Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-12
MOTLTON's STATEMENT.
ANOTHER vEsT GRAVE CHA Ge.
ALLEGED CONFESSIONS OF BEEcHER.
New and fnsportaat Letters Produced
The Letter OF Coutrt tfen-W hose
Production Mas lf.

= very long and Il addressed TO the Pabpc.y
lie CONNIE noes with = relation of his reasons
Tor sIesking cut again. WI ich are thst his char
setter and truthfalBcss have been imppgned nv
Mr. Beecher, because OF which he nOu propose.
10 show up 10 how late date Mr. Reech.r h.ld
cntireiy different opinions OF him Nc,is,,.
wItes:
Mr. Beschers statement was made be,o-e IN.
con miit'e on the lSth OF august, wherein the
accusation that hsd deserted him at nrsf sp-
pears. Vow, aver thai from the time OF the
preparation OF the Bacon letter, before the af-t
',l, Ju,'e, eSWn 90 me zlth 81 iuy, ! wss IN
counsel, 81 their request. - 20 the best unethod
OF meet iTe that publication and avertinK the
storm n AT v rs imminent, and until the 4th Of
August enjoyed his entire confidence and re-
gard ~ much - I ever had. 80 tar A. any e.
preston came from him; and, instead OF nani-
festations OF distrust. he gave me, both verhaUy
ard in writing, the highest praise Tor my friendly
Intervention.
ENpEAvORs To KEkp rHR pEAcE
Moulton next explains his refusal 70 allow
either Beecher or Tilton 10 have the papers IN
bis possession. He then reviews his unsuccessful
efOrts 10 prevent Titon from publishing the
letter 10 Dr. Bacon, Tilton persisting on the
ground that he must viudtcste himself no mat
Ter what became Of Beecher. He says. Alter
col siderable discussion n hiding II impossible "a
control tts publication, 1 then sought 90 alter
the phraseolOgy OF the inculpAUng portion OF NJ
IN such manner ~ would still leave Oppartu-
nity Tor such reply from Reecher - might
sansiy Iiiton and would prevent the disclosure
urgings TiitOn replied that ne would not hold me
responsible at all for the cOnseq uences: that he
accepted them al for himseif alone, ana that he
could not take my advice upon this subject
since Beecher and his friends bad chosen 20 dis-
regard my counsel by continuing their attacks
upon him. After much persuasion I Induced
him 70 strike out the words, an the letter a.
originally written: MIR. Beecher has commit
ted against me and my family a revoltng
crime, and, instead thereof, 10 insert the
which forbear 20 name or charscteriEe," !" thus
Omitting the word family and substituting a
softer word, offence, susceptible OF various
interpretations, inste "a OF ssrevOlting crtmeiB
agsinst the family, which might have been re-
gardec as capable of only one. When thus mod
med even, told TiltOn that would rather give
him from my own pocket i've thousand doiiars
~ gold than 10 have him publish n.
PROPOSED STATEMENT FoR BEKoHER.
Moulton relates his interviews with Tracv,
Tracy 20 aid h M 10 reconcile the parties. lie
procured Tilton's consent 10 keep quiet IN
Beecher and his friends would, and then he
(MOulton) dictated the following, which he ad-
vised that Beecher should say In bis lecture
reom OF church Ar reply to fiiton's letter:
aud Justly throuF the ne ii pUbliesIio
oy 1hs1oore Iiltou IN snswer 90 Or. Leohard b.
"It !. true that have committed an oiepoe
sssinst Theodore Tlton, and siyir 90 that offence
the foTCe cf his ruction, 1 made an apolorV
aud reparetion such a. bsth ne and ~ the time ds.
TsS T h.s fse sseI sss /, m thst
sentstions or misunders snding Of my position TO-
ing Of this question, which has been honorably set
ueu ns between Theodore Tilten and myself n
lieves Tat due TO il that should reopen this
slrt ady too painful subject rosigR, vii re-ga
self ibsi am tier SUED ~ DAY y thTssS ~ trI,s g
and chssteLiDs 20 Do good tha. have ever been '
he would make use OF il IL his Eriends approved.
A few days afterward MOultOn saw Tracy, and
the latter objected 10 Il on account OF the use
Of the word crime, and because he feared TIL
ton would not keep his promise 20 say no more.
Moulton and Tracy discussed the matter, but
came 10 no conclusion. ON Sunday afternoon,
July 9Th, Beecher was 81 MOulton's house. aud
talked the matter over again. MOultOn here
save:
Mrs. Moulton was present, and Mr. Beecher
asked her opinion Of what I had written for
him 10 say, and she told him that IL was he
only hope she had ever seen Tor a sertlemeut
aside from a frank and manly confession on bis
part OF his sin, and asking mans forgiveness Tor
1t as he expected Gods. He said 70 her that he
would consider IL, but that I was responsibl
for bis having kept silence.
AS We walked on together, I'm the course OF
further conversation, BeeCher for the first time
told me ia az he had acquiesced in the appont-
ment OF a committee OF invest igstiOn, AZ which
l expressed considerable surprise, and told him
thought II was mistake, but We would try 60
get along even with that. lie said he had the
naming OF the committee himself, and gave me
the names OF most OF them. I said. . I hope
SheaTman viii not have anything TO do with
this committee" he replied I'VE have pur-
losely lett hum out because we do not want any
''lf this matter is 10 20 before a committee OF
investigation think shall employ
GENERAL BUTLER AS NY COUNSEL
10 advise me IN this matter. A. yOu know, he
was nv counsel in another case and 4
think well OF his ef1oTts in my behalf" Beecher
appeared pleased at my suggestion. I may As
well remark here, once tor sl, that 1 did not
send for General Butler as counsel until after
Illton's sworn statement was prepared, and he
arrived on the day IL was delivered 60 the com
mittee by Tilton, a. will appear hereafter AZ
General Buffers name has been cOnnected
more or less with the progress Of this case, 4
may a. well state that from the time he came
into the case he has lsbOred unceasing TO prevent
any disclosure or publication OF the facts. He
has done everything he possibly could, both
ID advising me ana acting with the other par
ties 70 the controversy, 60 avert the CONSEQUENT
ces OF the exposure which has been made.
THK CRISIS AT HAND.
Moulton here passes on TO the events follow
ing Mrs. TiitOn's statement TO the com mittee
All OF which have been described. At an inter,
view between Tracy, Tilton, aud MOultOn IL
was agreed that Tilton should prepare a report
10 pe sdopted by the INVESTIGATING cOmmfttee
ton they would adopt IL IL was based on anv
offence less than adultery. TiltOn prepared
ance between himself and Mr.. BeecheT had
been happily adjusted, that II was a Complicated
aIislr which need not be exposed in detail, and
1nSt the three persons ineluded-especially Mrs.
Iilton-should receive the increased respect
ana sympathy OF plymouth church cOnRrega-
lion. On the 10th OF July last, Beecber wrote
1NulNeh dhAsDk al interview, and s. MOultOu
could not see him az once, sent this second note:
NJ DtGT FTGHk-l do not know - II l. necessary
70 trouble yCu. OILY wanted 70 read % YOU tie
heSds aLc outline OF "A ststeneut. When do speak
lutend q be believed. OF .urse, shall not rub
iish nEtii have seen you. Bot time IL short Tue
crisis is ~ hand i not 80 forward long a. here
tofoTe. v ben Say will hot, mean cannot. Events
aIt masters, iust now.
Ttere 10 no earthly reason for conference with
Mr.. T. IL makes not hing better. everything worse
Tie matter is In q nutshell No light IL needed,
90. 70 ~. a. W. BEEcHgE.
because believed that had been acting for
the best in his behalf, and that matters we're IN
process OF adjustment IL seemed 70 me TO be
another cry OF despair on bis part, whereas
believed instead that he should have conferred
with Tilt0n ss his counsel had done.
During the day OF the 10th, Tiiton's report,
1rafted for the committee above quoted, Was
TO Mir. Tracy, who said that with a
lew alterations that were not msterisl, ne
thought he could have ii adopted by the com
mittee.
on the same day Tilton came to me, AMI an-
to me his wife's desertion and calling
my attention to the shove publication, was ex-
cited by these simultaneous events, whicn
seemed to him 20 be part Of q prearrangsd plan
Df action, and also excited him 70 great indig-
nation. He said that Beecher was again plav-
hirna trfc ~ I'D hafo nh.