Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-29
THE PLTMOCEH ISGUIRY.
ssGMen's Reply 90 MISS ReeCher.

The follewingis is the text OF the letter OF nir.
Henry q. Bowen, IN reply 10 Miss Catharine
BeeCher, brief mention of which was made il 4
telegram to the STAR yesterday:
SIR: Miss Cstharine f Beecher in a comma
nication published in your paper on Friday last
says:
/. 1.-The real origina tor o. rbis (meanins the
Broosiynl scandal rs the proprietor vi Tia IN
depeadsRt.'
hIyIeply 70 this statement is that II u eyhorly
false, as Mr.. Beecher himself very well kBogs.
II. She says th II said proprietor of Tie hide
PENDENT "ls described - me- (heT), ets.-thus
pialniy lEtinEiDg to the world that she has 10
acquaintance with Re-perhaps has never seen
ne. Miss BeeCher has probably forgotten IA 1t
l acted as her banker tor q long period or time
until gave her notice as others, believe, ia
cone before, tnat desired the account closed
or my books. She also omitted to state that 81
has been TO my Ctiice repeatedly on business
ana has visited me al my house in Brooklyn and
at Woodstock. Her Individual opinion OF the
on this acquaintance she does not give to the
public.
III. Mise Reecher saws that s'yarious gentle
/. men and ladies have informed NE (her) OF the
mean and dishonest practices OF this man" me
She probably refers in tGis case to ore who
had spoken to various gentlemen and ladies'
in Brooklyn, during a period OF II months or
more Of my ''dishoneSty" IN notlpsying him
ceTta in sum which he alleged was due. He
finally induced a chosen friend to come and see
me on the serious charge. / was astOnIshed at
the Developments long kept from my notice
and insisted on the pot that he, the warm friend
of my accUser, should himself examine all the
facts and 6guIes and make an impartial award.
promising, If my accuser would do the same, to
abide by this decision. An agreement was
signed to that effect. The result was that my
accuser was obliged to pay me Sl,OO0. The
referee was Mr.. Charles Gould, since deceased,
award. Mr.. Gould told me many times after
ward that had been greatly wrOnged in this
matter. Whether certain "ladies and gentle
men, in Brooklyn ever heard of the reTdic, in
THIS case, or whether nv aCcuser ever spoke of
IL 10 any one, i cannot say. The whole story of
"meaDness and dishonesty" | pronounce a
wicked fabrication without even the shadow or
". Miss Beecber further says that her
brOther's efforts TO ''fulhii his duty as a Chri-
tian friend and pastor in these matters were
met only with anger" NV reply is that Sir,
Beecher never in any single instance, in his
life, either directly or indirectly, by word or
hint, ss friend, neighbOr or pastor, charged me
with dishonest act, or that had ever wronged
any one out of cent.
'. The withdrawal of Mr.. Beecher and Mrs.
Stowe rom The Iadspendeat did not call forth
increased evaporation" or any eXasperatiOu
whatever-as Mrs Beccher charges-and Mr..
BeeCher very well knows il from my own lip~.
VI. Miss BeecEer charges "fresb excitement
and mangnty" on my part 90 account OF "a
lady authOress in his (my) family, ;" who refused
ali ''otfer OF marriage" on the supposed intsr-
yeution" OF Mr, Beecher.
TIE whole statement IL utterly destitute Of
truth and entirely beyond my cOmprehe nslou.
1t is a malicious invention.
VII Miss BeecheT says that this maiignity
prompted tie "letter to Mr.. TiltOn accusing
my brother (Mr. Beecher) with adultery and
rape"
My answer IL that never wrote such . letter
to any body; that never aGSnOwled to any
one that had done so, and therefore couiI
make 10 confession" Oh the subject, a. Mis-
BeecheT alleges.
VIII. Miss Beecher's final statement that 1
have "adr0itly cOntriyed to maintain member
ship in the church" Is Sl~u = stupid faseho0d
as If well known both in and out OF Plymouth
church. l have neither managed. nor Goa
niyed, nor used a single effort tC influence toe
action OF the church o. any enc OF its membsrs
This is not the fiIst attempt Miss Beecher has
made TO convey Information on the subject ia
qut stCnl and my advice Is that in future she
loC k more carefully after her facts or she may
need more than a mutual friend TO help her uIt
OF some serious difficulty.
an quite willing that Mr.. Beecher should
act as Juoge and jury on my conduct, for h.
knows and has often said. aud recently, too
that be diG not censUre or condemn ne for the
couTse had taken in this most unfortunate
affair Happily for me in this matter, I have 4
witness oI Lis Words IL one who i no~ aud Al
way has heer one OF Mr. Beecher's warmest
friends. Very respectfully,
HENRY &. Bowen.