Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-15

ticle has done SO much to revive and render mis-.
| chevous. Mr.. Moulton urged me to get nom the
of it for US, when Mr.. Wilkinson came out with It
on his own responsibility. Its publication In thls
manner made strenuous but unavaing efforts to
prevent. He had originally kept copy OF it.
Everybody in this business seems to have every
thing except myself) On the appearance OF that
paper Theodore went into rage. 1t put him, he
said in false position before the public and he
would publish another card giving statement
| something like what he afterward wrote to DIR.
Bacon chat is as reccoect the matter), declaring
that had ommitted an offence, and hat he had
been the magnanimous party in the business. 1t
was necessary to decide what to do with him.
Moulton strangely urged card from me exonera.
ting Theodore (as l could honestly dog from the
authorship of the particular scandals detailed in
his article to Mr.. Bowen and alluded to in the GOV"
enant said would think it over, and perhaps
write something. This was Friday or Saturday,
the covenant appealed on the Friday morning, and
Theodore would do something dreadful if not re-
strained on Sunday. had made up my mind to
write to Mr. Moulton the following letter, garbled
extracts of which are given in MIR. Tilton's state
ment:
Letter to Gomez
There are limitations ut the beginning and tn e
end of this letter that felt the approach of death.
With regard TO that merely refer to my previous
statement concerning my bodily symptoms upon
me- ne man point Is that was worried out with
the whole business, and would have been glad to
escape by death, of which long had little heed
| | could see no end but death to the accumulation of
torture, but resolved TO stop short and waste o
more time in making matters worse. / felt that
Mr. Moulton mad better Atop too, and lie. the Whole
thing come out.
ment which now make, and leave the result with
God. Mr.. Iilton had repeatedly urged me, as stat
ed in my letter, not to betray his wife, and ielt
bound by every sense Of honor, in case should be
pressed by inquiries from my church or family as
TO the foundations of rumors which might reach
them, to keep the promise. l meant only that |
would not betray the expressive affection which his
wife, as had been told, had conceived for me and
had confessed to him. 1t certainly did not refer to
adultery. If there had been such q .act in exist
ence, its betrayal would have ruined me as well as
her, and pledge not to betray would have been
too abs urd to be mentioned in this letter. In reply
TO TINS note, which was calm and reserved rather
than gloomy, MIR, Moulton wrote that same day a
letter of three and half sheets OF copy paper. He
began as follows:
My Dear Friend You know have new r been
| in sympathy with the mood, out of whch you have
often spoken, as you have written this morning. If
the truth must be spoken let it be. know you can
stand If the whole case was published tomorrow,
| and in my opinion it shows selfish faith in God"
Having proceeded thus far, Mr.. Moulton seems to
nave perceived that the tone of his letter was rat-
er likely to result in my determination to publish
the whole case than otherwise, and this was op-
posed to the whole OF his policy, he crossed out
with one dash of the pencil the whole OF this and
commenced anew, writing the following letter:
(Letter to Gomez
In the haste of writing Mr.. Moulton apparently
iad to perceive what he had written in the first in
stance on one side OF half sheet of paper, and
used the clean side OF that half sheet for the pur
pose OF the letter, which he sent IN the shape he
had given, but it will be seen that he deliberately,
and twice in succession, reafrmed his main stale.
ment that there was nothing in the whole case on
which could not safely stand. He treats my reso-
luton as born Of such morbid despair, as he had
often reproacbed me for, and urged me strongly
to maintain my faith in him. Tilton yielded to his
persuasion, and generously allowed himself to be
soethed by the publication of a card eXoneratlng
him from the authorship of the base ills to which
the trlpartie covenant referred. So once more
and this time against my calm judgment, patched
up hollow peace with him. That have grievous-
ly erred in judgment with this perplexed case no
: | |
wrong party and accepted a disastrous guidance in
the beginning, and have indeed travelled on n
rough and rugged edge" in my prolonged efforts
TO suppress this scandal which has at last spread
SO much desoation through the land but cannot
admit that erred in desiring to keep these matters
out OF sight In this respect appeal to you and
to all Christian men to judge whether almost any
personal sacrifice ought not to have been made
rather than to suffer the morals OF an entire CON-
munity, and especially of the young to be corrupt
ed by The filthy, detailed and scaldalous falsehoods
daily itereated and ampifed for the qualification of
impure curiosity ana the demoraliz alton of every
child that is old enough to read.
The iul truth OF this history requires that one
more fact should be told, especially as Mr.. Tton
has invited it. Money has been obtained from me
in the course of these affairs in considerable sums,
but did not at first look upon the suggestions that
should contribute to Mr.. Iilton's pecuniary wants
as savoring of biackm2il. This did not occur to
me until had paid perhaps 5000. Afterward
contributed at one time 5000. After the money
had beed paid over in five $1,000 bills to rails
which mortgaged the house live in, l felt very
much dissatisfied with myself about it. Finally
square demand, a threat was made to me by my
confidential friend that if 5000 more were not paid
Tllton's charges would be laid before the public.
This saw at once was bacEmail in its boldest
form, and never paid cent of it, but challenge
and requested the fullest exposure. But after the
summer Of 1878 became inwardly satisfied that
TltOn was inherently and inevitably ruined man.
no longer trusted his word or his honor. | came
TO feel that his kindness was but a snare, and his
professions of friendship treacherous. He did not
wear well by me nor by his own household, but
suffered ali the more on this account.
TO BE CONTINUED.