Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-25
The Beecher-T -Til.On Committee, True to
the Order OF their Pastor COnVen-
ing Them, Whitewash Him.
Review OF the Statements of Beeeher,
TiltOn, MrS. Ti.ton and MOultOn
-TiItOn the Eete NOir Of
ne Drama.
Solution OF Lime and Water, Too
Thin to Hide the Lasting and In
effacable Disgrace Of II.
w. Beeeher.

NEW YORK, August 23.-The Herald
gives the following as s synopsis of the
forthcoming report Of the Plymouth
church investigating committee: The
report is a somewhat lengthy document,
given, as it were, in two parts, one a
mere review of evidence, and the other
giving the conclusions OF the commit
tee. OF course these are all in favor of
Mr.. Beecher. The statement oil TheO-
dOre TiltoD is hrst taken up and gone
over piece-meal, and each main allega-
ton set plainly forth without verbiage;
the principal prominence being given,O of
course, to the alleged criminal commerce
between Mr.. Beecher and Tilton's wife.
This is compared with the statements
made in the cross-eZamination aud the
tergiversation there used. It is shown
that the statements of what Is snow
known as the "ankle scene," are not
supported by the evidence Of the person
who claims to have been witness to it,
inasmuch as ke couldn't swear to its
taking place at any particular period
during term o. nine years. The re-
port then goes On 20 review Tilton's al
legations of personal charity and claim
of high moral character compared with
the evidence of others as to his corrupt
practices and criminally immoral con-
duct, met ably il the case of the girl
known as Bessie Turner, whose evidence
is given to show that Tilton states him.
self to be what he is not. TherefrOm Is
deducted charge Of perjury, showing
that Tilton states under oath, in one in
stance, what is fatty cOntradicted in
another; the committee giving as a con-
clusion to this particular branch of the
subject, the rule in law that the entire
testimony of any one shown to have
committed perjury is worthless. The
report then goes on TO review the testi-
mony of several unimportant witnesses,
among them Mrs. Etanton, and coming
at length to the cross-eXamination of
Mrs. TiltOn herself, giving her aceusa-
tions OF brutality against her husband,
and of his infidelity, and still fur
thef showing the distinct contradictions
of Tilton's accusation. Mrs. Tilton's
evidence is so quoted as to give her de-
nial of having ever had criminal rela-
tions with her pastor, and her own ex-
plantations Of several of the most Promt-
nent portions Of her letters. From this
the report proceeds 70 the short state
ment of Moulton, ss given to the COM
mittee, and discusses il briefly as having
made no charges whatever against any
body. Finally, the Beecher statement
itself is taken up and contrasted with
several of the more serious portions of
Tilton's, showing that circumstances in
themselves, apparently damaging, were
in reality easily capable of explanation.
After this review, giving in detail the
more prominent episodes OF the entire
controversy, the report sums up the
whole matter pro and con, showing, on
one hand, man standing before all the
world with great reputation for spot
less purity, christian character and
moral worth; on the other, man of
proven bad and criminal character; the
latter making accusations against the
former; the one with nothing to prove
his story except personal allegations,
proven, in part, to be perjury, and sup
ported by some letters which may mean
3 dozen but the one meaning given to
them. The story is denied by all having
any connection with the matter, but, as
with the circumstances as well as the
burden of proof, all are on one side;
the other is unsupported by anything
but bad character. The committee finds
that Henry Ward Reecher is not guilty
of the charges preferred against him.
1t is possible that a short paragraph
may be added to the report, noticing the
failure of Frank NoultOn to bring any
new evidence to bear upon the subject
which can in tie slightest degree alter
the conclusions the committee has come
to.