The Portland daily press., 1874-08-24
THE BROOKLYN AFFAIR.
Report of the Investigating Conf
mittee.
Tiiton Declared "a Perjurer.
Bessie Turner's Testimony
A Full Acquitfal of NIr. BeecheI.
TiltOn Declared "a Perjurer.
A Full Acquittal of NIr. BeecheI.

New YORK, Aug 23.-The Sunday Mercury
prints the following abstract of the fortkcom
ing report of the Plymouth Church Committee:
The report of the Committee OF Plymouth
Church, appointed to investigate the charges
made against the pastor, III. w. Beecher, by
former member of the church, Theodore Til
ton, will be made on next Friday evening in
the Plymouth church itself, and all members
of the church are invited to be present on the
occasion as it is to be made a monster vindica-
tion of the pastor.
The report will occupy in the reading about
two hours, and will be complete and search
ing review of all that has been brought against
Mr.. Beecher, as well as of what has been ad-
duced in his favor.
The report begins by stating briefly the ru-
mors that have prevailed for some years against
the pastor of the church. The intangible man
ner in which the charges were made could not
be traced to any trustworthy foundation, be-
ing denied mainly by all those most concerned
The Congregational Council and its action are
then spoken of, and thereafter the letters of
the Rev. DR.. Bacon which brought about the
singular letter of Theodore Tlton to that gem
tlemaD, and which a letter was inserted pur-
porting to come from the pastor of the church,
and placing him in questionable position be-
fore the world; then the appointment of the
investigating committee by the examining
committee of the church, and that meeting 10
investigate whatever charges should be made
against the Rev. H. w. Beecher.
Then is stated the action of the committee
| in calling upon Theodore Tilton to state what
| ever he had to allege against his former pastor
and friend, and the statement from that gentle
| man which the call of that committee elected.
The main points of the statement of Mr.. Titen
are then given, comprising the charges OF
| adultery alleged to have taken place between
| Mr.. Beecher and Mrs. Tilton, aud the letters
| adduced to prove it.
| Having this sworn statement in hand, the
| committee state that it thereupon called upon
| Mr.. TiltOn to submit to a cross-eXamlnatlon
| upon the subject matter of his charges, as also
! upon all the events and circumstances which
| induced him to come to the conclusion OF the
adultery of his wife aud her former pastor.
| In this cross-examin nation, it is stated that
| Mr.. Tilton prevaricated to some extent and
failed in notable instances to show any proof
| of the charges made by him. Notably in one
| instance where Mr.. Tilton in his statement
where Mr.. Beecher is alleged to have placed his
hands upon Mrs. Titon's ankle, Mr.. Tilton
| being unable to say within period OF num-
| Der of years when the scene took place, and
even whether it took place within term OF
time comprised before or after the war.
| 1t seemed to the committee that so vital an
| accusation as this should have been narrowed
| down to a shorter or more certain period OF
| time, but this is not all that struck the COM
mittee as singular in Mr.. Tiltons cross-examin-
alton. He therein says that though cognizant
| of his wife'S guilt for some years, he was per-
| sonally man of unblemished character, OF
| strict morality, never having been unfaithful
| in his marital relations nor had he endeavored
| to be.
1 Only this positive statement on Mr.. Tiiton's
| part induced the committee TO call as a
witness young woman named Bessie Turner
who had lived in Tiltou's family in the quality
| of domestic In her evidence this young
person swears that Mr.. Titon, while his wife
i was away from home, endeavOred to accom-
plish on her person a dastardly outrage, on
rofa of Jnht
| room and endeavoring to violate her person.
| succeeding so far as to drag her from her bed
| to his own.
This statement was so much at variance with
Mr.. Titon's sworn statement upon crossex
| animation that the committee, 10th to believe
that Mr.. Titon is guilty not only of such a
crime as that described, but also of often and
wilful perjury, endeavored to obtain further
evidence on the subject which was found in The
sworn statement of Mrs. Tilton herself Wit
corroborated to some extent the argos made
| by Bessie Turner against her husband, more
| than enough to impel the committee to the con
clusion that Mr.. Tilton was a perjurer, ant
that his evidence upon cross-examnation WIS
in detail and substance false.
| This having been aScertained beyond queS-
ton, then comes the query whether Mr. Til
toms evidence being manifestly untrue in som
| particulars, might not be so in toto, in whlcl
case his base and unsupported accusation
against the pastor must be untrue also, as it j
| a well klOWu Ill law blldt oil tIlt ttSll
mony of a witness found guilty of perjury il
any particular, fell to the ground.
| This disposed of, then came the question @
the letters put forth by Mr.. Tilton to maintai
his charges. The principal of these comprise
letter of contrition addressed by H. W. Beeche
to Theodore Tilton, but not in that gents hand
| writing, and bearing evidence of having bee
| obtained in a somewhat singular manner
supposed confession of guilt written by Mr.
5 Tilton, and thereafter contradcted by her, an
> | thereafter again reaffirmed by her under pre-
| sure by her husband and while she was laborin
under illness and great excitement of mind; a
so several letters written by Mrs. Tilton to hi
q husband, and others written by Mr.. Beecher
: Mr.. Moulton.
The committee felt upon reading these lette
that while their sense was ambiguous, the
g was in mono of them any distinct admission
the charge Of adultery, that is to say the lette
while being extravgant in language and sent
v ment and written by Beecher under a stror
y feeling of some wrong done by him to Mr.. II
J. ton and his family relations, do not go to prov
any specific act of wrong doing, and by OF
dozen persons would be taken to mean a Jozt
IL different things. Had any suggestions
IS wrong been done, these letters might be su
posed to refer to it as his one wrong, al
. superficial view of these writings might be take
7. as referring to that.
j. Therefore after minute examination Il
3. committee could not find that in any way Il
l. charge of adultery was substantlated by the
# letters. Therefore, neither Mr. Tilton's acc
S sation, nor the letters he brought forward
snbtantiate it could be held to prove more thu
d that the pastor had done wrong, not spet
}, fed, to MIR. Tilton in his family
l. Having worked thus far in the discharge
a | their task, it became the duty of the col
r mittee to search further fer some evidence
70 the matter and a general call was made up
le ali who knew anything of the matter to cor
le forward and give evidence before the col
IN mittee.
re- 70 this call several persons answered, amo
| cher, NOS TiItnn and the pir1 RessiA Turnt