The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-21
Glle 8utland 9aily Globs
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 81, 1874.
MOULT0N AGAIN.
a MOST STAHTGINei PAPER.
His Final Statement
The Old Charges Reaffirmed, and
New Ones 0f the Most shocking
Character brought Forward.
M0ULTON AGAIN.

lOtHNluNtb.
How could Becchcr, If innocent, have
signed such certificate as that to Bowen,
upon a simple withdrawal of the charges,
one of which described brutal rape, with
out any averment that they were untrue,
Bowen merely saying that he did not know
anything OF them" And yet, without
even the withdrawal of those charges pri-
vatcly year before, after these statements
had been m lde by Bowen, and after the
accusations were well known to Beecher;
latter hours of conference everything was
adjusted and we shook hands" and Beech
er stated the fact of the reconciliation in
Plymouth church. and spoke highly of his
christian brother Bowen, and new adj
justment was obtained again in the manner
/ have stated at the time of the tripartite
covenant. do not republish the docu-
mcnts which show all this under Beecher's
own hand as they are already published in
my former statement and Autographed.
| agree that these facts are so unusual.
so strange, so more startling than anything
in fiction, that if | should state them upon
my bare word should challenge discredit
everywhere except among those who know
me well. But that they probably were
well known to Mr.. II. b. Claflin, one of
Beecher's committee, will appear from
letter heretofore published from Beecher to
me, which | reproduce, as follows:
MONDAY.
by Dear Frank called last evening as
agreed, but you had stepped out. On the
way to church last evening | met Claflin.
He says Bowen denies any such treacher-
Gus whisperings, and is in right state |
mentioned my proposed letter. He liked
the idea. ! read him the craft of it. He
drew back and said better not send it. |
asked him il b. had ever ina lie him state
ment of the very bottom (sic) facts; if there
were any charges | did not know. He
evaded, and intimated that if he had he
hardly would be right in telling me. /
think he would be right in telling you
ought to. | have not sent any note, and
have destroyed that prepared The real
point to avoid is an appeal to church and
| then to a council. 1t would be con-
| flagration, and give every possible chance
for parties. for hidings and cvasions, and
increase hundred-fold this scandal, with
out healing anything. | shall see you as
soon as | return. Meantime | confide
everything to your wisdom, as | always
have and with such success hitherto that
have full trust for future. Don't fail to
see Claflin and have full and confidential
talk. Yours ever"
It will be seen from this note that it was
not Tilton's accusations that | then had in
charge, but Bowen's, and the real point TO
| avoid was an appeal to the church and then
| to council, and with such an appeal it
| would be a conilagration.
| In obedience to that letter had n conf
dental talk with Clafiin, and told him of
tue treacnerous Wnisperings of Bowen, and
also gave him the name of the party to
eee f6 had m had S cdtass st 10 him. and md
as nearly as | can remember, that Bowen
had not and did not intend to retract the
charges which he had made against Beech
| er. Clafin deemed this so serious that he
thought it best to call on Bowen with me,
| and we went, accompanied by the gentle
man who had reported Bowen's converea-
ton to me, and he repeated to Bowen in
the presence of us all exactly what Bowen
had said to him, "and," said he to Bowen.
''if you say to the contrary you utter a
falsehood.
Now, to conceal these ''bottom facts"
known to me If not to Clailln, Beecher had
influenced Clatln to require, as arbitrator,
the tripartite covenant-tO which al! Bow
ems chal ees as set forth in Titon's letter of
Jan. l, 1871, were anneXed-as a condition
of the settlement of money matters be-
tween Tilton and Bowen, which alone
were referred to that arbitration What
were those bottom facts? So far as Beech
er is concerned, have his full liberty to
disclose all that may know. as put in his
public statement, and the public will now
be in position to judge whether he really
meant that should:
z. Has Moulton any secret of yours in
paper, in document or in knowledge of any
act of yours that you would not have see
the light of this hour?
A. Not that am aware Of
Q. Have You any doubt?
A. have done.
q. Do you call upon him to produce all
he has and tell all he knows:
A. do
a SHOCKING CHARGE.
Passing by the more indefinite charges of
Bowen--''the many adulteries committed
by Beecher, let us take the crime, the
exact language of which in my former
statement | felt called upon to omit in the
interest of public decency. But in order
that the charge of Bowen, which was twice
reconcied and condoned by Beecher- U.S.
ing this word both in its legal and literal
sense, because if not true there can be no
more outrageous libel which is crime-I
feel compelled, in the cause of public JUS
tice, to give the very words as they origin
ally appeared in Titons private letter to
Bowen, of Jan, /, 1871, as they are an
neXed to the covenant of reconciliation:
You (Bowen) related to me the case of
woman whom you said Gas nearly as | can
recall your words Beecher took in his
arms by force, threw down upon sofa,
accomplished his deviltry upon her, and
left her flowing with blood"
Gould an innocent clergyman have al
lowed such charge to be made and more
than once reiterated, however guardedly,
by leading member of his church and rest
content until his innocence was fully and
clearly established, if in no other way, in
court of justice? Bowen, | was informed,
claimed to have the details of this transac-
ton from the womans own lips. And it
was to avoid the investigation of this charge
among Others that Beecher says in his let
ter that 1.-THE real point to avoid is an APP
peal to TIE church and then to council"
and upon that he advised with me.
feel it due to my self, however, before
proceeding further in this narrative, to
make this explanation. In my former
statement TO the public, prepared for the
committee, | endeavored in all matters to
state the facts with rs much deicacy as
their wickedness would allow, the conse-
quences of which was that my very reti-
cence and suppression Of the exact Ian
guage in which Beecher's confessions were
conveyed To me were by his friends made a
ground of accusation that had either mis-
taken the purport of what he said or that
If l were telling tie truth | would give
his words. Therefore am now compelled,
in narrating this most shameful affair, to |
violate the boundp which l set myself in |
my former statement, in order that no such |
like accusation may be reiterated against |
me. And If that is published which ought |
not to be published 1t is not my fault, but |
the necessity made by Beechcr and his |
friends for my own vindcaiion. Exactly |
how the matter came about is as follows. |
! showed to Beecher the letter of Tilton |
to Bowen bearing date January 1, 1871, |
containing charges alleged to have been |
made by Bowen in the presence of Tilton |
and Oliver johnson, and he (Beecher) |
deemed if necessary TO tell me the truth |
concerning the adultery with the woman to |