, 1874-08-29
BEECHER-. -.TlLTON.
fCopttnue&l from First pnre,}

Continued from First PaEoJ
1t lo.ss made b.so propouala to Mira. I'll
ton Oh tho contrary, ho spoke freely
Of Mr. Beeoher's admissions Of guilt with
1eapcot to hor IN this way, and OF tho fuut TINT
several pernons III h.s congregation know Of l.ia
inlpusity, aud quoted Mr. Decchor'a words to
him, to this effect ~ Men talk OF tho courage
required to faco tho cannon'a mouth but TINT
is nothing compared with what havo hnd to OK
arctic, these searB back, Iii looking III tho face
ail1 proaching to peraons who know that l Lad
boon guilty OF anch thinEa." Ilo asanrod MO
that hlr. Deeohor had bcon very dosirons, at iirIs
70 hayo the nowapapor project succeed ana 7 te
withdraw from tho ministry, saying to Mr: !;
that !" his work WAS about dono IN that ltno, tha1
It lad principally boon = destructive "ork, pa!l.
Ing to piocoH tho old theology and that ,ita eohn
oo olso must now ar,sa with constructive nbil1s.
to mako now bolomo." IIo Baid bo had 1u1
como from a cot,forcnce with Dr. storIs On ~
Bnbteot to SEQ what oonld be dono to save tm
public fail of hIr. Noectler and no Pulled iron
Ata vost-pockot small plece o. paper ~ Nn!n VIII
nero mputcd down three OF four points wnlel
could bo mnie hcforo tho public II deninl Il
Mrs. Woodhull's abatement, without to91chitg
hhything else. $1,000. ....
1 ropi{ol tIat s,,oh policy could mover str-
on reflection would counsel any deception Ut tlo
pubic by sending forth denial Of ono stat-
mint, al though, tuat coveled tho whole al tlo
real caso xtlen ho knew that aotual guilt neyd-
theleus existed. Ar. Carpenter hado Ills stah-
nenta to me in tho prosenoo Of my brother (wlo
iB nov In Eu1opo), said that ho was In daily IL
torcoutso with Doocher aud Tiiton On tho stb-
jcct and explained that pa1t Of ths plan sbnt
tho newspaper was that Tiltou rhould 60 nbrp,d
for two or throo yoats,. correspond with sho
name iu tho puullc mind. and thon come homo,
aud 60, petlRE8, OIL tho editorial Bt&9. Fiualy,
1e otlolcd 70 take MO to a1r. Becchor. thst
might hear tho san1e thingo from his lips. Ny
rArtxx 1n..EJ n,.t5,, 81. 80
such an interview: These tnauy years I lnvo
honored hlr. Dcccher ~ = man and = u,nker,
willie differing from nomo Of hia tIeo~
logical aud 1e'ornaatory viows, tho eject
OF which I fosr, and o,r occasional por..
sonal intercourse Laa been friendly; and c'uId
nnt bear 70 look him in the face, iu tho hotr OF
bis humiliation, unless positive duty required it,
But hero arc hiB lifelong ministerial ashocatoa
ut.. storra. Dudngton, mud othofa It H. forshem
70 deal reFaonally with lin. under sucll p.inful
admissions" Then he urged ms 70 go aud thlh
with hlr. and Mrs. IIl:on. This also refused
to do, as did not wish to 10 implicated IN any
manner with Mr. Tllton, and wanted to b ablo
70 Hsy that had neyor exchanged q roM with
particularly stropg. Nor did alter my purpose,
when fow days later Mira. Carpenter communi-
Gated to inc request from Mrs. Tilton to cali on
licr. Perhaps orrdd III these decisions; but my
heart waa sad, and had heald too much already.
Had even imagined tlat Mr. Boeeher de1ied
theso chareea to theHs confidential friends,
should lnre goue to sec him; but Tuutd Tut
unnecessarily humliate lim on their invitation,
to hear him confess. IL should have added lleis,
In tho COPY Of this statement sont to tho CON-
mittoe, that. at tint time, hlr. Bcecher bad made
20 oonlal OF tue charges bofore The public. and
thoso statemonts Ut Mr. Carpenter seemed to
harmontzo 3I1 with that fact. ". ". ri
Mhio returning to Chicago ! noemed grad
Carpenter that tho actual faera wera known to
quito circle Of persons, including two or thrao
oditosH aud several promlnent cleIgynrn. Su
advised with tho Roy. Dr.. Bacon, Of Now Ha-
vou, and ne agreed that nothing could be said or
done 1t present. but to await developments; as
possibly Mr.. Carpenter might DO mistaken in
eome of his assertions; but that at some time au
investigation must take place, nH plymouth
Church could not afford to have such charges re-
main without denial or dinproof. So, on reach
ing homo. published IN the Aduance an edito-
rial entitled ''A1istakon Slloncc," Which made 10
uso Of the information had pfivatcy received,
but based call for denial BY Mr.. Beochor
upon what had already comic before tho public,
including Mr.. Tllton's famous letter to " COM
planning Friond.'
uaylng duno this, felt that my duty was dis
charged for the time being. But I at
onco communicated my private information to
Heury Ward Beechcr's brother William. that ho
might tnko Apcl stops ~ ha thought wi4o to as
certain the whole truth.
Several months a1tcr, called on Henry III.
Bmith, who had been the publisher Of the Ad-
rance. but WIS then managing editor Of THE
Cnlcaoo Tn1nuNg, and referring to tho position
which had sono time before taken in the Ad-
UaHce, said that it WAS more and moro plain thnt
III investigation must come nt Last, and TINT
thought the whole SECULAR and religious presa
ought to assume that ground, that Plymouth
Church might understand that 1t was not a case
to be eTadod hut mot.
Gu bis expressing doubts - to how aorious it
was, cou0dentally gave him an outline OF what
had learnod, that ho might, without any publi-
cation or allusiou. understand in his own mind
us itens relating to it came up, HON the caso waH
to be treated. to w.t.: simply as ono demanding
investigation IL Mr. Beecher was to be rndicateA
I Bail tAat Lad done all that tho Aduaro5
could proper!y do. without aublecting itself to =
baso anu Ialse charge Of being stirred by rivalry
Mr. Bowers having received doath-bed cors-
feAsion from Ills wife, or Ut hIr. Bcacher'B hat
ing Left the Independent On imputasions againt,4
his character, aud never heard Of those alega-
tionB from any quarter till within fow weelts
The references to MlBs Proctor was simply tc. a
statement made IN some Of the newspapers
abont her, Mira. Woolhulrs paper aud othels. I
said nothing Of having had d consultation with
leading dsvinos, who agreed thas Mt. Boecil!r
must bo oxposod; but simply stated my inter-
hlr. Smith mado such 81 latements to the roportor
Of The Argus (Which I doubt), he has mlnglod
with hiB recolioutlonB OF What I said things
which ho heard from, others, or bad read IN tic
rect that 5Ir. Sm,th hns dsAyowcd 1t, AZ / Goo
by the Now York Tribune. I will only add,
that N I made written memoranda, l1lat
aftor my Interviews NTH Carpenter whilo eve "
thing was fresh and deeply impressed on my
mind, fool certain Of the substantial correct
neBs Ut this Htatemont Bat / subsequently, at
different times, inquired Of my brother, as Il, tho
accuracy Of my memory in the leading facts, nud
his recollection accorded exactly with nline
Wllen sav Alr. Carpenter, he was very co=,ata1
to blr. Beeoher, and anxious to help him through
his troubles but, aoon after, my brother 'yFots
mo that 1Ir. Carpenter had changed 1,s ulood
mad WAS denouncng Mr. Beecher ~ couarc
and q liar"!!
This ia all that now occurs to mo as worthy o.
mentiou in connection with my kno wiedEe o
thla eorrowfu matter. II, through your Commit
teo, God eau dlBspato the datkneas, milll0I1s be-
hidea myself will rojoico Yours truly
WILLIAM ". PATTON.
CH1oAao, Aug. Al. 1874.
TIE INVESTIGATING CoMMITTI:E'ss
RtPORT.
New YonK, Aug. 2a.-Piymouth Church: VA
denscly packed tllis evening, every avallabln apo
Of sitting OF standing room being occupied, aud
oven the foBtrlln waA eucrnnchnl uuon bf The