The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-22
THE HEEcnER-TIL.TON AFFAIa.I
THE0DnRE IILTot's gEaiEgT RE-
GAHn1Na THE i GAEDAL.
It's Oriain ANA Growth Tie Eaacfnnfions D.
the Reverend Genfleman FniIy Set

NEw YonK. duly "a LII he letter Of sTheo.
dote Triton to the Investigating committee
has been pub lished. He says that while
Beecher possessed perfect knowledg oil
both his offence and apology, he has chosen
| to put on q public affsctatiDn OF Ignorance
and innocence concerning them, and has con-
IspicuousIy appointed q committee Of six Of
the. abiest men of his church, together
with two attorneys to inquire into what he
leaves the committee to regard as The unac-
countable mystery of this offence and apol-
ogy, as if he had neither committed the one
nor offered the other, but as if both were
the mere fgments of another mans irnagi-
nation; thus adroitly prompting the public
TO- draw the deduction that Tilton was per-
son under some hallucination or delusion.
Giving in dream and forging fraud"
Furthermore, in order to castsover this ex-
PLANTATION the delicate glamour which always
lends charm to the defence of woman's
honor, Mrs. Elizabeth a. TiltoD, lately
my wife, has been prompted away
from her home to reside among MIR. Beech
er's friends and to cooperate with him in his
ostensibly honest aud laudable inquiry into
facts concerning which she, as well as he,
has for years past had perfect and equal
knowledge with himself. The inyesti9a-
ton, therefore, has been publicly pressed
upon me by Beecher, seconded by Mrs.
Tilton, both of whom in, SO doing have in
sisted in assuming before the public the nom
existence of the grave and solemn facts with
which they have conspired to investigate for
the purpose, not of eliciting, but OF denying
the truth.
The first assumption by them which has.
seemed to the committee to be in good faith
has naturally led the committee into examina-
ton which the committee expect to tiad on
their part nothing but innocence, and on Til.
toms part nothing but SANDER. Tlton then
says it is now his unhappy duty. to give the
facts and evidences to the committee for re-
versing their opinion. He charges Mrs. Til
ton with joining Beecher in conspiracy
which cannot fail to be full of peril
and wretchedness to many hearts. The last
opportunity for reconciliation and settle
ment has passed.
Titon says of Beecher: "This desperate
man must hold himself only, and not me, &C
cOuntable for the wretchedness which these
disclosures will carry to his own home and
hearth as they have already brought to
mine; and will add that the original docu-
ments referred to in the Beecher sworn
statements are, for the most part, in my pos
session, but that the apology and few other
papers are in the hands Of Francis D..
Moulton."
Triton then swears to statements. Among
them the following: First, that on the I'd
of October, 1855, at Plymouth church,
Brooklyn, marriage between Theodore
Tilton and Elizabeth NJ. Richards was per-
formed by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,
which marriage thirteen years afterwards
was. dishoDored and violated by this clergy
man through the criminal seduction OF this
wife and mother. as hereinafter set forth.
Second, that for a period OF about fifteen
years extending both before and after this
marriage an intimate friendship existed
between Theodore .Tilton and Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, which friendship
was cemented to such degree that IN conse-
uuence thereof the subsequent dlshonorlnS
BY Mr.. Beecher Of his friends wife was
crime of uncommon wrongfulness and
perfidy. Third, that about nine years ago
the Rev. II. w. Beecher, before and there
after, had friendship with Mrs. Elizabeth
r. Titon, for whose native deiicacy ana eX-
IRENE religious sensitiyeness he often ex.
pressed 10 her husband high admiration;
visiting her from time to time for years,
until 1870. when for reasons herein stated he
CclSeQ SUCH flsltSJ uuiiiS WhiSh pow, ~
many tokens and attention, he Won the ailec.
ton and love of Mrs. Tilton, whereby, after
long moral resistance by her and after
repeated assaults by him upon her mind
with overmastering arguments accomplished
the possession of her person; maintaining
with her thenceforward during the periou
hereinafter stated, the relation called crlml-
nal intercourse this relation being regard.
ed by her during that period as not criminal
or morally wrong, such had been the power
of bis arguments as clergyman to satisfy
her religious scruples against such violation
of virtue and honor.
Tilton makes other statements IN the same
direction, showing the continued Criminal
intimacy between Mrs. Tilton and Mr.
Beecher. Previous to the autumn of 1869
she maintained with Christian firmness
towards her pastor the position of resistance,
always refusing his amorous pleasures which
were strong and oft.repeated. Titon says the
first suspicion which crossed his mind that
Beecher was abusing, or might abuse, the
affection and reverence which Mrs. lii
ton bore towards her pastor, was an imprc-
DER caress given by Beecher to Mrs. Tilton
while seated by her side on the floor OF his
library overlooking engrayings. Tilton
gives some disgusting details further TO
prove the criminality of his wife.