Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-08-12
A To. ching Story Of Cruelty, In
suit and Neglect.
How the Alleged Confessions
Were Obtained.
Interesting Correspondence Be-
tween Beacher and Moultcn.
The Latter 10 Give Testimony Before
the InyeStigatigating Committee
on Saturday Evening.


eating Committee, embracing all of
interest, and not heretofore published:
The examination begins with an APP
parent purpose to show that Tilton
neglected his wife from a very early
period of their married life. Mrs.
Tilton stated that she was frequently
sick, and her physician said there were
care and trouble on her mind, which
he couldn't cure with medicine.
Q.-What was the trouble in point
Of fact?
A.-Well, any one of you gentlemen,
[ think, would have cared for my fami.
~ as much as Theodore did. I was
left entirely with my servants. They
were very poor servants. I could not
have my mother with me because il
was impossible for her to live with us
on account of disagreement with Til
ton. Iilton was dissatisfied with his
home and his wife's management, and
Ras harsh In his criticisms. s.
Q.-When did he begin to talk to
you, II at all, in regard to your asso
citation and friendship for Mr.. Beech
ers ed5 - M II,
Al think I had no visits from Mr.,
Beecher before 1866. That is the first
that | remember seeing him very
much
Q.-What was the criticism in re-
gard to Mr.. Beecher and yourself which
Tilton made? 1'.
A.-As early as 1865 Mr.. Tilton's
mind was tainted with suspicion of Mr..
B.. and he used to talk with me con-
annually about his wrong dOlngs with
the ladies. Stories were told him by
Mr.. --. When Beecher came to
see me, Mr.. Tilton began to be sus-
picious, and that might be perfectly
transparent to my husband with 1e-
spect to my interviews with Mr.. Beech
er alone, I used to charge my mind
with our conversation and repeat it to
Mr.. Tilton. -. ...
Mrs. Tilton continued that she was
continually questioned by Mr.. Triton
concerning these conversations, in a
most jealous manner. She was after
ward told with anger that she concealed
something that she didn't mean to tell.
For three years she tried to repeat
everything that was said, but Tilton
was more suspicious than ever. He
had no confidence in her, and she suf-
fered a great deal. This state of things
lasted till the present day, although
she had not felt so badly the last two
years. Tilton's criticisms to her took
the form of accusations in the winter
of 1869, when he began to assume that
she had done criminal wrong with
Beecher. She met the charges some.
times with anger, sometimes with calm
ness Or silence, but invariably denied
criminal intimacy. She had denied
it IN letters to Tilton, but they were
lost. He seemed to use all his infu-
ence to make her acknowledge wrong,
and talked so much about it that she
thought he was morbid. He told her
once he saw her sitting on Mr.. Beech
er's lap in our parlor, and she replied,
''You didn't" This morbid jealousy
had wearing and sickening effect on
her. He never named any definite
time Or place of any criminal act with
Mr.. Beecher. He never pretended she
was guilty of any impropiiety at
Beecher's house. She went there twice
or thrice to consult with Beecher about
sick persons, but never met him at any
other place by appointment. Tilton
never accused Ler OF criminality based
on any admission by her. It was not
true that she confessed, in July, 1870,
any act of improperly with Beecher.
The story of Katherine Gaunt she had
not read through.when she wrote her
Schoharie letter. Being impressed with
story at certain point she wrote the
letter to her husband. She had no
reference to adultery, or..thought Of it,
In that letter.
Mrs. Tilton vas asked, "What did
you refer to!'' and replied, II will
try to answer that question. The one
absorbing feeling of my life has been
Theodore Tllton. Neither Mr.. Beech
er, [ assure you, nor any human being,
has ever taken away from that one fact
my love for him; but I must say that I
feel very great heIpfulness in my soul
for having the friendship of Mr.. Beech
er, and also Of other people, as many
women as men,"
On the subject of the alleged confes-
sion by comparison with the character
of Catherine Gaunt, Mrs. Tilton said
this confession was made IN the sum.
mer of 1870, but not at any one time
Mr.. Tilton gathered it from all their
talks. That summer she really found
in Mr.. Beecher what she did not find
in her husband. She gave him that
impression, but she told him If he
would give to her what he gave to
othess she wouid probably find IN him
what she found IN Beecher. When she
spoke O. her 'ssin' in the Schoharie
letter, she meant that she had done
Hilton wrong by taking any one in his
place in any way, though she didn't
know out she would do the same thing
again, because it had been SO much TO
her soul.
Q--Taking any one else in what re-
spect?'
Al don't think if had known as
much as do now OF Tilton [ should
ever have encouraged Mr. Beecher's
acquaintance. think I did wrong in
doing it inasmuch as it hurt Theodore.
| don't know as I can make myself
understood, but do you know what [