Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-08-26
NOEIfoh's statement on the
ReeCher TtltOn Scandal =
The Case goes to COdrt.

ne 1ase goes 10 SOoEt.
Moulton, the so-called mutual
friend" of Beecher and Tilton, has taken
Mr.. Beecher at his word, aud made aud
published a statement Of what he knows
about the scandal. The most note
worthy point-indeed there is no other
new point IN it's the allegation that
Mr.. Bowen, proprietor Of the Indspen-
dent, was engaged in whispering scan
dalous things about Mr.. Beecber before
the trouble between Beecber and Mrs
Tilton was known, or made public
The very remarkable feature about the
statement is, that it should contain SO
many letters that never should have
left the keeping of those to whom they
we're addressed. How many of tLcm
were chtaIned under the threat of shoot
ing, Mr.. Moulton does not state 1t
would have been interesting, aud not
hard for him to have stated how many
were obtained in that way. He became
the receptacle of all the pri'aie ex-
pressions Of the principals interested
in the trouble. A half hundred and
upwIrds of private letters, all to a
greater CT less degree bearing on the
scandal, attest his quality as gather
er of private correspondence. May the
Lord keep such a'mutual friend" far re-
moved from every decent man and woman
ID :own and country. In his long state
ment, and In the multirudin0us letters
from different parties that it is COM
posed of, there is no evidence that will
weigh a straw before an intelligent
jury in the conviction of Mr.. Beecher
To be sure they refer to the scandal,
but they are '.here say" only. They
are al rumOr, such as any bawdy-
house frequenters and tlackmailers
could set afioat, and get friends of the
parties accused to write anxious letters
about. If one letter of Mr.. Beecher's
Is worth any thing, every other letter
written by him bearing on the subject,
is worth as much in proportion. A
number os the letters written by Mr..
Beecher are written to men-Iot wo-
men. They are written in the same
forid vein as those written to women !;
and if they Lad been penned to those
Of the gentler sex, would doubtless in
this emergency be construed TO be love
letters, and mean some hidden, mystic
rious, improper something too shocking
to see the light of day but as they
were not written TO women, they at
least will not be looked on as love let
ters. In the main this very statement,
In the hands of lawyer Of discrim
mating mind, can be made to corrcbo-
rate Mr. Beecher's statement.
When this case gets into the courts,
where it is about to go, as may be
learned from the following despatch
from New York under date of the 2lst
inst, all will come right. This is what
the despatch says:
The suit against Henry Ward Beecher for
improper relations with plaintiffs wiic was
commenced to-day by the service of a sum-
mons and complain; on Mr.. Beecher's coun-
sci. The summons is dated August 10 in
the City Court of Brooklyn, and calls for an
answer within twenty days. The following
is the text of the complaint
First. That on the I'd of October, 1855,
in the city of Brooklyn, the plaintiff inter-
married with Elizabeth VI. Richards. since
named and known as Elizabeth K. Tilton,
and that at the time of the commission of
the wrongs hereinafter mentioned, plaintiff
and his said wife were living together as man
and wife in said city OF Brooklyn.
Second. That the defendant, contriving
and wiliully intending to injure plaintiff
and deprive him of the comfort, society,
and assistance of the said Elizabeth, the
Sifc of the plaintiff, and TO ALLEVIATE and de-
stroy her affection for him, heretofore, on
or about the 10th day of October, 1868,
and on divers other dates and times after
that day, and before the commenc ~ient of
this action, at the house of the defendant,
No. l24 Columbia street, BROOKLYN, and at
the house Of the plaintiff, No. ia Livings-
ton street, Brooklyn, wrongfully and wick
edly and without the priyity and conniyance
of plaintiff, debauched and carnally knew
said Elizabeth then and ever since, wife OF
plaintiff, was wholly alienated and de-
stroyed and by reason of the premises,
plaintiff has wholly lost the comfort, soci-
ETY., and assistance Of his wife which, dur
ing the time aforesaid he otherwise might
have enjoyed, and has suffered great dis
treSS in body and mind, the damage of the
plaintiff is one hundred thousand dollars.
hercfore the plaintiff demands judgment
against the defendant for said sum of $780,
GOD for wrong, and injuries hereinbeiore
set forth besides the cost Of this action.
Morris x Pearsill, Plaintiffs attorneys.
Mr.. Sherman, Mr.. Beecher's lawyer, re-
ceiyed the summons and complaint this
morning. He said an answer world be filed
without delay. II VIII b. a general denial.