Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-08-29

liner evidence on the SUBJECT, which
was found in the sworn statement
of Mrs. Tilton herself, who corrobo.
rated to some extent the charges
made by Bessie Turner against her
husband, more than enough to i'm
pei the committee to the conclusion
that Mr.. Tilton was o perjurer and
that his evidence upon cross-exami-
nation was in detail and substance
false. This having been ascertain.
ed beyond question, then came the
query whether Mr.. TiltOn's evidence
being manifestly untrue in some
particulars might not be so in toto,
in which case his base and unsup.
ported accusations against the pas
tor must be untrue also, as it
is a well known maxim in law that
all the testimony of witness found
guilty of perjury in any particular
fell to the ground.
This disposed of, then came the
question Of the letters put forth by
MIR. Tilton to maintain his charges.
The principal of these comprise a
letter of cOntrition addressed by
Henry Ward Beecher to Theodore
Tilton, but not in that gentleman's
handwriting, and bearing evidence
of having been obtained in some
what irregular manner a supposed
confession Of guilt written by Mrs.
Tilton, and thereafter cOntradicted
by her, and thereafter again reatfirm.
ed by her under pressure Of her hus-
band and while she was labOring
under illness and great excitement
of mind !; also several letters writ
ten by Mrs. Iilton to her husband,
and others written by Henry Ward
Beecher to Mr.. Moulton. The com.
mittee felt, upon reading these let
tiers, that while their sense was
ambiguous, there was in none of
them any distinct admissions of the
charge of adultery-that is to say,
the letters, while being extravasant
in language and sentiment, and writ
ten by Mr.. Beecher under strong
feeling Of some wrong done by him
to Mr.. Tilton and his family rela-
tions, do not 60 to prove any speci-
tic act of wrong-doing, and by one
dozen persons would DO taken to
mean one dozen different things
Had any suppositious wrong been
done, these letters might be sup.
posed to refer to it as his ono wrong,
and so, when then the charges of
adultery was made, any superficial
act of these writings might be tax
en- as referring to that. Therefore,
after minute examination the com.
mittee could not find that in any the
charge of adultery was substanti-
ated by these letters. Therefore
neither Mr.. Tilton's accusation nor
the letters he brought forward to
substiantate it could be held to
prove more than that the pastor had
done a wrong not specified, to Mr..
Theodore Tilton and his family
Having worked thus far in the dis
charge of their task, it became the
duty of the committee to search
further for some evidence in the
matter, and a general call was made
upon all who knew anything of the
matter to come forward and give ev-
idence before the committee. To
this call several persons answered,
among them Mrs. Tilton, the girl,
Bessie Turner, and Mrs. Stanton.
The evidence Of Bessie Turner
has been already dwelt upon and
her allegations reviewed. The tes-
timony Of Mrs. Stanton was only
hearsay, while that Of Mrs. Tilton
added further to the burden of
proof against Mr.. Tilton by an ex-
plicit denial of all his more impor-
tant statements-a denial of itself
entitled to as much weight as the
affirmations Of Mr.. Tilton himself.
But the testimony of the wife went
further to prove that Mr.. Tilton was
commonly guilty of not only acts Of
adultery, but Of brutality and shame
in his own household. Thus far then
the testimony was too one-sided to
admit of any second conclusion,
though the committee was informed
that another outside witness Moul-
ton remained to be examined whose
evidence it was generally stated
would convict Mr.. Beecher, with.
out any doubt, of the charges made
against him. The committee wait
ed day after day for the witness TO
come forward, and at length, after
lallying for almost a week, a speci-
tic time was set for this witness to
come forward and make his state
nent. Upon the day mentioned the
made his appearance and
to the committee some
liffusive remarks, embodying no
statement or accusation, but convey
ing some covert hints and threats,
and Offering to show some letters in
MS possession.
These letters were seen and went
10 further to prove what had been
alleged than any previously seen.
Indeed they were less to the point
md more general than those already
shown. While feeling disappointed
hat fuller statement had not been
made, the committee could not take
'urther steps to obtain one, and
therefore simply went to the trouble
If examining the accused person
The statement of Henry Ward
Beecher has already been before the
luhlic. who know its imnort II