The New York herald., 1874-07-29
FRANK CARPENTER IkTERvIEwED
From the Brooklyn August

From the Brooklyn August
About thirty miles south Of Syracuse, in the
charming little village OF bonner, Is the summer
studio OF Frank L. Carpenter the artist and au-
thor. Here representative OF the Argus found
length portrait or Abraham Lincoln ordered by
the last Legislature. Mr.. Carpenter has been In.
umarey connected with the Beecher-Iilton dim.
Guilty, and how vital that connection has been Will
be shown by the following interview. Nothing 80
important as the story told by Mr.. Carpenter has
appeared since Mr.. Tilron's statement was puo-
Mshed:--
REMARKABLE INTERVIEW WITH FRANK b. CAR
PENTER.
Mr.. Carpenter SAID IL was first brought actively
into this case by Mr.. Beecher On SUNDAY, May 25,
1873, Mr.. Beecher sent MIR. Ii. N. Cleveland, his
residence In FOrty-iith street. win horse and
Carriage. MI. cleveland told me that Mr.. Beecher
wished me to come immediately TO Brooklyn. On
our way TO Brooklyn, MIR. Cleveland said that Mr.
Beccher mad learned that Mr. Bowen had reasserted
to me the charges against him tBeecher) which
he had formerly made 10 Mr.. Tilton, but which he
session Of Mr.. II. u. Claim. Mr. Beecher had
also III the presence oi Mr.. E. ID. Holton, citizen
OF Milwaukee I'm an interview at the Lldepea-
stand that he had made q retractlon. Mr..
Cleveland SAID Mr.. Beecher wished me to confront
Mr. Bowen on these points. He also said that the
Cleveland drove me to MIR. Moulton's house, in
kensen street. Mr.. Beecher was not there, but Mr..
Moulton said 1t was Mr.. Beecher's wish thal
should 90 to Mr.. Bowen's house tnat evening in
company with Mr.. Claim and himself (Mr MOu.
ton) and repeat to them the substance OF what MIR.
Bowen had said to me. few minutes later Mr..
Illton came TO MIR. MOultOn's house; / told him
about making the covenant puolic. Mr.. Tilton
said that II Mr.. Beecher's friends made that cove
nant pubic, 1t would be very DANGEROUS thing.
About eight O'Clock Sunday evening MIR. Moul.
ton and myself went to MIR. ClHnin's house, IN
RlerraDOnL Whnra
then all pr0cee led TO Mr.. Bowens residence, cor
ner OF Clark and Willow streets. There Irecounted
TO Mr.. Bowen, in the presence OF Mcssrs Clain and
Moulton, the statements made Dy Mr.. Bowen to
myself concerning Mr.. Beecher. Mr.. Bowen AL.
his astonishment that Mr.. Bowen should nave told
those things after signing the covenant. Mr. Clai-
IN 10 ssn a: ns wA0 Mr. ssaen
me covenant. said e NJ: Bowen: Tine
your statements concerning Mr.. Beecher are nor
true you should make rne most unqualified public
ments" Mr. Bowen had said TO me that Mr..
beecher had made Q confession on his knees to
him. Mr.. Tlton and Mr.. Aouton had been told BY
Bowen, there Is direct lie between you and Mr..
Deecher, aid for one want to know the trutn.",
Beecher here to might"
] said would be glad to have Mr.. Beecher pres.
Mr.. Bowen said, II am willing to have Mr..
Beecher come mere and viii confront him."
Mr.. Claim volunteered to 60 and get him when
Mr.. Moult0n started up and said
''Mr. Claim, Will gO.o
He went out. and was gone fifteen or twenty
minutes. He returned without Mr.. Beecher, say
ing the house was closed and the windows dark.
ened; that he rung the bell, but couldn't raise
snybody; This was was about nalf-past ten O'CLOCK.
'WeI / think it's very important that Mr.
Bowen and Mr.. Beecher should have private
MIR. Bowen pledged that he would be ready and
willing to see Mr. Beecher the next day (Monday),
any time between eight O'clocE in the morning
and ten O'CLOCK at night.
Mr.. Clanin said he would see Mr.. Beecher the
next morning and arrange such On interview, and,
q few minutes later, We left Mr.. Bowen's resi-.
A few days after this saw Mr.. Claim. who told
me that he had seen Mr. Beecher the next day,
and that Mr.. Beecher said =
There isn't Yrce enough IN Brooklyn to draw
me into private interview a with Henry g. Bowen"
covenant. but Mr. Claim had told me the paper
was in his hands.
frequent conversations in regard to his difficulty
with Mr.. Beecher. ON one occasion Mr.. Bowen
told me that they hrst wanted him to sign much
against Mr.. Beecher to be untrue. This, lie said,
he had refused t. do. Mr.. Cladln then urged him
to ut least sign paper withdrawing the charges,
and he consented to do that. In regard to the
second paper Mr.. Bowen subsequently said -
made a mistake in signing that. but Mr. Cahin In
On the following FRIDAY MAY 80, 1879 the trpar.
tite covenant was made public In the New York
1
went TO Plymouth church. and after the services I
went up TO have some conversation with MIR:
Beecher in regard TO his sending Mr.. Cleveland
Tor me the previous Sunday.
tMr. Carpenter here repeated to the writer the
substance OF the conversation which took place
between Mr. Beec.er and himself that evening.
We can only say that the statements which Mr..
Carpenter says Mr. Beecher mace that evening
are. II true, OF the utmost significance and i'm.
portance. Mr. Carpenter declares that he will not
make public this conversation, unless he Is called
upon to testify before the proper tribunal 1t was
during this interview tnat Mr. Beecner told Mr..
Clrpenter that In case Theodore would make Ger.
tain dlsavowals, he would share ais lame and for.
tune With him and pour in subscribers to the
Golden Age by the thousand. The interview
which Mr.. Carpenter speaks OF occurred on the
evening Of the same day when Mr. Beecher wrote
mis- touching letter, dated sunday, June /, 1873.
Great significance attaches to Mr.. Carpenters
statement rom the iact that Mr.. Beecher's card
exonerattng Mr.. Tilton from being his slanderer
AID defamer was published the next day, June .,
ls73.l
REroRrEE-How long have you been acquainted
with MIR. liltony
REPORrEil-Have you been intimate with himS
Mr.. CARPENTER-l have.
REPoRrER-Has nc ever evinced, either by word
or manner, vndlctiveness or malice against Henry
ward BeecherY
Mr.. CARPESTER-No. never knew man to bear
81 much. one OF the editors OF the hIyie Told me
tnat Theodore Tton had suffered more than any
man since Jesus CHRIST. Tilton tod me the night
he put the Bacon letter 10 press that he would
ratner take thirty-nine lasneS In the flesh, and
drawn blood every time, than have printed this
thing against Mr.. Beecher. TIltvn lurther SAID -
"Mr. BeecGer mas laid open his breast and told me
to smte HIS pleading face Is before me now
But DR.. Bacon has put me In the attitude
OF khave and dog, and l must place
myself rlgnt before the world" lie also said
'ihis Is no impersonal newspaper attack. DR..
Bacon was my senior on tue Independent liz
Is good and wise man, and II his statement goei