The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-12
THE GREAT SCANDAL.
MOultOn's Statement in
Brief.
Statements Of Shearman and the
Graphic Story.
Reports, Rumors, Contradictions, &c.


MOuiton and His Statement.
New York, Aug. u-Moulton was before
Investigating Committee last night only about
fifty minutes, and it is asserted that he did not
make full statement. When he emerged from
the committee room he was not in good humor.
lie was besieged by reporters, but declihed TO
give any information, and hurried off to his
home.
The Committee
Will hold an informal meeting for consulta-
ton at IL o'clock to-day, and hold formal ses-
SION this evening, at Mr.. Storr's residence, to
take testimony and perhaps close the investiga-
ton.
General disappointment.
The public is greatly disappointed at not see
ing Moulton's statement III the papers this
morning. 1t appears that MOulton has pre-
pared two statements. one giving the documents
in his possession Preferred to in Tiltons state
ment), and the other lengthy one, giving his
own conversations with AN parties, his conclu-
sons, differences, &c. The former statement
only was presented the committee last night.
The other one Mouton does not propose to
make public until compelled to do so by legal
process, being still anxious and not without
hope of suppressing the scandal and reconciling
the beligerents.
No Change in the Situation.
The morning papers generally agree that the
statement made by Moulton last night does not
materially better the situation, and Beecher's
friends feel particularly relieved by it.
Nothing from MomIton at Noon-Bufler
Acting in the Matter.
11.30 A. NJ Up to this hour nothing has
been received from Frank MoElton or the
Beecher Committee, officially, indicating what
was done at the meeting of the Committee last
night. 1t is understood that at 3 o'clock yester-
day afternoon Mr.. Moulton was ready to go be-
fore the Committee and give them the d0cI-
ments in his possession IN full, but was detained
by General Butler, his counsel, who with Moul-
tob, revised the full statement and wrote sim
ply an abstract or condensed report of what he
first intended to submit, and embodied only
such letters of Beecher and Tilton' as would ex-
plain what has already come to light, reserving
a mass OF documents, which if they were pro-
duced and given to the public, it is believed
would lead to an almost endless investigation
by the necessity of their bridging in parties
whom as vet have not been considered as inter-
ested in the case.
Abstract of MOuIt0n's Statement.
The Brooklyn Eagle prints the following as
summary of Mr. Moulton' statement;
Mr.. Moulton's statement is exceedingly brief,
making not more than five or six foolscap
pages not closely written. Moulton says, in
substance, that all he knows about the difficult
ty between Beecher and Tilton was entrusted =
to him in confidence with all the documents he
has been furnished relating directly or indi-
rectly to the case and that these documents
were entrusted to him in confidence He has
known Tilton nee 1857 and became personally
acquainted with Beecher in 1863, mainly
through this case. Notwithstanding the fact
that he has the consent of both Beecher and
Tilton to tell all he knows about the case and
to furnish all the documents he has in relation
to it and the additional fact that he has been
twice summoned before the committee, he says
that he cannot, in consequence, and as man
of honor, disclose any condolences. He came
into the case as peacemaker to settle 1T and
all that he has done has been done i'll that d.
rection Without his knowledge aud against
his wishes, certain documents connected with
the case have been published mainly through
Tilton and in the statement made before the
committee. So many of the Aoriginal dOcu-
ments as he has copies and which have been
made public, he feels under obligations to
place in the hands of the committee If neces. 4
sary. Moulton had had copies of all these
documents made and he handed these copies to
the committee. holding himself ready to pro
duce the originals when the committee desired
to verify them. Beyond this Moulton was not
willing to make any statement nor did he feel
himself justified, in honor or in conscience, for
any documents save those quoted by
rilton in his statement. Moulton handed the
his statement and copies of the
documents quoted in Titon's communication.
1t appears from a hurried comparison made
by the committee that Tiltou, in quoting the
documents arranged them to suit himself. In
some cases only part of the document is
quoted and various significant passages are |
omitted. In one case the letter is divided by 4
Tilton and made to seem as if there were two
letrers, apparently for the purpose of camulat-
ing testimony.
The committee look on these changes as very
significant and as bearing heavily against Til
ton.
Moulton was briefly cross-examined He re-
iterated what appeared in his statement that
if any attempt was made TO assai his position
as a friend to both parties or to question his
honor, he might be under the necessity of
making further statement but for the pres
eat he would contend himself with furnishing
the committee the exact copies OF the docu-s'
ment quoted by Tilton.
Moulton Interviewed.
The Eagle reporter in an interview to-day
with Moulton obtained this announcement:
My statement, apart from supplying the let
ter from which Mr.. Tilton quoted, can neither
assist nor injure Mr.. Beecher. 1t is in the
hands of the committee aad contains all have
got to say upon the case. The letters sent to
me for my private information and am not
under any obligation even at the desire of the
writer to make them public and | am quite
sure that there is no power under heaven can
make me declare from the house top what has
been declared to me in the secrecy of friend
ship At all events have acted on that belief
and | shall have to see through other eyes be-
fore changing my mind on that subject"
The Eagle says the committee have meet
ing for conference this afternoon, and meet
formally tomorrow, and then in all probability
will have Beecher before them.
Sensational.
The Argus says there are reports that Mrs.
Titon is prepared to state she has been labor
ing under a hallucination, that Beecher is will
ing to resign his passionate, that the society will
refuse to accept his resignation and that Tilton
will upon these conditions again open the door
of his house to his wife.
What MIR. Shearman Knows About the
Scandal.
Mr. Shearman, clerk of Plymouth church, in
an interview with the Union reporter to day,
said: ''Moulton's statement was rot of ma
ture to astonish me. With regard to the com
mittee, eau only say that before this investi-
CATION commenced there were only two mem
bers of the Committee (Messrs. Cleveland and
Claflin) who were acquainted with what was
really in the whole of this thing, but they were
thoroughly acquainted with 1t. They knew,
before the investigation commenced, Just what
Moulton could testify to and what he could
produce. They knew well what was in these
charges and know that there was nothing
that Moulton could testify to or could produce
yesterday afternoon that would astonish these
I tbara iS 1,a hoc