Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-07-23
Eastern Dispatches.

| ton, after relteiAtiu5 the circumstances
which compelled him to speak, makes
under oath. the following statement;
Whereas, The Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher has instigated the appointment
of committee consisting Of six mem
bers of his church and society, to inquire
into and report the alleged aspersions
upon his character by Theodore Tilton,
and
Whereas, Mrs. Elizabeth r Tilton,
wife of Theodore Tilton. has decided her
house in order to CO operate with Beech
er in conspiracy to overthrow the cred.
Utility and good repute of her late hus-
band, as man and citizen therefore.
Theodore Tilton being thus authorized,
and by published demand made upon
him by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, and
being now and hereafter released by the
act of Mrs. Titon from further response
bility for concealment OF the truth
touching her relations with Beecher
therefore Theodore Tilton hereby sets
forth under his solemn oath the follow
ing facts and testimony:
That on the I'd of October, 1856, at
Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, a mar
rage between T. Tilton and Elizabeth
r. Richards was performed by Rev.
Henry Ward Beechef, which marriage,
Is years afterwards, was dishonored and
violated by this clergyman through the
criminal seduction of this wife and
mother, as hereafter set forth.
Second-That for a period of about
fifteen years, extending both before
and after this marriage, an intimate
friendship existed between Theo. Tilton
and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, which
friendship was cementei to such de-
gree, that in consequence thereof, the
subsequent dishonoring by Beecher of
his friends wife, was crime Of unmanly
wrongfulness and perfdy.
Third-That about nine years ago Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher began his friend
ship with Mrs. Elizabeth Tilton, for
whose native delicacy and extreme re-
ligious sensibility, he often expressed to
her husband high admiration, visiting
her from time to time for years, until the
year 1870, when for reasons hereinafter
stated he ceased such visits; during
which period, by many tokens and at
tentions, he won the affection and love
of Mrs. Tilton whereby, after long moral
resistance by her, and after repeated
assaults by him upon her mind with
overmastering arguments, accomplished
possession of her person, maintaining
with her thenceforth, during the period
hereinafter stated, the relations called
criminal intercourse, this relation be.
ing regarded by her during that period
as not criminal or morally wrong,
such had been the power Of his argu.
ments as to extinguish her religious
scruples against such a violation of vir
tue and honor.
Fourth-That on the evening of Octo.
Der 10, 1868, or thereabouts, Mrs. Eliza
beth R. Tilton held an interview with
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher at his resi-
dence, she being then in tender state
of mind owing to the recent death an6
burial of her young child, and during
this interview an act of criminal in
tercourse took place between thi.
pastor and this parishoner; the motive
on her part being as hereinbefore stated
not regarded by her at the time as Grim
inal or wrong; which act was followed
by similar act of criminality between
these same parties at Tilton's residenc,
during pastoral visit paid by Beeche
to her on the subsequent Saturday even
ing following; also by other similar act
on various occasions from the Autumn
of 1868 TO the Spring of 1870, the place
being the two residences aforesaid, an,
occasionally other places to which he
pastor would invite and accompany her
or at which he would meet her by pre-
vious appointment-these acts of wron,
being on her part, from the first to tn
last, not wanton or consciously wicked
but arising through the binding of he
moral perceptions, occasioned by tn
powerful influence exerted over her min,
at that time, to this end by Rev. II. W
T Beecher, as her trusted religious precep
tor and guide.
Fifth-That the pastoral visits mad
by Rev. H. W. Beecher during the yea
1868, so frequent as to excite comment
being in marked contrast with his know
habit of making few pastoral calls on hi
Pensioners, which frequency in Mrs
Tilton's case is shown in letter writer
to her husband during his absence in tn
West, these letters giving evidence tina
during period OF five or six week
twelve different pastoral calls on Mrs. Til
ton were made by Rev. H. W. Beecher
which calls became noticeably frequen
on his return to his home.
Sixth--That previous to the aforesai,
criminal intimacy, one of the reason
which Mrs. Tilton alleged for her en-
couragement of such exceptional atten
tionsfrom Rev. Henry W. Bsecher was tn
fact that she had been much distresse,
by rumors against his moral purity ant
wished to convince them that she coul,
receive his kindness and yet resist hi
solicitations, and that she could inspir
in him,lb her purity and fidelity, On in
creased respect for the chaste dignity o
womanhood