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

WI. FRANCIS MOuIUOu ittS stNou w
the public through the press his
statement in full, including letters
&C., to the extent of thirteen and a
half columns Of fine print. Many
of the letters bear remotely, aud
some of them not at all, upon the
Beecher- Tilton case, SO far as the
public care. The most Of the points
made by Moulton we're satisfactory
ly explained by Beecher in his state
ment made before he knew what Mr..
Moulton was to say. The matter
as between Beecher and Moulton is
silnmered down as to which is the
Standardization asserting that
Beecher acknowledged to him that
he did have criminal intercourse
with Mrs. Tilton, which Beecher en-
phatically denies.
The testimony of the adopted
daughter of Tilton shows him up lin
q bad light and if her testimony is
true he is a fit subject for tho peni'
Tertiary. She corroberates much OF
Mrs. Tilton's statement.
The papers Of Monday contained
an abstract of the report of the
Committee. as follows:
The report of the Committee of
Plymouth Church, appointed to i'll
vestigate the charges made against
the pastor, Henry Ward Beecher,
by q former member of the church,
Mr.. Theodore Tilton, will be made
OF next Friday evening in the Ply
mouth Courch itself, and all men,
bers of the church are invited to be
present on the occasion, as it is to
be a monster vindication of the pas
tor. The report will occupy in the
reading about two honrs. and will
he a complete and searching review
of all that has been brought against
Henry Ward Beecher, as well as of
what has been adduced in his favor.
The statement will he separated
into two parts. First, a review of
the evidence; and, secondly, the
conclusions to which the committee
have come, based Oh the evidence,
The report will be unanimous one,
and will be- signed by every mem
Der of the committee. No minority
report will, therefore, De presented.
The report begins by stating briefly
the rumors that have prevailed for
some years against the pastor of the
church. The intang ible manner in
which these charges were made
could not be traced to any trust.
worthy foundation, being denied
mainly by all those most concerned.
The Congregational Council and its
action are then spoken Of, and there
after the letter OF Rev. DR.. Bacon,
which brought about the singular
letter of Mr.. Theodore Tilton to
that gentleman, and in which let
ter was inserted purporting to come
from the pastor of the church, and
placing him in an untenable position
before the world; then the appoint
ment of the Investigating Commit
tee by the Examining Committee of
the church, and their meeting to in
vestigate whatever charges should
be made against Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher.
Then is stated the action of the
committee in calling upon Mr..
Theodore Tilton to state whatever
he had to allege against his former
pastor and friend, and the state
ment from that gentleman which
the call of that committee elected.
The main points of the statement
of Mr.. Tilton are then given, COM
prising the charges of adultery al
legged to have taken place between
Mr.. Beecher and Mrs. Tilton, and
the letters adduced to prove it,
Having this sworn statement in
hand, the committee states that it
thereupon called upon Mr.. Tilton to
submit to a crOss-examinatiOn upon
the subject matter of his charges,
as also upon all the events and cir
which induced him to |
come to the conclusion of the adul-
terry of his wife and her former pas
tor.
In this cIOss-eXaminatiOn it is
stated that Mr.. Tilton prevaricated
to some extent, and failed in nota-
BILE instances to show any proof Of
the charges made by him; notably
in one instance where Mr.. Tilton in
his statement says that a scene
look place before his eyes, where
Mr.. Beecher' is alleged to have plac,
I'd his hands upon Mrs. Tilton's an
kle, Mr.. Tilton being unable to say
within a period Of number of
years when this took place, and
,ven whether it took place within
. term of time comprised before or
after the war. 1t seemed to the
that so vital an accusa-
ion as this should have been mar.
owed down to a shorter or more
certain period of time. But this is
lot all that struck the committee as
singular in Mr.. TiltOn's crOss-exami-
lation. He therein swOre that
;hough cognizant of his wife's guilt
or some years, he was personally a
nan of unblemished character and
If strict morality, never having
lppn unfaithfnl To his marital rela |