The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-22
MoultOn at Last J.
His full Version Of the
Affair
HE CHARGES MR.. BEECHER
WITH ADULTERY.
An Interesting Series Of Tntrigues

An Interesting Series Of Intrigue
NEW YORK, Aug. 21.-The Graphic flu
nishes in advance the following full statemel
of Moulton:
Explanatory.
To The P,tblic:-I became party also acc
IDENTITY in an unhappy controversty betwee
Mr.. Beecher and Mr.. Tilton. / had been
friend of Mr.. I. since my boyhood, and fo
Mr.. b. L had a so entertained the warmest ad
mraton. In 1870 [ learned for the first tim
that Mr.. Beecher had given Mr.. Tilton SO gray
cause of offense that # the truth should b.
made public, great national calamity woul
ensue. believe that the scandal would tent
to undermine the very foundation of socia
ORDER to lay low a beneicient power for good
in our country, and blast the prospects anC
blight the family of one of the most brillian
and promising of rising men of the generation
This disaster, as deem it and still regard it,
determined to try to avoid. For nearly foul
years have labored most assidousy to save
both of these men from the consequences o.
their acts, whether of unwisdom or passion
acts, which have already seriously involved
them in q needless and disastrous quarrel
which is made the preteXt of pouring on the
community flood of impurity and scandal
deeply affecting their own families and threat
enns like a whirlpool, if not stilled, to draw
into the vortex the peace of mind and good re-
pute of host of others. More than all, L saw
that because of the trangression of another in.
nocent children would be hardened with load
of obloquy which would weigh most heavily
and cruelty on their young lives. All these
considerations determined me to take an active
part in the transactions which have since be-
came so notorious and this decision involved
me in great anxiety and labor, for which the
hope of saving these interests could be my
owniy compensation. Even that reward has
now failed me, and instead of it, an attempt is
made to throw on me part of the shame and
disgrace which belongs to tie actors alone.
One of them who have zealously endeayored
to serve, has seen fit with all the power of his
vast influence aud matchless art DIS a writer to
visit on me the penalties of his own wrong do
ing, at the same time publicly appealing to me
TO make Known the truth as if it would justify
his attack on me. | feel that the failure of my
exertions has not been owing to any fault of
mine. worked faithfully aud sincerely under
the daily advice and direction of Mr.. Beecher
with his fullest appreciation, confidence and
beaming gratitude, UNTIL as think, in an evil
hour for him he took other advisers.
have failed and now strangely enough, he
seems to desire to punish me for the sad conse-
quences of the folly irsincerity aud !wickedness
of his present councillors.
Efforts to save Beecher.
Mr.. Beeeher in his statement testifes that he
brought on this investigation without any
knowledge or advise. Even while mourning
what seemed 10 me, the utter unwisdom of
this preceding, [ have done all could honora-
bly, do to avert the catastrophe. 1 have kept
SILENT although l saw with sorrow that this
silence was deeply injuriug tie friend of my
boyhood. Prompted by a sense of duty, not to
one only, but all the parties involved, L denied
the united and public appeals made to me by
Mr.. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher to produce the
evidence in my possession, partly because felt
that the injury thereby done to Mr.. Tilton was
far less calamitous than the destruction which
must come on all the interest had for years
tried to conserve, and especially on Mr.. Beech
er himself, if L should comply with request.
But stated clearly that in one emergency 1
should speak, namely, in defence of my own in
tegrity of action if it should be wantony as
sailed left Mr.. Beecher untrammeled by
The facts in my hands to defend himself with
out the necessity of attacking me by the pub
lished accusations of Mr.. Beecker affecting my
character My ewn self respect, the advice of
friends and public justice make it imperative
that the truth, the whole truth aud nothing but
the whole truth should now be fully declared.
WHY me Withheld the the Statement from
the Committee.
L gave to the public therefore the statement
had prepared to bring before the committee
without the alteration, addition of single SEN
fence and scarcely word, certainly without
The change of siagle syllable, since L read
Mr. Beecher's statement and the evidence, or
the cause of it. This paper / withheld FROM
The committee when before it in a last despair
ing effort for peace at the solicitation of some
Of MI. Beecher's friends, and with the approval
also of some of the most valued Of my own. [
do not now give it to the committee but to the
public, because its production concerns myself
rather than the principals in the strife, for my
own protection against the public accusations,
and not to aid either party to the controversy.
Regrets.
For the needless and cruel necessity that
now so imperativey compels its production L
have the most profound grief for which there
is but single alienation, namely: That the
disclosure of the facts at this time can scarcely
work more harm to him whom / at first tried
to befriend by withholding them from the pub
lie than they would have caused him injury in
January, 1871, When, but for my interference,
the public most assuredly would have been put
in possession of the whole truth. This pubica-
ton to which Mr. Beecher forces me renders
fruitless four years of constant and sincere eff
forts to save him. 1t leaves him and Mrs. Til
ton in almost the same position in which /
found them, excepting IN SO far as their own
late disDgenuous uutruthfulness in their SOL
emn statements may lower them in the estima-
ton of the world
reserve to myself the right hereafter to re-
view the statement of Mr.. Beecher in contrast
with facts as shown by the documents herewith
subjoined and others which L have at my
hands, the production of which did not seem
to be necessary until some portion OF the pub
lished evidence of Mr. Beeeher demanded con-
tradictiou. (Signed3
FRANCIS D. MoULToN.
STATEMENT OF FRANCIS ID. MOUL-
TON.
Gentlemen Of the Committee:
| need not repeat to you my creative great,
sorrow to feel obliged to answer your invitation
and with the permission of the parties to pnt
before you the exact facts which have been
committed to me or come to my knowledge in
the unhappy affair under investigation. In SO
doing, shall use no words of characterization
OF them, or Of inculpation OF the parties, mol
shall attempt to ascribe motives save wheL
necessary to exactly state the fact leaving th
occurrences, their acts of omission aud COM
mission to be interpreted by yourselves. lI
giving conversations or narratives, l. OF course,
can, i'll most cases. give only the substance u
the first and will attempt to give words only
when they so impressed themselves upon my
mind as to remain i'll my memory; of the lat
ter only SO much as seems to me material
have known Theodore TIlton since 1850 init
matey, in kindesJ and social and personal
friendship. / have known Rev. Henry Ware
Beecher since 1869, and then casually as an &C
quaintance and an attendant upon his minis
tratons up to the beginning of the occurrence
Tilton's Family Relations.
Seeing Mr.. Tilton's valedictory as editor O
the Independent on the 22d Of December 1870
/ inferred that there had been some difference
between himself and Mr.. III. G. Bowen, tn
proprietor, but learning that Tilton had beer
retained as contributor to that journal an
editor of the Brooklyn Union, of which Bower
was also proprietor, supposed the difference
were not personal or unkind. Up to that time
although J had been frequent visitor at Til
toms house and had seen himself and Mrs
Tiltou under all the phases of social intercourse
l had never heard or known of the slightes
disagreement or unlSindness existing betwee
them, but had believed their marital relation
were almost exceptionally pleasant.
Bowcn Makes Charge Agains; Eeecse,
On the 10Th day of December, 1870, being 8
Mr.. Tilton's house. he came home from an il
tervew with Mr.. Bowen. AT that interview
Bowen had made certain accusations agains
Beccher, aud had challenged him (Titon) as
matter of duty to the public to write an ope
letter, which Bowen was to take to Beecher,
which he showed me the original draft, Whic
is as follows: FIRST draft marked "A.O
Triton TO BEECHER.
BROOKLYN, Dec. 26, 1870.
Henri Ward Beecher:-Sir-I demand tn;
for the reasons which you explicitly understan
YOU Immediately cease from the ministry