The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-03-13


versation with Tilton about the publish
ing of any article about these charges.
A letter dated January II, 1871, was
handed to the witness and identified as
written by him to Tilton, asking him
not to publish, as he (Wilkinson)
knew that ne was in trouble
and would speak to Jay Cooke
about it, and have him lecture on the
line of the Northern Pacific railroad.
The witness resumed What request
ed him not to publish in this letter was
the charges he WAS Threatening TO make
public about Beecher; think Tilton
mentioned them to me about this time;
am n member of the publishing firm
of Ford IL Co.; l married sister of Mrs.
! Slant on 5; Mrs. Stnton is Il lad y of high
/ culture and refinement; / never said to
her that these charges if published,
would knock the Life Of Christ higher
than a kite; will tell you what 1 said,
if you will allow me. Mr.. Beach object
ed, and the witness continued. In an
/ interview on the I'd of April after the
tripartite agreement, told him
that Mrs Stanton had told me
that Beecher had committed
adultery with Mrs. Tilton, and Miss
/ Anthony had told her Mrs. Tilton had
confessed adultery to her; Mrs. TitOn.
said that Miss Anthony was morbid old
maid and her mind was always dwelling
on morbid subjects; the letter Of April
I'd, 1872, from witness to Moulton was
identified and read by Mr. Beach. 1t
called for retraction of Beecher's letter
of apology which was in his possession.
The witness resumed: | published this
tripartite agreement in connection with
my partner Edward l.. Ford; | did not
confer with any other person about it;
the only portions of the covenant that
think / published, were those of Bowen
and Tilton; l did Lot publish Beechers
portion, or public statement that fol-
lowed.
I am a firm Believer In Beechers In.
nocence,
and have been from the first, and an ar
dent defender Of him; | had frequent
discussions, in which l advocated him
whenever | had an opportunity; when |
proposed the tripartite agreement in the
form in which | presented it, gave it
to Horace B. Clafin; made one copy
of it at the time of the preparation of
the draft; | was present at the cxamina-
ton of Beechcr before the Church Com
mittce; was not present more
than once when Beecher appeared
before the committee with statement.
Redirect examination by Mr.. Evarts
i have looked at this memorandum
made of Tiltun's conversation within a
month past Evarts asked the witness as
to the conversation which led TO the re-
mark that the publication of these char
ges would knock the Life of Chirst'
higher than kite. Beach objected to
this and quite lengthy argument. ensued
between the counsel. Judge Nelson
directed Evarts to ask the witness what
he did say about It, The witness said
that Mrs. Stanton and others were pres
ent in the room and In reply to an in
quiry from one of the younger sisters, |
replied "if these charges are true and are
made public, ofcourse the Life Of Christ
will go higher than kite
The witness GesfieuIates.
The witness here raised his arm, and
at the word kite, smacked his finger
and thumb in the air. He continued
think ] made this gesture when utter
ing the remark; / understood Tilton
when he said to me that improper ad-
vances had been made to his wife, to
mean improper proposals. between the
time fmy planning the publication Of
the agreement and its actual publication,
| think Mr.. Cleveland saw me twice
about it; he objected to its publication;
my object in publishing this agreement
was to stop the persecution of this great
and good man, as he wanted to see the
thing in court where thought to be.
Edward EggIeston.
was next called He testified: / am an
author, clergyman and editor and reside
in Brooklyn; ] was associated with Til
ton as editor on the independent, but re-
tired from the paper in July, 1871; in
July 1867, l became acquainted with
Tilton by sight; | met Beecher about the
same time, but only became intimately
acquainted with hlm during the past
three or four years; in the fall of 1868 or
spring of 1869 | was guest at Tilton's
house; | was talking to them ABOUT
Beecher and Mrs. Tilton asked me
if knew him; / said slightly, and
she asked Inc to 60 to Pages
studio with her and make his
acquaintance; on the next day TitOn OBJ
iected as he thought Beecher would not
like to be disturbed; he told Mrs Tilton
that she had better go alone, and there
fore did not 90; on one occasion at Til
tons house, when | was present, a certain
LADY was also, and Tilton'S attention to
her was the subject of remark; rcmem-
Der making subsequent call at his
house; Mrs. Tilton was not there; L saw
the hOusckeeper, who told me that Mrs
Tilton was absent; this was o'clock ID
the evening; returned ut . o'clock and |
he came in shortly after with some lady; |
there was II young lady there, who SAID |
she was relation of the other ladyS;
both of the ladies went away afterwards
The lady with Mr. Tilton apologized
to the other lady for keeping
he out until such late
hour, as both watches had stopped; on
the ferry boat one time we had a con-
aDoiL Itiht''H7i ''''N
was in the summer of 1870.
Love.
He asked me what thought of it, or if
there might be more than human love;
replied that l did not know; he asked
my opinion in relation to CongenIa!
love; l told him thought that people
uncongenial would in time come together,
and he replied they would go farther
apart.
Cros,-exa,nined by Mr.. Beach-At the
time of Tilton's attention to the
unmentionabe woman, there were num-
Der of people present, and this happened
in the back parlor; it was the occasion
of the reunion of the Brooklyn Wo-
mans Secret Club, and Beecher was
there; made no remarks about their
conduct in the house, nor did any other
person there that night; observed 1t,
however, and spoke of it to my wife; on
one occasion of my talk with Tllton on
L., hn IN