The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-29

letter Of apology. When this Commltte
commenced its labors there was, there
lore, no allegation before them, excep
such vague allusion to An otFense {
some sort that had been committed By
Beccher against Tilton, and for which
according to the same authority he haI
apOlOgized. 1t will thus be seen that th
question before the Committee then was
what, II any, otfense had Beecher com
mitted against 1ilton.
| 8 At an early period OF the investiga
ttoa Tilion was called before the Com
mittee and made an extended writer
statement and 10 sense specific charges
against Beecher, which showed that tht
0Hense referred to In the Bacon letter, 8,
called, was as Tllton now alleges, adulter,
With his wife, Mrs. Elisabeth X. Tilton
By this statement SO made by Tilton thI
field of iquiry was somewhat enlarged b,
the alleged Iacts, letters and circumstance
therein set forth.
II Is proper IN this connection, to state
that the otense, aO alleged by Tilton, dur
Ing some iour years and until recently, tC
numerous person, in writing and other,
wise, was an improper suggestion or so.
licitAtion by Mr. Beecher TO Mrs. Tilton
but as time passed and purposes matured
this charge passed and matured into an
other form and substance. The offenst
committed by Beecher, as now alleged By
Filton, Is stated substantially In the third
and fourth subdivisions Of his state
ment before the Committee. The charge
in effect is that Mr.. Beecher, at his resi-
dence, on the evening OF October 10
1858, or thereabouts, committed adultery
with Elizabeth r. Tilton, wife of Theo-
dore Tilton; that this act was followed
by similar act Of criminality between
the same parties at Tilton's residence on
the subsequent Saturday night; followed
also by other similar acts on various oc.
ca9ions from the autumn OF 1868 to the
spring oI 1870, the place being the two
residences Aforesaid, and occasionally
other places to which her pastor would
invite and accompany her, or
at which he would meet her by
previous appointment. The remainder
OF Mr. Tilton's extended statement is
made up OF citations Of the alleged iacts
and circumstances which he seems TO
consider relevant and important as evi.
dence sustaining his charges as above
stated. The Committee have given the
evidence their most careful consideration
aud tind thereirom that In 1861 MIR.
Beecher became editor and Mr.. Tilton
assistant editor of the InisDendent, and
that during this relation they became
warm and intimate friends. On or about
1868 Mr. Tilton began to urge Mr.. Beech.
er 10 visit his (rilton's) house, and as he
became more intimately acquainted with
hr. Tilton's family, he urged him to do
much ot his editorial writing in his
study, as 1t was more convenient to write
there than at the Office Of the INDEPENDENT
Mr.. Beecher visited his house, and q
friendly relation sprang up between the
vile and family Of Mr. Tilton and Mr
beecher, which contiDued down to De-
cem6er, 1870; that the friendly relations
existing between Mr.. Beecher and Mrs.
illton we're always well known and IN
derstood, and met with Mr.. Tilton's cor.
dial appreciation. Some years before
any open trouble appeared between MIR.
Beecher and Mr.. Tilton, his (Tilton's)
doctrines as set forth in the Independent,
oi which he had become editor, aroused
a storm OF indignation and opposition IN
the West, where this paper was widely
circulated. After much discussion this
led to the starting oil the Advance news.
paper in Chicago to supercede the Inde-
pendent Mr. Tilton, while editor oil the
Independent, a lesding religious newspa-
per, had come to deny the Interpretation
OF the Scriptures and the divinity Of
Christ. His social views about this time
also underwent q radical change in the
direction Of free love. This marked
change in the religious aud social views
OF MIR. Jilton was source OF great griet
and sorrow to Mrs Tllton. Mrs. Tilton
seemed to be very religious woman,
amounting almost 10 enthusiasm, and
when this change occurred in her husband
she naturally sought her pastor for coun.
sci and sympathy. Shos forth In strong
terms the suffering her husbands course
was causing her. II now appears that
during these years Mrs. Tilton became
strongly attached 10 Mr.. Beecher, and in
July, 1870, confessed 10 her husband her
oVershadowing affection Tor her PASTOR.
% or about the 10Th OF December
1870, Mrs. Tilton separated from her hus-
band, going with her children to her
mothers house. She sent for Beecher,
and, on his visiting her. she made to him
statement OF her sufterings and abuse
which she had received at tte hands oil
her husband, which greatly shocked
Beecher. He asked and received per-
mission TO send to Mrs. TiltOn his wife,
whose Judgment in such matters he con-
sidered better than bis own. Subse-
quently he agreed, in advising with his
vile, that 1t was desirable that Mrs. Til.
ton should separate from her husband.
Mr. TiIton, however, subsequently, forced
he vile TO return TO his house by sending
Tor and obtaining possession OF the young.
est child, who was sick with the GROUP.
During Mrs. Tilton's temporary absence
from her mothers house she suffered a
miscarriage the next day after her return,
on the Gath, which resulted in serious
illness, continuing till after the lst Of
January, her physicians being in attend
auce on her from the Gath 10 the Both OF
December, inclusive.
Early in December Of this year, during
the marked change in Tilton's religions
and social vlews, Mr. Bowen felt CON
strained 10 give him notice that his ser
vices as editor Of the Independent would
terminate on the day named in the notice,
subsequently, to this notice and on or
about the Goth Of December Bowen had
entered into contract with Tilton BY
which he was 10 be editor ofthe Brooklyn
DatIy Untoa and chief contributor Of the
lHdependent for five years, but within a
lew days alter making this contract
Bowen received such information OF Til
toms immortality as alarmed him and led
10 an interview between himself, Tilton
aud Oliver johnson, at the house Of
BNMan on the 9hIh dnu Of nnnnnahn.