The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-09-10

sons why he had reduced Tilton from the editor
ship of the independent to the subordinate posi-
tion Of contributor. saying that Mr.. Tiltons
religious and social views were running the
paper, and that he was now considering whether
he could consistently retain him editor of the
Brooklyn U"io" or chief contributor of the In
They conversed for some time, Mr.. Bowen
wishing Mr. Bcccher's opinion, which was freely
given. Mr.. Bccchcr SAID he did not see how Mr..
Bowen could retain his relations with Mr.. Tilton.
Mr. Bcechcr spoke strongly of the threatening
letter and the revelation he had just had con.
corning Mr.. Tilton's domestic affairs.
Mr.. Bowen read the threatening letter and said
he would stand by Mr.. Bcccher. and he told Mr.
Tilton the next day OF the conversation he had
had with Mr. BeeSher r. and of his (Bowen's) inten
Mr. Bccchcr, though he had no doubt that I'll
ton would have lost his place cav mat his influ-
cncc was decisive and anticipated Tiltons over
throw.
1t now appears that on the Goth of December,
1870. Mr.. Tilton having learned the advice Mr..
bring him face to face with loss of place and po-
| Sition. eNtortcd from his wife. then lying III of
miscarriage. document duplicating Mr. Bccchcr
"a document cyincing her love for her pastor and
accusing him of having made an improper solicita-
ton. On the following day he sent Moulton to
Bccchcr, requesting an interview with Mr.. Beccher
| at Mr.. Moulton's house that evening Mr.. Becchcr
| accordingly met TiltOn ut MOutOn's house. Til
| ton received him with a memorandum in his
hand and proceeded to charge MI Becchcr with
downfall. spreading injurious rumors about him,
| undermining him. and advising Bowen to dis
| miss him; injuring him in his family relations,
joining his (Tflton - mothcrn-law in producing
| discOrd in his house, advising separation,
alternating his wifc's affection from him, with
corrupting her moral virtue, with teaching her to
| be nsinccre. lying and hypOcritical. and cndin.
| by charging that he had made wicked proposals
| to her. Tilton then produced written paper
purporting to he a. memorandum of confession
| made in July previous to him by his wife of her
love for Mr.. Beecher, and that he had made pro-
| pOSalS to her of an impure nature.
The committee say 1t is clear that on the Goth
day of December when the socalled mcmor,n-
dam of confession 6s;t was procured from Mrs:
Bccchcr had caused him the loss Of of" PLACES ics
business IS, ana rep"ts Mr. 81, BeeShsr says this
thunderbolt. At Mr.. Titon's request Mr.. Beech
or repaired with him to his house where Eliza
lips the truth Of the stories so far as they con-
ccrned her. This interview resulted in written
rctraction of the charges by Mrs. Tilton, who, in
sort of postscript to the retraction. denied ex-
plcitly that Mr.. Beccher had ever offered any i'm
proper solicitations to her. The next evening
MIR. MoIton called a! Mr.. Bcccher's house and
rctraction, saying it was an uniricndly act, and
that Mrs: T. had already recanted the retraction.
and that Mr.. T. had DESTROYED his wife's first pa
per of confession. Mr. Mouiton claimed that all
difficulties could be settled without such papers.
and that Mr.. Bcecher ought to give up the one he
had. lie tM"ulton, made no threats. but dis
which he stood The paper was given up.
Mr.. Bcechrr saw the peril of being even falsely
accused While in morbid state of mind pro-
dnced by these distrcssin: difficulties Moulton
again called on him and. though his manner was
kind and conciliatory. profrSSed to believe that
Mr Beecher had been seeking Mr.. Tiltons down,
fall: had lcagued with Mr.. Bowen against him
Mr. Bccchcr expressed many regrets at the mis-
fortunes of Mr.. Tilton's family. and Mr. Moulton
saush mp some Of these expressions and wrote
there would be II" trouble in procuring recon
Citation This paper: which is dated Jan l.
1871. was intru~tcd by Mr. Bccchcr to Moulton'.
keeping. without reading it. was it read tt
him. This paper. sometimes called ''thc apollo
=y. and sometimes = the contes>on,' is in II,
rect report of what he said: No man will be
litvc. for instance. that Bccchcr said: IL hum
hlr myself before him clifton, as do before m,
God Another sentence: Her forgiveness
have Mr.. Hecchcr states il was not it. nor tn,
| scmhlance of ii.
The committee now proceed TO show from tn,
evidence before them that the orr inal charge wa.
' improper advances. and that as time passed ant
; the conspiracy dccpcncd it was enlarged int,
, adultery. The statement that the charge In tn,
first instance was adultery. and that Mrs. Til:on
, original confession TO that effect. is dcnict
| by Mr.. Bcrcher and Mrs. Titon. The statemen
that Mr. Hccchcr confessed the fact of adultery i.
. si>tcnt with Mrs. Tilton's written rctractior
, given t" Mr.. Bccchcr. If Mr.. Becchcr had arcad.
confessed to the charge of adultery. what service
could the retraction do him. and why procure on,
, al all: The rc1raction procured referred to i'm
proper advances and nothing else. L. it likely
if the main oicnsc had been charged Mr.. Bccchc
. would have been satisfied with anything short o
rctraction of that:
The committee say further on this point tina
Mr. llton in the last four wears has many time.
said. verbally and in writing that the charge wa,
the lesser ofcnse. This is important under tn,
; rule that where complainant has made ditieren
and inconsistent statements Of an Otfcnse which
he alleges. his crcdibilty il damaged. and il
most Cases destroyed. In manuscript prepared
by Mr. Tilton. which he called the true story.
and which he was in the habit of reading t,
newspaper men. personal friends. and to others
: without. it would seem. much discrimination
considering how anxious he protested himself t,
be not to ma Ike known his secret. the Otfensc wa
t stated to be improper advances. The further fac
{ that TitOn treated the matter during four YEAR
as an ol'ense which could be properly apoloyizet
for and forgiven is wholly inconsistent with the
r charge in its present form. Mr. TitOn. in hi.
written statement. complains that Mr.. Beeche
abused his lTiltonS forgiveness. 1t is believed
that no case Of adultery record can be pro
| duccd where an injured husband upon learnin:
: of his wifc's intdelty. kept the fact to himscl
A | for six months and then. after private complain
to the offending party. received and accepted al
apology for the oifcnSc and declared it forgiven
and this followed iva restoration of c"urtc>ic
ogy was not for the main oficnse Of adultcr,
y the committee say Tilton clearly proves ii
i his eroSs-cxamination when he states tina
When hs met Mr. Becehar ut H. Montopns et room
he (Bcccher, ''burst out in expression of grca
: sorrow to me and said he hoped the communica
l l..
:, was satisfactory to me. He then and Their
Il told Mr. Moulton he had done wrong but not $,
| much IA some Others had-rcfcrrnS to his wife
l. who had made statements to Mr.. Bowen tha
ought to be unmade-and he there volunteered f
write letter to Mr.. Bowen correcting the fact
winch he had mi.statcd.'' Here saw the commit
tee is clear li,ht as to what the apology does no
r refer to- 1t disposcs of the apology forever as
| paper referring to adultery. it refers to nothin
$ of the kind II the wrong done to which Nj
. Bcrchrr refers was adultery. how could thrs
words be used in reference t., it: He had don
+ wrong. no, so much as some Others: - Thos
$ words and the apology are susceptible of hut ON
construction-thcy refer. as Mr.. Ecechcr saws, +,
| his deep regret for statements which h
G and Ills wifc had undrr rcrtn:n infnrm,
c ton. a few DAYS before made to Mr. Dove,
h which led him to- execute a purpose ALREADY en-
II tcrtalncd of r,.unvinr Triton from, the Er"Hkv,
G Tnion and the indetmn.ient It appears also tha
r thc next dav Mr., Rrrchcr did writc a Icttcr f.
Z Mr.. Bowen. which Tilton saws he volunteered f.
r. write and which il referred to in Tlltons busj
| ness troubles with Bowen. Next consider MOul
It ton course with view nt sill fnrthcr trstn
e what was in his mind, as we'll as in Tlton's. a
;, TO the character If tho ot,cnsr IF Mention nm
Il Jors+,,,,i thn .l,m, -. ~, .,t..,. 4i,n,. ~ l.; WI