The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-07-24
r1nroN-BEEczER SCANDAL.
rilton,s sworn statement.


We give the following extract of
Mr.. Tilton's statement before the
Beecher investigating committee,
the crowded state of our columns
and the lateness of the hour at
which it came to hand making it
impossible to give more of it this
week-it makes five columns in fine
type in an ordinary newspaper. The
extract is sample of the balance
of the story.
WHEREAS, the Rev. Henry Ward Bsecher
has instigated the appoin .ment of a committee
consisting of SIX members Of his church and
society, to enquire and report upon the alleged
aspersions upon his character by Theodore
Tilton; and whereas, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton
formerly wife of Mr.. Tilton, has openly de-
serted her house in order cooperate with
Beecher in conspiracy to overthrow the cred
lbility and good repute of her late husband as
a man and citizen; therefore,
Theodore Tilton, being thus authorized and
required, and by a published demand made
upon him by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, and
being now and hereafter released by the act
of Mrs. Tilton from further responsibility for
concealment of the truth touching her rela-
tions with Beecher, therefore Theodore TIlton
hereby sets forth, under solemn oath, the fol-
lowing facts and testimony:
First. That on the second day of October,
1855, marriage between Theodore Tlton and
Elizabeth r. Richards was performed by Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, which marriage, thir-
koar1 of I'd dTehouorad md viz
lated by this clergyman through criminal Sc
duction of this vile and mother as herinatter
set forth.
Second. That for the period of about fifteen
years extending both before and after this
marriage, an intimate friendship existed be-
tween Theodore TIlton and Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which friendship was cemented to
such degree that in consequence thereof the
subsequent dishonoring by Beecher of his
friends wife was crime of uncommon wrong
fulness and perfdy.
Third. That about nine years ago Hen
ry Ward Beecher began and thereafter contin-
ued friendship with Mrs. Elizabeth R. Til
ton, for whose native delicacy and extreme re-
| hgious sensibility he often expressed to her
husband high admiration, visiting her from
time to time for years until the year 1870,
when for reasons hereinafter stated he ceased
such visits. During which period by many
tokens and attentions he won the affectionate
love of Mrs. Tilton, whereby, after long moral
resistance by her and after repeated assaults by
| him upon her mind with overmsstering argu-
ments, he accomplished the possession of her
person, maintaining with her thenceforward
during the period hereinafter stated the rela-
ton called criminal intercourse, this relation
being regarded by her during that period as
not criminal or morally wrong, such had been
the power of his arguments as a clergyman to
satisfy her religious scruples against such Vio-
lation of virtue and homer.
Fourth. That on the evening of October 10,
1868, or thereabouts, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton
held interviews with Rev. Henry Ward Beech
/ er at his residence, she being then in tender
state of mind, owing to the recent death and
| burial of young child. And during this in
terview an act of criminal commerce took
! place between the paster and this parishoner,
the motive on her part being, as hereinbefore
stated, not regarded by her at the time as
criminal or wrong. Which act was followed
by similar act of criminality between the
same parties at Tilton's residence during a
pastoral visit paid by Beecher to her on the
subsequent Saturday evening, followed also by
other similar acts on various occasions from
the autumn of 1868 to the spring OF 1870, the
places being the two residences aforesaid and
occasionally other places to which her pastor
would invite and accompany her or at which
| he would meet her by previous Appointment.
Fifth. These acts Of wrong being on her part
from first to last not Wanton or consciously
wicked, but arising through a binding of her
moral perceptions, occasioned by the powerful
influence exerted on her mind at that time, to
this end by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, as her
trusted religious preceptor and guide. That
the pastoral visits made by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher to Mrs. Tilton during the year 1868
became SO frequent as to excite comment, be-
ing in marked contrast with his known habit
of making few pastoral calls on his parisho-
ners, which frequency in Mrs Tilton's case is
shown in the letters written TO her husband
during his absence in the West; these letters
giving evidence that during the period of FIVE
or six weeks twelve different pastoral calls on
Mrs. Tilton were made by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which calls became noticeably infre-
quent on Tilton's return to his home.
Sixth. That previous to the aforesaid crimi-
nal intimacy, one Of the reasons which Mrs
Tilton alleged for her encouragement of such
exceptional attentions from Rev.Henry Ward
Beecher was the fact that she had been much
distressed with rumors against his moral puri-
ty, and wished to convince him she could re-
ceive his rudeness and yet resist his solicita-
tions, and that she could inspire in him by her
purity and fidelity an increased respect for the
chaste dignity of womanhood Previous to
Christian frmness toward her pastor this DO
sition of resistance, always refusing his amor
GUS pleas, which were strong and oft repeated,
and in a letter to her husband, dated February
Sd, 1868, she wrote as follows:
''Io love is praiseworthy, but to abuse the
gift is sin. Here am strong, no demonstra-
tions or fascinstions could cause me to yield
my womanhood."
Seventh. That the first suspicion which
crossed the mind of Theodore Tilton that Rev
Henry Ward Beecher was abusing or might
abuse the affection and reverence which Mrs.
Tilton bore toward her pastor, was an i'm
proper caress given by Beecher to Mrs. Tilton
by while seated by her side on the
floor Of his library overlooking engravings.
Mr.. Tilton few hours afterWard asked Of his
wife an explanation of her permission of such
liberty, whereat she at first denied the fact
but then confessed it, and said she had spoken
chidingly to Beecher concerning it. On an
other occasion, 1ilton, after leaving his house
in early morning returned to it in the fore
noon and on going to his bed chamber found
the door locked and when on knocking the
door was opened by Mrs. Tilton, Beecher was
seen within, apparently much confused and
exhibiting flushed face Mrs. Tilton after
ward made q plausible explanation, which
from the confidence reposed in her by her hus
band was by him deemed satisfactory.
Eighth. That in the spring of 1870, on Til
toms return from winters absence, he no.
ticed in his wife such evidences of absorption
of her mind In Beecher that in a short time an
estrangement took place between her husband
and herself, in consequence of which she went
into the country earlier than usual for the
summer sojourn. After an absence of several
weeks she voluntarily returned to her home
in Brooklyn on the evening of July Sd, 1870.
when, then and there, within afew hours af-
ter the arrival, and after exacting from her
husband q solemn promise that he would do
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher no harm nor COM
muuicate to him what she was about to say,
she made circumstautial confession to her
husband Of the criminal facts hereinbefore
stated, accompanied with citations from Beech
ers arguments and reasonings with her to
overcome her long maintained scrUple against
yielding to his desires and declaring that she
hsd committed no wrong to her husband or
her marriage VOW, quoting, in support of this
opinion, that her pastor had repeatedly as
sured her that she was spotless and chaste,
which she believed herself to be. She further
stated that her sexual commerce with him had
never proceeded from low or vulgar thoughts,
either on her part or his but always from pure
affection and high religious love. She stated
furthermore that Mr.. Beecher habitually char
acterized their intimacy by the term "nest
hiding" and he would suffer pain and sorrow
if his hidden secret were ever made known.
She said that her mind was often burdenened
by the deceit necessary for her TO praotics in
order to prevent discovery, and that her con-
science had many times impelled her to throw
off this burden of enforsed falsehood by max
ing q full confession to her husband so that
she would no longer be living before him a
perpetual lie. In particular she said that she
had been on the point of making this confess
sion few months previously during severe
illness when she feared she might die. She
affirmed also that Beecher had assured her
repeatedly that he loved her better than he
had ever loved any other woman, and she felt
justified before God in her intimacy with him.