Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-15
TEE BEECHER-TILTos SCANDAL.
STATE MENT OF B { E l. ID X

The statement OF Mr.. Beecher, for which the
nubIc has waited so long, has at length APP
neared and iu a more volumlnous mass than
Presidents message. 1t is an elaboration at
great length of what has been said before 10
explanation OF tho circumstances which have
cast a cloud Of suspiciou~upon his character.
Whether it will be accepted or not by the pub.
lie as a satisfactory vndicallon OF himself, 1t
will al least afford general relief as an lndca-
ton that the case Is coming to an end. The
R,I,imore Sun furnishes the following synopsis
of the statement:
mir. Beccher points Out that his relations
with Iil;Uu's family we're very ultimate, anu ;
| describes his Intercourse with Mrs. llltcn Is a
source of lnUoccut happlucsS. About 1870 some
articles of Mr.. Tltou III the "lndepeudenl
on the marriage relation led to such severe |
criticisms that the proprietor, Mr. Bowen,
thought of removing HIM. lilton expressed
the feeling that Brecher did NOT help hlm 10
that trouble Is he might, aud that Beecher
friends were at the bottUm of the attacks made
| on him.
'sIu the latter part Of 1870, Mr.. Beechcr says
he was called upou by young woman, MEM
her of 'rltou's household, who told hun that
Iltou had assailed her virtue, and asked him
~ come to see Mrs. 1lou who had lett her
| hu ,bauu and was then with her mother. lie
went. aud heard terrible tale ut III treatment,
and MIR. Bccchcr having coEsu;ted with his
Wit. they lhuua:lt Mrs Iltoa had better uot
return to her husband While this may have
been an error uI judgment, it docs uot Seem TO
have bceu IL matter u burden the conscleuce
with rtlnVrse.
"ihrrc was, however, another !eyson besides
this, according to Mr. Btccher, Tor the terrible
state OF mud exhibited III his letters. Va the
strength OF repre- SITUATIONS made to hun by
Bowen, that Iltou demanded he should leave
the pulpit; and had also ucen guilty of immoral
ity. Mr. l}cccher advised Bowen to dismiss
ritun from his em iloymeut. hi, upon think
lug over it, decpeueu ills rcmurc aud self accu-
saliou. While in this frame OF mind he went,
at the direction of MOu!ton, 10 see Hilton, aud
IN the interview Illtou ACCUSED hun OF various
otfeuses, including among thcm the making ut
lu.proprr advances to Mrs Tllton, aud Mr.. Iitou
produced what he alleged to be acupy-lhc only
one existing the original having been destroyed
vi a confession to this effect by Mrs. 1ilu0.
He then tore up this paper, and Uade Mr.. Beechcr
70 to Mrs. TiIion, at her home. Mt Beecher
denies that there was any accusation BY Mr.. III
tou vi anything worse thln Improper advances.
Utterly bewi dared he left the house, accvmpa-
"
Ill, 10 her ROOM; obtained from her au admission
that ,hc had accused blu to her husband of lm-
proler conduct: rebukcd her, and demanded aud
received wlltteu rctractlou. He then went back
to Mr.. MuultUu house, SAID little aud Returned
| 10 his home. This was Oh the 3Oth OF DrGenI-
ber The next day he was agalu visited by
Muul;uu, who told INN that 1llCn knew Of the
rctlaciou; that it had been in itself in It's turn
retrucrd By Mrs. rllton, aud that there was no
hope vi peace or reconciliation but by the sur
render of this document. At this Interview
Mr.. Moultun showed MIR. Beecher pistol, but
dues not SeeuI 10 have Threatened hIm with II.
Mr.. Bet cher surrendered tine rclractloo made
by Mrs Tlton This rctractlon Is OF the
most mysterious circumstances OF the affair,
unless il he tina! Mrs. Iltou made the coutes
sion referred TO. The dramatic STYLE III which
her cvulltlou whcu she made this confession Is
described by Mr.. Brcchcr is notable. lie says
he found her at her home lying on her bed,
white as maSbe, with Closed eyes IN a
trauce, aud with her hands upon her bosom,
palm TO palru, like one III prayer. 1t renlnd-
ed him Of orms carved in marble that he had
seen upon monuments ln Europe. But the
statue spoke aud admitted having made tue
confession, knowing it to have beeu false, but
justilylng it uD the plea that by leading Mr..
lilvu to believe that his wife and Mr.. Beecher
we're guilty, tie himself might be lei to repeat
similar crimes of his OWL This is the most
extraordinary thing III tbs whole extraordinary
statement a blackiuailug feature is also de
veoped, in which Mr.. Beccher represents him
self yic!im to the tune oil 81 QUO. He denies
10 the most comprehensive terms all guilt, aud
ia regard to The aiIusous 10 some OF his letters
to desire tor death, says they were based on
symptoms of apoplcXy and paralysis, which he
often had
The Baltimore Gazette says Mr.. Beecher'
statement is very ably aud plauslbly written,
and by superficial or sympathetic readers will
be accepted as complete refutaton of Titon
charges To others 1t will not be regarded by
any means so conclusive. His rctaliatUry at
tacks on TiltoD, Moultou, Carpenter and all
those with whom he was once affiliated, but
whom he has now rcpudlated, Is sharp, bitter
and venomous. 10 so far as he has shown that
they are bad lot he will have public opinion
with him. The strongest part of his narrative
is that wherein he assalls his accuscrs; the |
weakest that in which he endeavors to explain
away the damaging seltiucuipation Of his own
| letters"
The statement occupies twelve and ahaf
columns of the New York Herald and the cross
examination more than seven columns Of the
| Washington Chronicle
| The regular weekly prayer meeting OF the
members OF Plymouth Church was held yester-
day evening. The lecture room was about
half filled, the audience consisting for the most
part Of ladies. Assistant pastor s B. Halliday
led the xerclses which consisted Of singing,
praying, aud offering of remarks by parties
present Prayers were offered by Rev. DIR.
Edward Beecher, THIS S. Shearman, Il. w.
Cleveland and Others in which the Divine pro-
tection was invoked Tor their beloved pastor
Mr. Halliday read few letters from outside
members of the congregation, expressing their
good wishes Tor the welfare of the church.
Tilton told reporter that Beecher's state
mcnt needs 20 other answer than the one
which was written BY MouItou week ago. and
which, for the sake of peace, Moulon with
held from the committee. The suppressed
statement Of MuuItun must now come forth
Tho hnr, hnn