Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-19

left her home and gone to her mothers IN
consequence Of the ill-trea.ment Of her
husband. She then gave me IN account
of what she had seen of cruelty and abuse
ON the mart of the husband that shocked
me. and vet more when with downcas!
look she said that Mr.. Tilton had visited
her chamber in the night. and sought her
consent to his wishes. l Immediately Wis
tied Mrs. Tilton ut her mothers anu re-
ceived an account of her home-life and OF
the desnotism of her husband. and of the
MANAGEMENT of woman whom he made
houseReeper, which seems like night
mare dream. The question WAS whether
she should 90 back, or separate forever
from her husblnd l asked permission to
hiring nv wife to see them, whose judg-
menf in all domestic relations | thought
better than my own, and accordingly a
second visit was made The result OF the
interview was that my wife was extreme
" INDIGNANT toward Mr.. TiltOn, and de-
CARED that no consideration on earth
would induce her to remain an hour with
4 man who had treated her with one-hun-
,lre,ltb the part of such insult and cruelty
felt as strongly as she did, but hesitated-
us always do, at giving advice in favor
of a sepal3ttion 1t was agreed that my
wife SHOULD give her final advice at anoth-
er visit. The next day. when ready TO 60.
she wished Il final word, but there was
company, and the children were present,
and so wrote on scrap OF paper: 81
incline to think that your view Is right,
and that il separation and Il settlement OF
support will be wisest, and in his present
desperate state her presence near linn Is
far more likely to produce hatred than her
ABSENCE Mrs. Tilton did not tell me that
nv presence had anything to do with this
trouble, nor did she let me know that. in
The July previous. he had extorted from
her a confession of excessive affection for
me.
On the evening of December q, 1870,
Mr.. Bowen, on his way home, callel ut my
house and handed me Il letter from Mr..
Elton. 1t was, as nearly rs | can remem-
Der, in the following terms -
Henry Ward Beecher: Forreasons which
you explicitly know, and which | forbear
to STATE, l demand that YOU Withdraw from
the pulpit and quit Brooklyn us resi-
dence.
THEODORE TILTON.
| read it over twice and turned TO Bowen
and said: This man is crazy This is
sheer insanity and other like words. Mr..
Bowen protested to he ignorant of the con
tents, and | hlnled him the letter to rend.
We at once fell into Il conversation about
Mr.. Tilton, during which Bowen stated
that Tilton had been reduced from editor
# the Independent to Il contributor, because
his religious and social views were running
The paper, the conversation resulting IN
the opinion that B ,wen conld not retain
his relations with Tilton. Bowen derlde''
iilon's letter and promised his friendship
to Beecher, and Tilton WIS subsequently
removed from the Brooklyn Union.
Mr.. Beechrr saws he felt unhlppy ut Til
tons disaster, as his affairs did not promise
that sympathy AMI strength which makes
ones house as mine has been in time OF
diversity Il refuge, and a tower of defense
Mr.. Beecher continues: 1t now appears
tlIat on the 10Th of December, 1870, Mr..
Elton, having learned that hal REPLIED
to his threatening letter by expressing
such an opinion of him rs TO set Mr.. Bow
N finally ag inst him, and bring him face
% f,re with immeditte ruin, extorted from
his wife, then suffering from II severe i'll
ness, Il document discriminating me, anu
prepared IN elaborate attack upon me.
On Tuesday evening. December 80, 1870
about o'clock. Mr.. Francis ID. Mo1lton
cal ell NJ my house AMI with intense ear
nesines~ said: :" wish you to 90 with M
to see Mr.. Tilton.' Irep'ied that couId
not then. as was Just going to my prayer
meeting. With the most pO tive mlnner
ne said: . You must go. Somebo iy els,
will take care of the meeting" | went
with him, not knowing what trouble agl-
rlte.l him, but vaguely thinking that
might now learn the solution of the recent
threatening letter. On the way | aSke
what was the reason of this visit. to which
he II, piled thlt Tilton would inform me,
III words to that effect. On entering III,
house, Muulton locked the door, say inc
something about not being interrupted. ii,
requested me to 90 into the front chamber
over the plrlor. | WIS under the impress
sion that Mr. Titon was going TO pour out
Upon me his anger for c"lleaguing with
Bowen and 70 the advice of separation
given to his wife. l wished Mr. Moulton
tu be with me as a witness, but he insisted
tIat shoull 90 by myself.
Mr.. TIlton received me coldlv, but calm
w. After II word or two, standing in front
Of me. with a memorandum in his hanl.
ne b gln a set Grafton. He charged me-
n substance, with acting for Il long time
in IN unfrlendly spirit; that l had sought
his downfall; had spread injurious rumor-
.lb ,ut him; was using my place and in
iuence to undermine him; had advised Mr..
Bowen to dismiss him. and much more
thIt | cannot remember.
He then declare thai | had injured him
in his family relations; had Joined with his
mother-in-law in producing discord in his
house hal advise | a separation; had alien
ated his wife's affections from him; hal
led her to love me more thln any living
being; had corrupted her moral nature.
and had taught her to be insincere. lying
and hypocritical, and ended by charging
hat | had made wicked proposals to her.
Until he reached this | had listened with
some contempt. under the impression thai
he was attempting to bully me, but with
he last charge he produced a paper, pur-
porting 10 be certified statement of
previous confession. made to him by his
wife of her love for me, AMI that l had
made proposals to her of an impure ma
ture. He said that the confession had
been made to him in July, six months
previous; thlt this sense of honor and af-
lection would not permit any such docu-
ment to remain in existence; that he had
burned the original, and should now Dies
troy the only copy, and he then tore the
paper into small pieces.
If hld been shocked at such state
ment, / was absolutely thunderstruch
when he closed the interview by request
ing me to repair ut once to his house,
where he said Elizabeth was waiting foI
me, and learn from her lips the truth OF
his stories in SO far as they concerned
her. This fell like thun,lerbolt upon
me. Could it be possible that his wife,
whom had regarded as the type of mo, =
al goodness, should have made such falls.
and atrocious statement? and yet. if she
had not, how would he dare to send MT.
to her for confirmation of his charges?