Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-23
THE BEEegER TIL TON SCANDAL.
Extracts From the Sworn Statement oi TLao-
dore Tiltoa. @W

ssAEd 06GSsSGN-s 49, VN pSssSSsA3s
Extracts From the Sworn Statement oi Thao-
core Tiltol. YM
Iilton's Indictment contains twenty
two specifications. The direct charges
of criminal intercourse with his wife
are contained in the first seven para
graphs, the last being as follows:
Seventh.-That, the first suspicion
which ,crossedstheB plind OF I'heodore
lilton that the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher was abusing or might abuse
the affection and reverence which Mrs.
Tllton bore toward her pastor was an
improper earess given by Mr. Beecher
to Mrs. Tilton while seated by her side
on the floor Of lis library overlooking
engraving. Mr.. Tllton a few hours
afterwards asked of his wife an expla-
nation OF her permission of such liber
ty, whereat she first denied the fact,
but then confessed it, and said that she
had spoken chidingly to Mr. Beecher
concerning it. I'll
On another occasion Mr. Tilton, af-
tel. leaving his. house in the early morn
ling, returned to it IN the afternoon, and
on going to his bed chamber found the
| door locked, and VIXEN on knocking the
door was opened by Mrs. Tilton, Mr..
Beecher was seen within, apparently
much confused and exhibiting flushed
face. Mrs Elton afterwards made, a
plausible explanation which, from the
confidence reposed in her by her hus
band, was by him deemed satisfactory
THE CONFESSION. r,rs.-,l,
Eighth That in the spring of 1870,
on Mr.. Titon's return from winters
absence, he noticed in his wife such
evidences of the absorption of her mind
in Mr.. Beecher that in a short time an
enlargement took place between her
husband and herself, in consequence of
which she went into the country ear
lier than usual for a summer soieuln.
After an absence Of several weeks she
voluntarily returned to her home in
Brooklyn on the evening of July Sd,
1870, and then and there, within few
hours after her arrival, and after exact
ing from her husbandga solemn promise
that he would do the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher no harm, nor commune
cate to him what she was about to say,
she made circumstantial confession
to her husband of the criminal facts
hereinbefore stated, accompanied with
citations from Mr.. Beecher's arguments
and reasonings with her. to overcome
her long maintained scruple against
yielding to his desires, and declaring
that she had committed no wrong to
her husband of her marriage VOW,
quoting in support of this opinion that
her pastor had repeatedly assured her
that she was spotless and chaste, which
she believed herself 10 be.
She further stated that her sexual
commerce with him had never pro.
ceeded from low or vulgar thong hts
either OBJ her part or his, but always
from pare affection and high reli-
glous love. She stated furthermore
that Mir. Beecher habitually character
zed their intimacy by the term ssnest
hiding" and be would suffer pain and
sorrow if his hidden secret were ever
made known. She said that her mind
was often bardened by the deceit nee
essary for her to practice in order to
prevent discovery, and that her con
science had many times impelled her to
throw off this burden of en-.
forced falsehood by making a full cons
fession to her husband, so that she
would no longer be living before him
a perpetual lie In particular, she said
that she had been on the point of max
ing this confession few months pre-
yiously during severe illness when
she feared she might die. She
affirmed also that MI. Beecher had as
sured her repeatedly that he loved her
better than he had ever loved any other
woman, and she felt justified before
God in her intimacy with him, save the
necessary deceit which accompanied it,
and at which she frequently suffered in
her mind. a.
Ninth That after the above named
confession by Mrs. Elizabeth Il. Tilton
she had returned to the country to
await such action by her husband as he
might see fit to make; whereupon, after
many considerations, the chief Of
which was that she had not voluntarily
gone astray, but had been artfully mis-
led through religious reverence for the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher as her spir
itual guide, together also from desire
to protect the family from open shame,
Mr.. Iilton condoned the wrong, and he
addressed to his wife such letters of
affection, tenderness and respect as he
felt would restore her wounded spirit,
and which did partially produce that
result.
THE statement then goes on to relate
the circumstances of the '.Bowen diff
Guilty" and at the attempts to reconcile
Tilton and Beecher, resulting in the
interchange by them, at the instance
l<>4 L n