The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-15
Gks9mtetIiq
BEECHER-TILTON.

nation Continued and Concluded.
The following dispatches complete The
statement Of Mr.. Beecher before the
Plymouth Church Committee, and also
include bis examination. Tho greater
portion Of the statement was given in yes.
terdsy mornings dispatches The bal
sncs was received yesterday afternoon
and evening, and Is as follows:
Within day or Two after this Moulton
made the third visit, and this time We re-
paired to my study on the third story Of my
house. Before speaking Of this interview,
il is right that should allude to the suE.
fering through which had gone during
the preyious day, the cause Of which was
the strange change in Mrs. Tilton. No
thing had seemed to me more certain dur.
ing all my acquaintance with her than she
was singuIarly simple, truthful and honor
able. Deceit seemed absolutely foreign to
her nature, and yet she had stated 10 her
husband those strange and awful falsehoods
She had not when daily called and pray.
ed with her, given me the slightesh hint
| will not say OF such accusations, but ever
that there was any serious family Difficult.
~ She had suddenly called me and my
wife TO consultation to n possible separa-
lion from her husband; still leaving me
ignorant that she had put into his hands
such a weapon against me. l was bewild-
cred with q double consciousness Of
sanity woman communicating in very
needless treachery to her friend and pastor.
Ny distress was boundless. did not for
moment feel, however, that she was TO
blame. ! supposed that she had been over
born by weakness and shattered in mind
until she scarcely knew what she did, and
was no longer responsible for her acts. NY
.oul went out 10 her in pity. l blamed
myself for want ofprudencc aud foresight,
for thought all this had been the result
Of her undue affection for me. had a
profound feeling that would bear any
blow, take any punishment If that poor
child could only merge from this cloud and
be be put back into happiness, from which
| had been, as I thought Of not the cause
Of the occasion Of Withdrawing her. If my
own daughter had been in similar case,
my grief at her calamity could scarcely
have been greater. Moreover, from the
anger and fury Of Tilton apprehended
that this charge was made by him and
supported by the accusation Of his wife,
and was to be ut once publicly pressed
against me; and II il was had nothing but
my simple word of denial to interpose
against it. in my then morbid condition Of
mind thought that this charge, although
entirely untrue, might result in great dis
a'tcr, II not in the absolute ruin of the
great interests which were entirely depend
tnt upon me-the church which I had
built up. the book which was writing, my
own family, my brother, now engaged in
the ministry, my sisters, the name which l
had hoped might live after me and be in
slight degree source Of strength and en-
enlargement 10 those who should succeed
me, and above all the cause for which l
had devoted my life. The work was 10
end abruptly and in disaster. My earnest
desire to avoid public accusation and the |
evils which must necessarily flow from it, |
and which now have resulted from it, has
been one Of the leading motives that must
explain my action during these four years
with reference TO this matter.
1t was in such sore and distressing
condition that Moulton found me. His
manner was kind and conciliatory. He
seemed, however, to be convinced that l
had been seeking Tilton's downfall, and
that | had leagued with Bowen against
him. and that l had, by my advice came,
near destroying his family. I did
not deny the argument or persuasion to
induce me to do or say anything which
would remedy the injury Of which then
believed | had certainly been the occasion,
il not active cause. But Moulton urged
that, having wronged Tilton SO, the wrong
meant his means OF support suddenly
taken away, his reputation, his family de.
strOyed, and that ] had done it. He as
snrcd me that Of his own knowledge the
stories which I had heard Of Mr.. Tilton's
impurities life, and which had beliey-
ed and repeated to Bowen, were all false,
and that Tilton had always been faithful
to his wife. I was persuaded into the be-
lief Of what he said, and felt convicted Of
a Islander in its meanest form. He drew
the picture Of Tilton wronged in reputa-
ton, in position, in purse, aud shattered in
his family, where he would otherwise have
found refuge, and at the same time looking
upon me out of his deep distress, while |
was Astounding in friends, most popular,
and with ample means, he drew that pic
ture Of my prosperity, overlooking and
abounding, and Tilton's utter degradation.
felt most intensely excited indeed. l
felt that my mind was in danger Of giving
way. l walked up and down the room
pouring forth my heart in the most unre-
strained grief and bitterness of self accusa-
tons, telling what my ideas were Of the
obligation Of friendship and the sacrcdness
Of the household; denying, however, an in
Ientional wrong, seeing that If / had been
the cause, however remotely, Of that which
| then held, never could forgive myself
and heaped all the blame on my own. head.
The case, 1t then appeared to my eyes, was
strongly against me. My old and fellow
worker had been disposed Of his eminent
place and influence, and had counselled
IT, His family had been nigh broken up
and l had advised it. His wife had been
ong sick, and broken in health and body,
and l, as l fully believed, had been the
cause of all this wreck. BY continuing
that blind heedlessness and friendship
which had beguiled her heart and head,
had reused her husband into a fury Of
jealousy, although not caused by any in
lcntionai act Of mine. And should /
boldly defend myself. Should I pour in
dignaion upon this lady. Should I hold
her up to contempt as having thrust her
affections upon me unsought. Should I
tread upon the man and his household in
their great Adversely. gave vent to my
feelings without measure. disclaimed
with the greatest earnestness any intent to
harm Theodore in home or business, and
with inexplicable sorrow I both blamed
and defended Ms. Tilton in one breath.
Mr., Moulton was apparently affected by
my soliloquy-for it was that rather than