Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-24
THE BEECHER SCANDAL.
MRS. TILrON's STATEMENT.
Her Busband's Charges Denounced
as raise and Malicious.

The following statement OF Mrs. Tilton Is
published:
To pick up anew the sorrows of the last zen
years, the stiIgs and pains had daily schooled
myself to bury and forgive, makes this iup5ra-
tive duty, as called forth by the malicious state
ment OF my husband, the ssddest act OF nv
lie. Besides, my thought of following the
Master coDuadicts this act of my pen, ana
sense OF the Perversion Of my life-fsith almost
cOmpels me now TO step aside until God him
SELF delivers. Yet L see in this wantOn act an
urgent call, and privilege from which shrink
not To reply in detail 20 the tSenty-twO srti
cles OF the arr sigDment 1 shall not attempt at
present. Yet IL an called upon 10 testify 20
each and ali OF them 1 shall not hesitate TO do
So Suffice ii for my purpose nov that reply
" one or more OF the most glazing charges.
TILToN's HATRED OF BRkCHER.
Touching the ieigned sorrow OF my husbands
compulsory revelations, I solemnly avow that
long before the Weodhul publication l knew
him, by insiDuation ana direct statement, 90
have repeated 10 my very near relative and
friend The substance OF these accusations which
shock the moral sense Of the entire community
this day. Many times, when hearing that GER
tain persons had spoken i'll of him, he has sent
me TO chide them tor 20 doing, and then and
there L learned that he had been before me
with his calumnies against myself, so that WAS
speechless. The Federation OF his statement
that be had persistently striven 10 hide these
called facts ls utterly false, As his hatred 70 Mr.
Beecher has existed these many years, and the
determination to ruin Nr. Beecher has been the
one aim OF his life.
TILToN's PERFIDY.
Again. the perhdy with which the hottest love
wife ever offered has been recklessly discard-
ed in this publication reaches well-nigh to sac
rilege; and, added TO this, the endesvor, like
the early scandal Of Mrs. Woodruff, TO make my
own worcs condemn me, has no psrallel-most
conspicuously my letter quoting the reading OF
Griffith Gaunt. Had Mr.. Tilton read the pure
character Of Cathsrine he would have seen that
lifted myself beside il near as any human
may affect an ideal; but it was her character,
and not the incidents OF fiction surrounding IT,
TO which 1 referred. Hers was no sin or crimi-
nal act or thought. like confession with hers
had made to MIR. TIlton in telling of nv love
for my friend and pastor one year before; and
now add that, notwithstanding all misrepre-
sensations and anguish OF soul, I owe to my &C
quaintance ana friendship with MIR. Beecher,
as 10 no other human instrumentslity, that en-
enlargement in my mental life and that growth
toward the divine nature which enable me TO
walk daily In lively hope Of the life beyond.
SHAMELESS CHARGES.
The shameless charges in articles seven, eight
and nine are fearfully false in each and every
particular. The letter referred 70 in MIR. TIL
by importantly, and by representations that it
was necessary for him TO use in his then pend
ing difficulties with Mr.. Bowen. was then sick
nigh unto death, having suffered q miscarriage
required without knowing or understanding its
import. The paper have never seen, and do
not know what statements il contains.
In charge eighteen letter of mine, addressed
TO Mr.. Francis Moulton, was quoted TO prove
that 1 never desired a separation, or was ad-
yised by Mr.. and Mrs. Beecher to leave my hus-
band. L reply that the letter was OF Mr.. Til
tons own connecting, which he induced me 20
cepy and sign as my own, an act which, in my
weakness and mistaken thought TO help hina,
L have done too often during these unhappy
years.
TILToN AS PRKs LOVER.
The implication that the harmony of the
home was unbToken until Mr.. Beecher entered
il as frequent guest and friend, is a lament
able satire upon the household where he him
self, years before, laid the cornerstone OF free
love, and desecrsted its affairs up to the time or
my departure, 50 that the atmosphere was not
only goddess, but impure for my children; aud
In this effort and throe OF agony L would fsin
lit my daughters and all wOmanhood from the
insidi0us cant and diabOlical teachings OF these
latter days. His frequent efforts t. prove mt
insane, weak-minded, Insignificant, OF meap
presence, all-rank in the Category OF heartleSs-
ness, selhshness and falsehood, having is eli
max In his present endeavor 70 convince the
world that am or ever have been unable q
distinguish between an Innocent and a guilty
love.
A SOLEMN DENIAL.
In summing up the whole matter, 1 affirm
myself before Coo to be innocent OF the GRIM
laid upon me; that never have 1 been guilty OF
adultery with Henry Ward Beecher in thought
or deed, nor has he ever offered to me an in
decorus or improper pTopOssl. To the further
charge that L WAS led away from my home by
Mr. Beecher's friends and by the advice OF
lawyer whom MIR. Beecher had sent to me, and
who, in advance OF my appearing before the
committee, arranged with me the questions and
answers which are to constitute my testimony in
MIR. Beecher's behalf, answer that this is again
untrue, having never seen the lawyer until in
roduced to him a few moments before the arri-
val OF OF the committee by my stePfather, Judge
Morse; and in further reply submit the follow
ing statement Of my action before the commit
tee and the separation from my husband:
TILToN's THREATS.
The publication of Mr.. Tilton's letter in an
swer TO DR.. Bacon had not known or suspect
ed, when on Wednesday evening he brought
home the Golden Age, handing il TO me; apo on
looking down its columns L saw, with well nigh
binding eyes, that he had put into execution
the almost daily threat OF his life-'that ne yed
TO crush out MIR. Beecher; that the god OF bat
ties was in him; that he had always been Mr..
Beechers superior; and all that lay in his path,
wife, children, or reputation, il need be, should
fall before this purpose" L did not read it. 1
saw enough without reading. My spirit rose
within me as never before. Theodore" said,
"tell me what means this quotation from Mr..
Beecher? Two years ago you came 70 me at
midnight saying, Elizabeth, all the letters and
papers concerning my difficulties with Mr..
Beecher and MIR. Bowen are burned, destroyed
Now don't you betray me, for 4 have nothing to
defend myself with " "Did YOU believe that?''
said he. al certainly did, implicitly" said /.
'Well, let me tell you they all live-not one is
destroyed" If this was said to intimidate me it
had quite the contrary effect. had never been
so fearless, or seen so clearly before with whom
l was dealing. Coming to me a little later he
said: al want you to read il. You will find il a
yindication OF yourself. You have not stood be-
fore the community for five years as you now
DO.
Reused still further by the wickedness hid
behind so false a mask, replied: Theodore,
understand me; this is the last time you call me
publicly TO walk through this nth. Ny charac-
ter needs no vindication at this late hour from
you. There was a time, had you spoken out
clearly, truthfully and manfully for me, had
been grateful, but nov 1 shall speak and act tor
myself. Know, also, that ri in the future see
a scrap Of paper referring 10 any human being
however remote, which il seems TO me Won
might use to perEert for your own ends, will
destroy it,
"This means battle on your part then, he
said.
"Just 70 far" replied.
write this because these words Of mine he
has since use TO my shame. The next morning
| went to my brother and told him that now
had decided TO act In this matter; that had
been treated by my husband - q nonentity from
the beginning, q plaything to be used or let
alone IT will; that IT had always seemed to me
was q party not little concerned. 1 then
showed him Q card had made for publication.
He respected the motive, but still advised
silence on my part. yielded 20 him thus far ~
to appearing in public prints, but counseling
with myself, and no other, IL occurred TO me
that among the brethren Of my own communion
L might be heard. Not knowing OF any church
committee, asked the privilege Of such an in
terview In the parlors OF those who had always
heeu rpufual friends. and Mr. 0vftV