Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-14
The Beecher Scandal.

A Prom THEODORE TGLT9N.
The Brooklyn Union publishes the following
letter from Theodore Tilton 10 the Beecher ia
yestigatiDg committee:
To the Investigating Committee:
Gentle men: When, Friday last, I met You at
your invitation, the appointment of your COM
mittee had not been made known to the public:
you sat in private capacity. Moreover, one
OF your legal advisers had previously given me
hope that il, on my appearance before you,
would preserve sjudicous reticence concerning
the worst aspect of the case, might thereby
facilitate, through you, such a moderate public
presentation Of Mr.. Beecher's offence and apol-
oRy as would ciose, rather than prolong, the eN-
listing scandal. L rejoiced in the hope, and
promptly rtciprocated the kindly feeling
which was reported to me as shared by you all
towtrd mys, If and family.
Accordingly, when l met you in conference
my brief statement was in substance to the two
following points:-First. That ny letter 70 DR.
Bacon v as written, not as an act of aggression,
but in self defense, arising, therein set for u
from great snd grievOus provocstion by your
pastor, your church, the Brooklyn council and
the eX- moderat0r's criticisms nv supposed
conduct, all uniting to defame me before the
world and to infict on me an unjust punish
ment for acts done by another. Second. That
having by that letter defended myself, SO far a.
thought the occasion required me TO carry nv
reply. felt unwilling TO proceed further against
Mr.. Beecber without further public provocation
or other necessity. Such a necessity is now laid
upon me by Mr.. Beecher himself in the publcs-
ton OF direct request by him to you 10 inquire
ofhcislly into bis character as affected by his
de thus offers me a direct challenge not only
before your committee, but before the public
which hereby accept L therefore give you
notice shall prepare q full and detailed state
ment in accordance With the terms of your
committees invitation to me to furnish such
facts as are within my knowledge touching mat
tiers which compromise the character of Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher. / shall be ready to law
this before you within week or ten days, or a
soon thereafter as l shall find myself able to set
numerous facts and evidences in such strict array
as can cover them each and all with my oath
to their exact truth, sworn before magistrate
await the appointment by you Of day mn-
tually convenient for the presentation of this
atement before your committee. Meanwhile
shall make public my present note to you
because Mi, Beecher's letter, to which this is a
prelmiparyresponse,h has been made public by
him. With great respect, am truly yours,
THRoDoRB TILToN.
WHAT MRS. TILToN IS SAID To HAVE SAID.
The Brooklyn Eagle is authority for the state
ment that Mrs. Tilton has already been before
the committee of investiga alton, and has denied
In the most positive manner that there ever was
the slightest improperly in the conduct of Mr..
Beecher toward her. The reason assigned by
Mrs. Tilton for the strange conduct of her hus.
band Is that when hisintimacy with Mrs. Wood
hull was at its height she called upon Mr.
advice. 1t was at that time Mrs. Tiltou asked
Mr.. Beecher for his advice, and, according to
her statement, he advised her to leave her hus-
band. With the lapse OF time Theodore Tilton's
folly cooled, and he learned OF the advice Mr.
Beecher had given to his wife, and to that Cir
cumstance all the present trouble and mystery
are due.