing efforts 70 /
esve him and his family by any sacrifice |
Of myself not absolutely dishOnoraole, 1
and nv growing conviction that bis /
peruetual fOllies and blunders rendered /
mis- recovery impossible. / can now see |
INST he is. and has been from the begin /
ming Of this difficulty,
A SELFISH AND RECKLESS sCHEMER,
rurzuing a plan Of mingled good and |
q hatred. and weaving about me y net /
work Of suspicious misunderstanding
plots, and lies, to which my own innO-
cent words and acts-nay, even my
Thoughts Of kindness toward him-have
been made to contribute. These Success
-ive views OF him must be kept in sight
~ explain my course through the last
Z, ,,ur Years. That ] was blind so long ss
10 the real motive Cf the intrigue going
on around me, vas due partly to my own
owe rWh Inning public eng gements, part
fv "a my compete surrender Of this af-
fair a 1d all papers and questions con-
uectel with il into the hands Of Mr..
N0uIto q. who was intensely confident
that he could manage il successfully. i
suffered much, but / inquired little. Mr..
Mention was chary 10 me Of Mr.. TiltOn's
c1utideiice : 10 him, reporting TO me Oc-
s.ssiouallv, in q general way, Mr.Tilton's
words ana oAlbIesks OF passion only as
elements Of soluble which he was able 70
control. aud az additional proofs OF the
wisdom of leaving II to him. his
com ments on the situation seemed TO
rne al tle time complete, immersed
ID was ia inCessant cares and
duties. ard only too glad To be relieved
from considering the details OF 1t and the
,zr..tched complications, the origin and
fhe fact of v hich remain, in spite OF all
friendly intervention, perpetual bur
.Ierl n NV soul. i would not read in the
-,srars about il: ! would not talk aboutit.
4 made Moulton for q long period my
confident. a. d my only channel Of in-
carration. From time to time suspic-
-,,,.s were aroused in me by indications
I.1f A'f. TiltOn was acting the part Of
an eueL1y, but these suspicious were
rsuid.v a.Geyed by his own behavior to-
md ne. aud in other moods and by
d, s-lrtDces Of Mr.. M0ulton, who ascribed
tsFa circumstaut' 10 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
i8a.. or 10 malice on the part OF others.
T. Ia uiaiB 10 nae now that il was not
until lilton had
FALLEN INTO DISGRACE
ana lost bis salary, that be thought 1t
,eoessaly to sszRil me with charges
,,bi.n he pretended 10 have had in
lind f5rsiT months. The domestic Of
fsnse which he alleged was very quickly
aUd easily put aside, but yet IN such
way a. % keep my feelings surfed up
In order that I might, through my
f,iendl. be used tOextact from Mr.. Bowen
seven Thousand dollars, the amount OF
Lain iD dispute between the check Tor
ii, Al amount ~ the hands Of Mr.. 11lton.
r s,-guel an agreement Of peace and con-
.eo-s not drawn by me, but accepted by
-. y. sincere. The Golden Age had
- tarted He had the capital 10
-, (, on Tor awhile. he was sure
tl,st he was TO head q great social revo- 4
f.,tfo, With returning prosperity be
"a apra,. emily, 10 griefs which could
- ,e cover, ~ his signature TO the
-,,isIoS ~ Tes, e, yet the changes in that
?. -l-,-,-,'s,,t made by him before signing
\, 80 renresent.ed Cd 10 me as necessary
,5e-eIv 10 relieve i1lm nom the imputa-
ion of having orig, mated it, and that
i1si bis complete TestoTat ion TO public stand
- - and hou.ehold bsppiness was re-
-sretion Justly required q me,
sDI the only one "hich
7 - c1,,ld make. but, with 8 peculiar genius
soT biupdets, lie fell at almost every step
INTO new com pllcstions and difficulties,
and in every such instance II Ns- hls
Dolicv TO bring coercion to bear upon my
bopor nv conscience, and my alec
lions. for the purpose Of procuring his
~. -ication at my expense. Tbeouoie
srlifo7 knew me well. He has said agAin
nd 40, ia b bis friends, II they "ifhed
"a gaiH su~ infuepce over me they mus.
,goTk roon "a, sympathetic side OF my
Tsiure. 10 this ne has addressed biR1.
self steadily for four years, using "'tRYs'