The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-08-21
THE u,seOOKLYN SCANDAL
Statements OF ReecIser and
MOuItOn.

AT last the people have the long
expected statements of Beecher and
MOulton. We give n synopsis of
Moulton's statement and cross-ex-
animation on the frat page. Mr..
Beecher's statement is too long for
publication. We content ourselves
with giving the main points. Brief
ly put it is this:
Mr.. BEECHEE was largs man
but burdened by greater RESPONSE
biIities. He was pastor of the most
nj Iential church in the land, editor
of the most influential religious
journal, leading politician, a pop
ular and well-occupied lecturer,
and a prolific book-maker. Thus
engaged, he fell in with Theodore
Tilton. young, active, brilliant. The
age of one and youth of the other
made them warm friends. When
the burden of the Independent grew
too great, its editorship was vacated
in the protege's behalf. 1t was
more thsn he could support. Pros
perity killed him. He ran of after
strange women and strange gods,
and the Independent suffered. The
denomination under whose auspi-
ces it was published attributed the
heterodoxy of its columns to Mr..
Beecher, whose name was still used
As q shield for Triton, and repudia-
ted the paper, starting the Advance,
in Chicago, to supplant it. The
owner of the Independent saw
breakers ahead, and discharged Til
ton. This was the opening door of
the scandal.
The "offense," as Beecher saw it,
was: 1. That, when TiIton was fol-
lowing Woodruff and other disre-
suitable women, Mrs. Beecher's adj
vice being sought, she counseled
Mrs. TiItrn to leave her husband,
An opinion which was hastily join
ed In by Mr.. Beecher himself; and
3. That before Diminishing Tilton,
aud at about the date of Mrs. Beech
er's counseling, Bowen, the owner
OF the Independent, called upon the
Plymouth pastor and was prompted
by him to the removal of Tilton as
the only safe course to pursue.
These two bits of ADVICE coming to
Tnton's knowledge enrsged him
and planted the seeds of AL after
trouble.
Tilton was as discreet as he was
diabolical. He went home to his
wife, then lying very i'll, and by en-
treaties and threats, induced her to
sign a paper charging Mr.. Beecher
with having made an improper pro-
posal to her. With this in hand, he
sought an interview with Beecher
in Moulton's presence, and charged
the offence named-an improper
proposal. He produced the extOr-
ted confession, and with much ado
about its effect upon his own honor
| and that of his children, destroyed
it. Paralyzed by the shock, Mr..
Beecher, at Moulton's instance, re-
paired to Mrs. Tilton and received
from her q retraction. This he car
ried home for personal safety, pru
IDENTIFY saying nothing of it to Til
| ton m. MouItOu
A day or two after, Moulton call
ed upon him, and persistently
avowing his friendship, demanded
the return of the retraction as a doc.
ument which should be destroyed
with the confession" Mr.. Tilton'l
manliness aud rectitude were urged
until Mr.. Beecher was convinced
that Theodore had been much ma.
ligned, and that he (Beecher) had
unwisely and unjustly counseled to
Tilton's hurt. The retraction wal
given up, and from that moment
the great, large-hearted pastor was
in the spiders coil he was at the
mercy OF two of the most clever
knaves of all history. His sympa.
thy was played upon until he con
ceived himself to be q demon il
having attempted to divide the
household of his dearest friend,
while he believed Tilton to be gen.
erously forgetting his fault. Mon.
ey was extorted from him; his
nights were robbed of sleep and his
mind of peace, and finally, when
this was not enough, bold attempt
was made to drag him from his
throne in the eye of the people.
Thus, we suppose, the work OF
the committee will end. Mr.. Beech.
er's statement seems to have created
a good deal of sympathy in his be.
MALT, and is taken a. his complete vim.
dication by some OF the leading pa.
pers, which are loud in denouncing
Moulton as q scoundrel. Thous.
ands of people do not regard his
statement IL this light, and think
the whole matter still covered
with mystery. 1t is believed by
many that Moulton has still another
statement to make that he held
back his principal statement I'm.
til Mr.. Beecher published his.
Moulton's statement, so far, is Ger.
tainly very unsatisfactory. Upon
the whole the case looks q little
more favorable for Mr.. Beecher,
and should this affair turn out to be
a conspiracy, as charged by Beecher
and his friends, that reverend will
stand higher than ever with the
American people. One opinion
now is that time alone can determ-
inc this matter. In common with
every lover of his race and country,
we sincerely hope this may be the
outcome of this unfortunate affair
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There now seems to be o sort OF
undercurrent movement in some
| marta nf tho akato n