Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-23
THE BEECHE.:-TELT SCANDAL.
Becchcr.S Statement aset1re fAe Ply
mouth Church Committee.

New York, July ~. : Last cvenl { several
OF the deacHrS OF Pl,mourn Church. with flr.
Shcarman, Mr.. Rss AID General i';acy, met
at Mr. B.cchrr'S re: iirncc. ard after cam
ell, lasting about Ihlre hours, drew up The fol-
lowing statement of Mr. B cchcr for pubIica-
ton:
do not prepare a. this time detailed OK
animation OF the remarkable statement OF Alr.
Theodore Titon | rccoyuZ" the many reasons
| which make it of transceuGent importance To
myself, the Church and cause nf public moral
lty that shall give fail answer to the charges
| against me. But having REQUESTED The com
| uI,tce of Investigation ~ search TINS matter 10
| the bottom it is to them that | must look Tor
NV vndica ion But | cannot delay for an
| hour lu driend iii: repu atom OF Mrs. Eliza
| beth Il. IilOn. npon whose name IN coDucc!lon
with nine. her husband has attempted 10 pour
shame. O ;e less deserving If .uch disgrace
never knew. FROM chi ll,ood sne has ben
under my eye, aud slt.c2 reachlJg w'i'D,t.EoGd
she has had my sincere admiration ana all e.
ton cherish for her pure feeling sucil as
gentleman might huuor"by offer 10 a hrlst-
ian woman and which she might receive and
rrcprocac without moral scrup!e. | REJECT
with Indignation every lmputatlon winch re-
! Il cts upon htr l.ubUr or NY own
My reg ,rl Tor Ms. rI!;on was perfectly well
known by my family. When serious dltiicuI-
ties sprung up III her household 1t was to lay
wife that she res,rtcd Tor Council aud both Of
us acting from sympathy, ard as it subsequent
~ appeared Without full knowledge, gave un-
advised counsel winch rcldcd 10 harm. have
no doubt that Mr. l'lt.n found that his wife >
c,uGience au reliance u,,oa my Judgment had
greatly Increased whiie his i tiuance had dl
minishcd in COPS lucrc" OF marked change
III his religions AMI soia views which We're tax
irg place durirg thnSe years. Her mad was
greatly exercised lest her ch'ilr@n should De
harmed by the views which she dceu"d riitu-
ally false and dangerous. | was suddenly aud
Iudyy aroused 10 the reality OF the iup:udltg
danger by The disclosure OF dom sic distress,
of sickness perhaps unto death, vi the llEcIi-
hood of separation and the scattering II Il
family, every ucmber Of which had tcnGcrly
| loved.
The effect upon me Of the discovery Of The
state OF Mr. 'litou's feelings aud 'ic c'udl ion
Of the family, surpassed III sorrow anu excite
mcut anything that mad ever eXp=rl@nc' Il IL
my life. That my presence. intiuence aud c. vi
sci brought to beloved family sorrow aud
alienation, gave iu my then state Ut mind 4
poignancy to my suffering Which | hope no
other uIau may ever fee, even 10 DC suspected
Of having If :rcd under the privileges Vi a pc
culiYrly sacred relation. An inGccurum to Il
wife and mother could not tut deeply wound
aay cue who is sensitive to tie honor OF
womannood There were peculiar rcason~ tor
alarm in this case on other grounds, lna,nuch
as was then subject 10 certain malignau' III,
mors, and a fragrant Uut1r,ak 10 this family
would bring upon them an added INJURY derIr-
ed from thes. shameless talschuols Believing
az the time that my presence and counS.ls had
tended, however unconsclou>l, to produce z
social catsstrophc represented as Imminent, |
gave cy,.res-ion to ny feelings III Til interview
with mutual friend, cot lii c)t and cautious
self defending words, but eagoriy taking blame
upon myself aud pouriug out my heart to NY
friend Ia the strongest language, overwhelmed
with the cx .ggcra;lons OF lmpas>lDned sorrow.
Had been The evil man Mr.. IlltoA now rep
r. seutS, | shoud have been c:lmer aud more
prudent. 1t was NY horror of the evil Imputed
that filled me with morbid intensity III the
very shadow of it, Not onl y was my irlCnd at
f .cted generously, bur he assured me that such
EXPRESSIONS, if conveyed to Mr. Tiitou, would
soo,he wounded feeling, allay anger auel heal
The whole trouble He tock down sentences
and fragments of what had been >a:ing to
use them as mediator \ full STATE ment OF
the circumstar ces under which this III moran
dun was made shall give ~ The Investigating
mmlttce.
That these apologies were more than ample
?. to meet the iactS Of the is evident IN that
they were accepted, that our intercourse vas
resumed 10 ricndIincss, that Mr.. TlitOu subsc-
quently ratified it in writing. aud that he has
coutinned for four years. aud until Withln two
weeks, to live with his wife.
In, ~ I,.I, lh.rgrp Inn 4
been what is now alleged, that he would have
condoned the offence not only with the mother
of his children, but with him whom he believed
10 have wrougcd them? The atsurdlIy as
we'll as The tal>ity Of the charge Is apparent
when it is considered that Mr.. 1llon now
alleges that he carried this guilty secret Ut his
wife il Il !c!ity for six months locked up 10 iilS
own breast, and that then he dlvugcd 1t to M:
ONLY, that there might be Il reconciliation with
me, Mr. Triton has since in every turm ol lap
guage, and to multitude Of witnesses, orally
aud 10 written statements and in printed dUcu-
mepts, declared his faith in bis wiics putty.
After the reconciliation Of Mr. Titou with me,
every consideration OF prOprlcty and houor DE-
maudcd that the family trouble should be kept
IN that scclusiou which domestic affairs have i
right to claim as SANCTUARY, aud to hat sec,u-
sion it was determined that it should DC con
fined.
Every line aud word of my private and con-
fdential letters, which have been published.
is in harmony with the Statements winch
now make My published correspondence On
this subject comprises but two clements, VIZ:
the expression Of uy grief, and that OF my de-
sire to shed the honor OF a pure and nnoccnl
woman.
do not propose 10 analyzc and contest al
,,,l Mr. Il
TOO, but there are twp allegations which can
not permit to pass without special notice. They
refer to the only two incidents which Mr.. III
ton pretcnds to have witnessed personally the
one an alleged scene III my house while looking
over engravings, and the other chamber scene
in hi, own house His statements concerning
these are absolutely false Nothing of the kind
ever occurred, nor any scmDlaDcc OF any such
things.
They are now brought to my notice Tor the
| first time To every statement which CONNECTS
mo dishonor,bIv wit Mrs ElZ !beth H. Til