The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-23
Mr.. TiItOn Gives His Statement to
the Press.
Preliminary Statement Of NIr.
BGecher.
TiI.Om Again.

human nature to have summoned me by puDllc
proclamation signed by his name in his author
ization of committee of sig to divulge the Sc
crets contained in that statement. No com
mittee in Christendom, not though it was OF
Congress or of all the churches in the world,
or all of the ecclesiastical councils in the land
could have extorted from me the facts which
laid before Mr.. Beechers committee on Mon
day night. Mr.. Beecher himself by b public
demand on me to do so, demand Whlcn nae
no right to refuse, except at a sacrifice OF all
self-respect, say Mr.. Beecher alone and not
his committee could have brought me to make
his statement. Mr. Beecher aud Mrs. Tllton
together, for they both acting IN unison, have
com bined to force me to do what no other arth-
ly power could have done, and that is to divulse
the facts which gave to the committee, but
did not give them SO much to the committee as
to Mr.. Beecher himself. He threw down the
challenge, and Mrs. Tilton aided and abetted
him in his defence. Mr.. Beecher struck a last
blow at my good name, and Mrs. Tilton DESERT
ed my house and home in order to take part II
this hnal attack. Nothing remained for me
but 20 stand right on my manly right of self
defence Butt can only express my grief at
the publication. The facts should never have
gone beyond the committee For four years
past | have sought for nothing but peace, but
now the struggle has come L can say, with as
much pride as sorrow, and with as much deter
mination as prophecy, that the victory is mine,
because the right is with me.
Reporter-The statement is made that you
have eft your home and its contents, as a free
gift to your wife. Is this true?
Mr. Tltou-It is true. The house cannot be
occupied by both. A man can live in any abode,
but woman needs home, and that home
shall not be changed one whit from the fatnil
i,r aspect which tue children were accustomed
to see. They will reside with their mother.
That is natures right
Reporter-But where are you going TO live?
An 0minOes IntimatiOn.
Mr. Tilton-No where. Henceforth / have
no life. This is the end of all tragedies. They
eliminate in death. My duty has been DONE
Statements by tie Parties.
Oliver johnson says Tllton did wrong to print
his letter and believes Beecher's reply will make
matters straight. The Clerk of Plymouth
church says Beecher will make proper state
ment Rev. Mr. Halliday, Assistant Pastor of
Plymouth church, says he would not believe
anything against Beecher if fifty TiItons said
it. and nothing of Tiltons will shake the conf
dence of the church in Beecher.
The legal advisor of Beecher says that the
investigation will eXonerate Beecher, and will
show that the charge of criminaty is utterly
unfounded.
The Press ON the Tiifon Exposition.
The exposure by Tilton is the subject of uni
versal comment by all classes here to-day
There seems to be very general expression of
sorrow aud regret that any circumstances
should have ever occurred which could enable
such damaging statement against Beecher to
have had any fouEd ition.
Tue Sun contains no editorial comments.
Thd Herad's editorial Is long etfort to dep
recate Titon's statement.
The Worlds editorial says that the state
ment is all outrage on the very idea OF home,
on woman hood and the marriage bond. Itar
raisns Elton more severely than it ever did
Sickles and says that the charge is simply
horrible.
Mr. Beechcr's Defence.
1t is asserted that Beecner has made Que
statement to the committee in which he sa
here was an affection between him and Mrs
Elton that would naturally exist between u
pastor aud confid ng member of his church;
it was purely paternal
He distinctly denied, so it is stated, with all
the emphasis possible, that there had ever
be- n in his MUD an impure thought, or that
discovered in the mind Of Mrs. Tilton
suggestion or response to thought Ut impur-
ity.
He denied that the relations had gone be
yond that of father TO his child and that
whoever considered that the relations took any
other form did a base and mighty wrong to this
woman Beecher is reported to have said that
he had been led inte advising separation OF
riton and his wife, Which be endeavored to
retrieve. and it was the knowledge of this of
fence which had led to all the efforts of his
life the past four years, and his Whole purpoSe
since the publication of TiltOns letter to Bacon
had been to atone for his needeSsness oy ca
deavoriug to reconstruct that home. He said
The above was due Mrs. Tilton. and that the
best Kindness in the future would be complete
silence and contrtion. This is said to have
been made to the committee by Mr. Beecher
when it first assembled.
Rather Thin.
1t appears from published card that the
Tilton statement obtained publicity through
Mr. Mavericks, mauaglpg editor of the Brooklyn
Argus, who assisted IN copying it,and SAWS that
he pu Ulished 1t without Tilton's knowledge or
consent,
Beecher's Statement.
This evening several deacons of Plymouth
church, with Mr.. Sherman, r. Ross and Gen.
rracy, met at Mr.. Beechers residence and
after a counsel lasting about three hours, drew
up the following staten mt Of Mr.. Beecher as
for publication:
81 do not propose at this time to prepare IA
detailed examination of remarkable statements
of Mr.. Theodore Tilton made before the Com
mittee of Investigation aud which appeared in
the Brooklyn A gus of July q, 1874
L recognize tie MANY reasons which make it
of transcendent importance to myself the
church aud cause of public morality, that
shall give full answer to the charges against
me- but having requested the Committee on
Investigation to search this matter TO the bot
tom it is to them that must look for my vim
dication.
reputation Ut Mrs. Til on, upon whose name 10
connection with mine, ner husband has at
empted to pour sh ame. One less deserving
such disgrace never knew. From childhood
she has been under my eye, and since reaching
woma mood she has had my sincere admiration
and affection. / cherish for her pure feeling,
such gentleman might honorably offer to
Christian woman, and which she might re-
ceive and reciprocate without moral scruples
L reject with indignation, every imputation
a.
regard for Mrs. TIlton was perfectly well known
to my family when serious difficulties sprung
up in her household.
1t was to my wife that she resorted for coun-
Sci and both of us acting from sympathy and.
as it subsequently appeared without full knowl
edge, gave unadvised counsel which tended to
harm. l have no doubt that MIS- Tilton fou I'D
that his wife's confidence and reliance upon
my judgement ha greatly increased while his
influence had diminished in consequence of a
marked change in his religious and social
views which were taking place during those
years.
Her mind was greatly exercised lest her
children should be harmed by views which she
deemed virtually false and dangerous. L
was suddenly aud rudely aroused to the reality
of impending danger by the disclosure of do
nestle distress. of sickness perhaps INTO death,
of the likelihood of separation and the scatter
ing of family, every member of which | had
tenderly loved. Tee effect upon me of the dis
fOVeTy Vi Tue Sldte Ol ME IiitOu 5 Ietilu9S.dnu
the condition of his family, surpassed in sor
row and excitement anything that had ever
experienced in my life. That my presence,
influence aud counsel had brought to a beloved
family sorrow and alienation gave, in my then
state of mind, pognancy to my suffering
which hope no other man may ever feel
Even to be suspected of having offered under
privileges oe peculiarly sacred relation an in-
decorum to wife and mother. could not but
deeply wound any one who was sensitive to the
honor of womanhood. There were peculiar
reasons for alarm in this case on other grounds,
inasmuch as was then subject to certain ma
lignant rumors, and fragrant outbreak in this
family would bring upon them an added injury
derived from these namelesS falsehoods
Believing at the time that my presence and
counsels had tende !, however, unconsciously to
produce a social catastrophe, represented as
imminent, gave expression to my feelings in
an interview with mutual friend not in cold
and cautious srlf-defence, but eagerly taking
blame upon myself and pouring out my heart
10 my friend in the strongest language. over
burdened with the exa2geratinns OF impassion-
ate sorrow Had been the evil man Mr.. Til
ton now represents, 1 should have been
calmer and more prudent. 1t was my horror of
the evil imputed that filled me with morbid in
tensity at the very shadow of it.