Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-08-15
How MOultOn Produced a Pistol
in Demanding the Return
of Mrs. TiltOn's
RetractiOD.
Beecher Defies MOultOn to Tell
All He Knows.
Henry Wards Acquaintance with
the Woodruff, and His
Letters to Her.
Some Incidents about Hush Mon
eys Given to TiltOn.
The Committee to Report "as
Early as Possible"

the matter at issue. Mr.. Beecher says:l
After Mrs. TiltOn's return from the West
in December, 1870, a young girl whom
Mrs. ffitUn had taken into the family, ed
ucated, and treated like an own child Cher
testimony understand is before the COM
mittee), was sent to me with an urgent re-
quest that / wOald visit Mrs. Tilton al her
mothers.
She said that Mrs. Tilton had left her
home and gone to her mothers, in cOnse-
quence of the ill-treatment of her husband.
She then gave an account Of what she had
seen of cruelty and abuse on the part Of
her husband that shocked me, and yet
more, when, with dOwncast LOOK, she said
that Mr.. Tilton had visited her chamber in
the night and sought her consent To his
wishes.
l Immediately visited Mrs. TiltOn at her
mothers. and received an account of her
home-lite. and of the despOtism other hus-
band and of the management of a woman
he had made hOuSekeeper, which seems
ike a nightmare dream. The question
was whether she would 20 back or separate
forever from her husband. l asked
permission to bring my wife to see them,
whose judgment in all domestic relations !
thought better than my own; and accord
ingly a second visit was made.
Separation Recommended.
The result of the interview was that my
wife was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS toward Alr.
TiliOn, declared that no consideration on
earth would induce her remain an hour
with a man who had ltTeated her with an
hundreth part of such insult and cruelty. l
felt as strongly as she did, but hesitated, as
L always do, at giving advice in favor OF a
separation. Il was agreed that my wife
should give her the final advice al another
visit the next day.
When ready to 90, she wished a final
word: but there was company, and the
children were present, and | wrote Oh a
scrap Of paper: Il incline to think that
your view is right: and that separation
and a settlement Of support will be wiSest,
and that in lIS present desperate state her
presence near him Is far more like to pro
Guce hatred than her absence" Mrs. Fill
ton did 10: tell me that my presence had
anything TO do with this trouble, nor did
she let me know that in the July previous
he had eXtOrted from her a confession of
excessive affection for me.
The Threatening Letter.
On the evening of Dec. 20, 1870, Mr..
DOW Ell- OAl Ills Way llNlAlFs N1A4EA Ill 4l4N
house and handed me a letter from Mr..
Tilton. Ii was, as nearly as l can remem-
Der, in the following terms:
HenrB Ward BeecheT:
For reasons which YOU explicitly know,
and which forbear TO state, demand that
YOU withdraw from the pulpit aud quit
BROOKLYN as a residence.
THEODORE TILToN.
ra,H ~ ,,-nr tyv;es and trnrpad fo Rowan
and said: This man is cay. This is
sheer insanity" And other like words.
Mr.. Bowen prOfeSsed to lie ignorant Of
the co.tentS, and handed him the letter
to read. He At once fell into conversation
about Mr.. Tiltou. He CAV me some ac-
count Of the reasons why he reduced him
from the editorship of the Independent to
The SUB rlinate position Cf a contributor,
viz: that Mr.. TiltOn's religious and social
views were running the paper; but ne said
when it was known that he had so far broken
with Til-On, there came pouring in upon
him so many stories Of Mr.. TiltCn's private
life and habits that he was overwhelmed,
and tina. he was now considering whether
lie could consistently retain him on the
BrOOElyn Union, or as chief contributor to
the TadeDendeHt. He narrated the story Of
the affair al WinSted, Conn, and some
like stories from the northwest, and charges
brought against Tilton in his own office.
Without doubt he believed these allega-
tions, and so did the other facts preyi-
cusly stated to me second full cO-rObora-
tion We conversed a long time, Mr..
Bowen wishing my opinion.
Bowen Advised 30 Discharge TiItOn.
1t was frankly given. / did not see how
he could maintain his former relations
with Mr.. TiltOH.
The substance of the full consultation
was that TiltOn's iuOrdinate vanity, his
fatal facility for blundering, for which be
/ was a genius, and OStentaLiOus independ-
ence in his own opinions, and general i'm
practicableness, would keepthe Union al a
| disadvantage with the political party for
| whose service it was published. And now,
! added to all the revelations Of these pro-
| miscuous immOralitieS, would make his
/ connection with either paper fatal TO its in
tereS.5. spoke strongly and emphatically
| under the great prOvOcatIOn Of his threat
| ening letter to me, and the revelation had
| concerning his domestic aiiIirS.
Mr. Bowen derided the letter Of TiltOI
! which he had brought to me, and said
| earnestly that if trouble came Of it
might rely on his friendship. / learned
! afterward in further quarrel, ending in Til
toms peremptoTy expulsion from Bowen:
service. this conversation was told TO Mr.
Til.0n. l believe tLat Bowen had an in
tergiew and received some further informa
tion about Mr.. Tilton from my wife, Il
whom had referred him, although l have
no doubt that Mr.. TiltOn would have los
his place at any rate. have also no dOub
that my influence was decisive and preciPi
tated his final overthrow.
Regret at TiItOn's Overthrow.
When / came to think it all over, fel
very unhappy at the contemplation Of Mr.
| Tilton's impending disaster. l had lOyeC
him much, and at one time he seemel
like a son TO me. Ny influence had cone
ius: at the time Of his first unfolding
and had much TO do with his early deyel-
opment. l had aided him externally e
bring him before the public. We had beeI
together in the great controversies Of tn,
day.
Here follows the account of the scene a
Noulton'S house when Tilton charge,
Beecher face to face with adultery. A
| TiIton's request he went 10 see Mrs TiltOl
about her confession. Beecher proceeds:
said, Elizabeth have you made Sucl
statements 20 him?" She made co an
swer. L repeated the question. Tears raj
down her cheeks and she very slight,
bowed her head in acquiescence. l said
sYou cannot mean that you haze stated al
he has charged" She opened her eyes an,
began in a slow and feeble way to explain
how sick she had been; how wearied ou
with opportunities; that he had oOnfeSse,
his own alien loves, and said that he cOul,
not bear to think that she was better thai
he: that she might win him TO reformation
if she would confess that she hai
, loved me more than him, and tba
they would repent and 90 on witt
future concord. / cannot give her Ian
f cr,age, but only the tenor Of her representa-
, lions. | received them impatiently.
, smoke TO her in the strongest language O
: her course. l said to her, Have l eve
made any improper advances to you?7 Sh
said No" / then asked. "Why did yo,
saw so TO your husband?" She seene,
S deeply distressed. "My friend (by tha
, | dssicnatiun she ALWAYS called mel I An