The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-22
THE TILTON.BEECHER SCANDAL
Statement of Theodore TiltOn.

Mr. Tilton's sworn statement Whereas,
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has instigated
the appointment of committee consisting
of six members of his church and society
to inquire into and report upon all previous
charges upon his character by Theodore
Titon and
Whereas, Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, for
merly wife of Mr. Tilton, has openly de-
serted her home in order to cooperate with
Mr. Beecher in a conspiracy to overthrow
the creditability and good repute of her
late husband as man and citizen there
fore,
Theodore Tilton being thus authorized
and required, by published demands
made upon him by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, and being now and hereafter re-
leased by this act of Mrs. Tlton from fur
thcr responsibility for concealmcnt Of
truth touching her relations with MIR.
Beecher therefore, Theodore Tilton here
by sets. forth under solemn oath to the fol-
| lowing facts and testimony
l. That on the second of October, 1855,
at Plymouth church, Brooklyn, a marriage
| between Theodore Tilton and Elizabeth NJ.
Richards was performed by Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, which marriage thirteen
years afterwards WAS dishonored and vic
lated by this clergyman through criminal
seduction of this wife and mother as here
matter set forth.
.. That for period of about fifteen
years, extending back before and after this
marriage, an intimate friendship existed
between Theodore Tilton and Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, which friendship was ce-
mented to such degree that in conse-
quencc thereof the subsequent dshonoring
| by Mr.. Beccher Of his friends wife was a
crime of uncommon wrongfulness and per-
fdy.
3. That about nine years ago Rev. H..
w. Beecher began and thereafter contn-
ued o friendship with Mrs. Elizabeth r.
| Tilton, for whose native delcacy and cx-
IRENE religious scnslbility he often ex-
pressed to her husband a high admiration,
visiting her from time to time for years
until the year 1870 when for reasons here
matter stated he ceased such visits. during
which period by many tokens and atten-
tions he won the affectionate love of Mrs
Tilton, whereby after long moral resistance
by her and after repeated assaults by him
upon her mind with overmastering argu-
ments he accomplished the possession of
her person, maintaining with her thence
forward during the period hereinafter
stated the relation called criminal inter-
course, this relation being regarded by her
during that period as not criminal or NOR
ally wrong, such had been the power of
his arguments rs a clergyman to satisfy
her religious scruplts against such violation
| of virtue and honor.
4. That on the evening of Oct. 10, 1868,
or thcreabout, Mrs. Elizabeth X. Tilton
held an interview with Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher at his residence. She being there
in tender state of mind, owing to the
death and burial of a young !child, and
during this interview an act of criminal
commerce took place between this pastor
and this parishioner. The motive on her
part being, as hcreinbefore stated, not re-
garded by her at the time as criminal OF
wrong which act was followed by SINH
lar act of criminality between these same
parties at Mr.. Tilton's residence during q
pastoral visit paid by Mr.. Beecher to hel
on the subsequent Saturday evening, fol.
lowed also by other similar acts on various
occasions from the autumn of 1868 to the
spring of 1870; the places being the two
residences aforesaid and occasionally Other
places to which her pastor would invite
her by previous appointment. These acts
of wrong being on her part, from first tc
last, not wanton or consciously wicked, but
arising through a blending of her mora
perceptions and occasioned by powerful in
tiuences excited in her mind at that time
to this, and by Rev. Henry. Ward Beechel
as her trusted religious preceptor and guide
s. That the pastoral visits made by the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher to Mrs. Tiltor
during the year 1868, became SO frequent
as to excite comment, being in marked
contrast with his known habit of making
few pastoral calls on his parishioners
which frequency in Mrs. Tilton's cast
is shown in letters written to her husband
during his absence out west, these letters
giving evidence that during period of five
or six weeks twelve different pastoral CALI
| Mro Nilton mazda hx,l lau Raaohar
which calls became noticeably infrequen
on Mr.. Tiltons return to his home.
G. That previous to aforesaid crimiua
intimacy one of the reasons which Mrs
Tilton alleged for her encouragement o
such exceptional attentions from Rev
Henry w. Beecher was ipartly that she hat
been much distressed with rumors agains
his moral purity, and wished to convinc
him that she could receive his kindnes
and yet resist his solicitations, ant
that she could be useful to hin
by her purity and fidelity an increased
respect for the cbaste dignity of woman
hood. Previous to the autumn of 1856
she maintained with Christian firmness to
wards her pastor this position of resistance
always refusing his amorous pleas whicl
were strong ,oft-repeated and in lei
ter to her husband, dated Feb. 8, 1868, sh
wrote as follows:
"To love is praseworthy, but to abus
the gift is sin. Here | am strong-no de
monstrations or destinations could caus
me to yleld.my womanhood"
Z. That the first suspicion which crosse
the mind OF Theodore Tilton that Rev
Henry Ward Beecher was abusing or Nigh
abuse the affection and reverence whic
,, Mrs. Tilton bore towards her pastor, wa
! an improper caress given by Mr.. Beeche
to Mrs. Titon while seated by her side o
ings.