Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-08-28

Mr.. Monitor here gives statement OF account
Of the girls school expenses, and says all these
sums were paid by Mr.. Beecher and he (Moulton)
forwarded the money TO settle them through Mrs.
Tilton, or sent money directly to the principal OF
Mr.. Mouiton says Mr.. Beecher was enxious
to ascertain Mr. filton's feeling toward him, and
to get statement in writing that would seem TO
free him BeecheD from imputation thereaiter,
and letter is given, dated Feb. z, 1871, from MIR.
Tilton to Mr.. Moulton, in which Mr.. T. writes;
" say, therefore, very cheerfuly that, notwith-
standing the great suffering he has caused Eliza
beth and myself bear him no malice, shall do
him no wrong, shall discountenanco every project,
by whomsoever proposed, for any exposure OF his
secret to the public; and, If know myself at ALL
shall endeavor to act toward Mr.. Beecher as 1
would have him In similar circumstances act to-
Mr.. Moulton says he had known Mrs Triton
we'll and had had no suspicious of fnhdelity on
tho part of either her or her husband toward the
other up to the time of the reading other original
received letter from Mrs. Tilton asking that he
bring to her, that they might be destroyed, her
letters, the one he CMoulton) had and tho one she
had given Mr.. Beecher at his dictation the even
ing before. Mr.. M. did not accede TO this request
because ~ had pledged myself 70 Beecher that
her retraction on the one side and her confession
to Tilton on the other (Which are the papers she
refers to as my letter which you have and the
one gave Mr.. Beeohcrp should not be given up,
but should be held for the protection OF either as
against the other"
a letter Is given by Mr.. Moulton, written to
him by Mrs. Titon Jan. a. 1871 (but dated by
mistake 1870, in which she emphatically and in
dignantly denies that she had ever sought sep
aration from her husband. The story that
she wanted a separation was "deliberate
falsehood carried by my poor mother, who said
she would bear the responsibility OF this and
other statements she might make, and communi-
Gated to my husbands enemy, Mrs. II, w. Beech
er, and by her communicated to Mr.. Bowen"
Another letter of Mrs. Tilton is also given to
show that the story that she desired separation
from her husband did not emanate from her, and
was not in accordance with her feelings ut that
time, Jan. 10, 1871.
Mr. Moulton says he had as a necessary precau-
ton to the peace of the family and parties inter
ested interdicted all parties from having com.
munication with each other except husband and
wife, unless that communication was known to
him, and the letters sent through him or shown
to him. Mr.. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher both faith
fully complied with their promise in that regard
so far as he knew, but on his return from Florida
in the spring of 1871 Mr.. Beecher placed in his
hand the following unsigned letter from Mrs.
Tilton, in her handwriting, undated, but marked,
in his handwriting " "Receiyed March s;'
any DEAR FRrExD-Does your heart bound
toward all as II used8 SO does mine i am my
self again. did not dare to tell you till / was
sure, but the bird has sung in my heart these
four weeks, and he has covenanted with me
never again to leave. Spring has come
Because thought 1t would gladden. you to know
this, and not TO trouble nor embaTrass you in any
way, now write. or course l should like TO
share with you my Joy, but can wait for the
old Plymouth. / will thank the dear Father
He did not show this letter to Mr.. Tilton, or In
form him of its existence. On the 2lst of April.
1871, Mr. Beecner received another letter,
signed, from Mrs Titon, saying: "As Mr..
Moulton has returned, will you use your innu-
ence to have the papers in his possession de-
stroyedf my heart bieeds night and day at the
injustice of their existence" Mr.. Moulton could
this second letter to Mr.. fiton, or call Mrs. Us
attention to IL. On the Sd of May Mr.. Beecher
handed him still another letter, unsigned, but in
i'. -"i "BRoSkITx, W n. Y'' May 8, ISL.
MIR. BEECHER-My future, either for life or
death, would be happier could but feel that you
/ fOFuaye. while m a
plicatons of the past year. My endeavor was to
entirely keep from you all suffering, to bear my
self alone, leaving you forever ignorant oft My
weapons were love, a large, untlrng generosity,
and nest-hiding. That failed utterly we both
know, but now l ask forgiveness"
Mr.. Moulton says the contents of this letter
| were so remarkable that " queried within my
! own mind whether ought not to show 1t to Til
| ton; but as was assured by Beecher, and verify
| believed, and now believe, that they were unan-
swered by him, thought it best to retain in my
| own possession, as l have done until now; but
1 from the hour of its reception what remained of
| faith in Mrs Tilton's character for truth pro-
| priety Of conduct was wholly lost, and from that
time forth had NO thought or care for her repu-
tation, only so far as 1t affected that OF her chill
| dren."
| Mr.. Moulton having learned that Mrs. Tilton
had been making declarations which were sully-
| ing the reputation of her husband and giving 1t
|. to be understood that her home was not a happy
! one, because of the want of religious sympathy
! between herself and husband, and sometimes
| speaking of her unhappiuess without defining
| specially the cause, thus leaving for the
/
| unhappiness which she did not state, he called
| upon her and cautioned her in this respect, and
| subsequently received letter from her dated
Feb. II, 1874 in which she says that until he had
called her attention to the fact she had not seen
nor felt that whenever in conyersing with others
| to the shadowing of Theodore she became his
enemy, and that 1t was he who had hindered the
| reconciliation more than any else. She
saye: =" 1 have not been equal to the great work
| of the past year. / have done much to cause the
| utter misery of those l love best-my mother,
husband, Mr.. B., my dear children"
After the signing of the "tripartite cove
nant" Mr.. Tilton desired the return to him of his
wife's confession to relieve her anxiety to its
possible falling into wrong hands. Mr.. Moulton
| gave up the document which Mr.. Tilton subse-
! quently informed him his wife had destroyed, and
] she also confirmed the statement. Some time af-
| ter this Mr.. Moulton learned from Mr.. Beecher
| that Mrs. Tilton had told him that when she
made her confession to her husband of her inf
deity with him (Beecher) her husband had made
| part with other women. Mr. Moulton never hay-
| ing heard Mrs. T. claim that her husband had
made any such confession, although she had
freely admitted her own transgressions with Mr..
| b., brought the matter to the attention of Mr..
! Titon, who promptly denied that he had
his wife ever claimed that he had. They
| then had an interview with Mrs. Tilton,
who then, in the presence of Mr.. Moulton alone,
| acknowledged that she had told Mr.. Beecher that
| her husband had made the alleged confession OF
inhdelity on his part. Then in the presence OF Mr.
! Tilton, imediately afterward she said she could
| not have understood Mr. MOulton's question re-
lating TO this matter, adding: Because 1t ism I
true that Theodore ever made such confession,
and didn't state it to Beecher because it is not
| true"
The next morning Mr.. Moulton received the
| following letter from Mrs Tilton, without date,
| but ii was after the tripartite covenant:
! DEAR FRANCIs-I did tell you two fasehoods
| at your last visit. AT first / entirely misunder.
stood your question, thinking you had reference
| to the interview at your house the day before;
| but when intelligently replied to you replied
falsely. will now put myself on record truth
| fully. told Mr.. Beecher that, at the time Of my
| confessiOn T. had made similar confessions TO
| me of himself, but no developments as to per-
sons. When you then asked for your own satis-
| faction, Was IL soY told my second lie. After
you had left i said to T., =, You know
I was Obliged to lie to Frank and
suffer Ss noS do H must ie nf@ for IT Is physea
| impossibility for me to tell the truth yet do
think, Francis, had not 7; angry, troubled face
| been before me, would have told you tho truth.
l am perfect coward in his presence, not from
any fault Of his, perhaps, but from long years of
tlmidity implore you, as this is side-issue, to
be careful not to lead me into further temptation.
! You may show this to T. or Mr.. b. Or any one as
an effort S, made made for truth. Wretchedly, u, ,
After TIC publication on the I'd Of November,
| ~, in WO0dhuh d. CIdFtn's Weekly of the story
! OF Tilton's and Beecher's conduct in relation to
| Mrs. Tilton, Mr.. Moulton was continually asked
II such story was true, and he found 1t quite diff
| hcult in making an answer. In some cases
| he doubted not inquirers supposed he denied the
truth of the charge, but upon that point he was
very careful not directly to commit himself.
Finding that his silence was working injury to
| the cause OF the suppression OF the scandal ne
told Tilton that he wished TO be authorized by his
| wife to deny it. Soon after he received paper
without date from Mrs. Tilton, i'm which she said
For my husbands sake and my children's
| hereby testify with all my woman's soul that l
am innocent of the eSjme of impure conduct al
| legged against me. 1 mlye been to my husband a
| true wife in his love. wish to live and die. My
early affection for him still burns with its maiden
| flame, all the moro for what he has borne for my
| sake, both private and public wrongs. Having
had the power to strike others, he has forborne
to use it, and allowed himself to be injured in
stead. bless him every day for his faith in me,
! which swerves not, and for standing my cham
| pion against all my accusers."
| Upon the strength of this paper he then after
ward said Mrs. Tlton denied the story.
| About the 10Th of December, 1872, Mr.. Carpen-
ter and DIR. Storrs undertook to look up the re-
ports with the intention OF advising some public
statement, or as being concerned in some investi-
| cation of the natter and Mrs. Titon wrote for
Them the paper bearing that date as follows:
"DEcEMBER 10, 1872.
"In July, 1870, prompted by my duty, in