Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-22

! likewise said substantially the same
/ thing that Johnson bad previously,
/ during a private conversation between
these two persons. There was no OBJ
/ ligatory confidence imposed on any Of
the parties concerning anything said at
| this interview, save an especial pledge
mutually given that nothing should be
said concerning BeecheT's demonstra-
tions toward Mrs. TiltO1s johnson
says that B0Wen's statements IN regard
to Beecher were not iutimations Of
Beecher's adulteries but plain and
straightforward charges Of the same.
Bowen stated that he knew four or five
cases Of ReecheT'5 adulterous inter-
course with women, and Johnson
says that Bowen at this interview
plaialy declared that Beecher had
confessed his guilt TO him. Bowen
said, az cannot stand it any longer.
You and | owe duty to society. That
man ought not to stay another week in
his pulpit 1t is not safe for our families
TO have himin this city" The allusiOn
20 the widow was made by Tilton.
Mr.. Bowen said he had no
doubt that her husbands death
was caused by his knowledge of
her improper intimacy with Beeeher
have no doubt about it whatever. To
make an end OF the statement as TO the
controversy between TiltOn aud Bowen,
further state that various negotiations
were had between Bowen and myself,
which resulted finally Ia an arbitration
in which H. B. Clafin, Charles Storrs
and James Freeland were referees; that
there was very considerable delay, aris-
ing from my own absence south in the
early spring on account Of sickness, Mr..
Beecher's absence during the summer,
and Tilton's absence during the fall aud
winter on lecturing tour, so that the
arbitration did not terminate until the
second of April, 1872. This arbitration
was determined upon by me, and my
determination given to Mr.. Clafiin in
the fd4Owing note:
MoULTON To CLAFLIN.
BRooKLYE, April l, 1872.
MY DEAR Mr.. CLAFLIN-After full
consideration of all the interests other
than Theo. 3, have advised him to ar
bitrate on grounds which he will explain
to you, and which l hope will accord
with your wishes. With kind wishes
toward all concerned, L am cordially
yours, FRANCIS D. MOULToN.
Tilton, Bowen and myself appeared
before the al bitratOrs, and all made
statements. After q full hearing, moth
ing having been submitted TO the arbi-
traitors except the business differences
between TiltOn and Bowen, the arbi-
traitors made an award that Bowen
should pay Tilton seven thousand dol.
lars, for which Bowen drew his check
upon the spot, and the contracts were
given up to him. After the above settle
ment, a paper, which has since been
called the tripaTtite agreement, was
signed by Bowen and Tilton, Beecher
signing il subsequently. The inducing
cause TO this arbitration was the fact
that TiltOn had commenced suit against
Bowen, and prepared an article for the
Golden Age, in which he embodied his
letter to Bowen and 8 statement of the
He submitted that arti-
Gle to me, and begged him to withhold |
il from publication. l also brought !
Beecher and Tilton together, and
Beecher added his eutreaties to mine to
prevent its publication and close the suit,
which might work injury TO Beecher
and others. agreed to submit Tilton's
claim to arbitration, to which l had
baen invited before by Bowen, but which
| had refused, as before stated. In this
myself, l said, perhaps we can settle |
the whole matter If see Mr.. Claflin, for
CIafiin knows Bowen well, and under |
stands the importance of all these inter- |
ests. Beecher said he would send Claflin |
to me, and might confer with him up
on the matter. At the conclusion OF the
the parties signed the tri-
partite covenant, which was drawn np
as / understand by Samuel Wilkeson. !
1t was first signed by Bowen. In the |
form which it was first drawn, it bound
tie parties to say nothing of any wrong
done, or Of the ofiense committed by
Beecher, and fully eX0nerated him there |
from. After Bowen had signed it,
it was handed TO Tilton TO sign,
and he refused. He wss willing to !
sign an agreement never to repeat |
again the charges OF Bowen, saying that, |
il for no other reason, if the matter |
should thereafter ever come to light, it |
would appear that there had been some |
thing bstween Beecher and Mr.. TiltOn, !
and It might be used as evidence to the |
injury of himself and family, as well as
of BeechsT, and therefore it was not for |
the interest OF either Tilton or Beecher |
to sign it in the form first proposed. No |
copy of that tripartite. covenant was con- |
fided 10 me. Appended to this cove
usnt, and made part of it, was copy |
of the proOf-sheet Of the article for the |
Golden Age so that it might be known |
exactly to what scandal It referred. How |
that tIipartite covenant came to be put
lished, know not. As part Of that set
tlement, it was arranged that Tilton |
should write a letter 10 Bowen, to be |
published in the Independent, with GER |
tain comments to be made by Bowen. |
After the tripaItite convenant vas signed !
it came to the knowledge of Beecher, as
he informed me, that Bowen was still |
spreading scandals about him, at which |
he was angered, and he proposed to |
write Bowen a letter stating the points |
that had been settled in their tripartite |
and the reason why Bow |
EMS mouth should be closed in regard |
10 such statement. l find among my |
papers a pencil and ink memorandum |
OF statements intended to be embodied |
in that letter which was submitted to |
NV Judgment by Beecher. 1t is in his |
and reads as follows: |
"Reecher's Statement of Bowen's settle |
that he allowed himself to |
listen to unfOunded rumors; second, that |
he never brought them either to me nor |
in any proper manner to the church, |
that he only whispered them, and even |
that only when he had business end 10 |
view; third, that he did not himself |
believe that anything had occurred i
which untitled me for the utmost trust |
shown by continuing for twelve to fif- /
teen years a conspicuous attendant at |
Plymouth church, by contracts with me |
as editor of the Independent, by con- |
tinued publications of my ser
mons, etc, making the privilege /
of doing 50, even as late as the /
interview at Freeland's, one of |
points of settlement by the settle |
ment Of all difficulties at Freeland's, |
and reconciliation, which was to lead |
to work together, i'm which not a single |
hint of any immortality, but every item |
was business, SIS a result of such agree
ment. First, l was to resume my old |
familiarity at his house; second, to write |
him letter that could give his family |
to show that hsd restored confidence;
third, to endeavOr 10 remove from him |
the coldness of friends OF the parish as |
one who had injured me; fourth, card |
to be published, and which was pub I
lished, giving him the light to put in !
the Independent sermons and lecture !
room talks, ETC.; fifth, l wss invited to |
Woodstock, and be his guest, as was at |
Grants reception; sixth, OF the settle !
ment by a committee whose record is |
with Clafiin. have nothing to say. l !
did not see Mr.. Bowen during the
whole process, nor do l remember to |
have spoken with him since; seventh,
now the force OF the statement that he !
y nnr kgalf lal IL