Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-02
Beecher a "wOlf in the Fold"

Full Text of His Testimony.
Beecher a "WOlf in the Fold" /"
The Interview Between TiltOn
and BeecheF.
New YORK, Feb. 1.-The Brooklyn city
court room was again crowded to-day, the
beginning Of another week Of the great
scandal trial. Mrs. Tilton, Mrs. Field,
Mrs. Shearman and two other ladies, and
Nr. Beecher, with his wife and sons, Occu-
pied their accustomed places. After the
court had been called TO order, Judge Neil
son gave his opinion as to the right to tes-
tify Of Tilton, in the following words:
In determining the question raised BY
this objection, the court holds, first, that the
plaintiffs is competent 10 be sworn and TO
testify on his own behalf; second, that as
to the principal question at issue, he is not
Competent to testify as to any confidential
communication. Ii Is considered that this
qualified direction respects the present state
of the law of evidence, and also respects
what may remain Of the rule which i'm
poses silence or restraint By reason Of the
marital relation, and on the grounds Of
public interest or policy.
TheO. TiltOn then took the stand and
was sworn, the defense entering excep-
tions.
In answer to questions by ex-Judge Full
lertOn, Mr.. TiltOn said: | am thirty-nine
years old; was married the I'd Of October,
1855, by Mr.. Beecher; my wite's age is
about thirty-one, and have four children.
did not know the source from which the
money came which was given to me by
Mr.. Moulton; did not know it came from
Beecher. On Dec. 80, 1870, had an in
terview with Beecher.
Mr.. Evarts objected to witness giving
evidence in relation to any statement made
10 witness by his wife. Judge Nelson
ruled that the witness could say what
passed between himself and Beecher, but
not what his wife had told him.
Witness continued: MOultOn brought
Beecher and retired. l did not salute
Beecher, nor he me. crossed the room
and shut the door; went back and sat op-
posite 10 BeecheT. l began in this way. L
think l said; Il presume you received from
Mr.. Bowen a letter demanding your retire
ment from your pulpit in Brooklyn" BE
answered, Il did, sir" l told him he need
not fear that letter. BE thanked me.
said he need not do so; Elizabeth deserved
his thanks and not me. He said he un-
derstOOd the object of this interview only
in general terms, and asked me to tell him
what Bowen had said. l told him It
would be better to 60 to Bowen himself
l told him Bowen had said YOU were inti-
mate with a member of your congregation
for the past twenty-five years; that you
were not a safe man and ruined family
households; that you were wolf in the fold,
and should be extiFpated, and that Bowen
had said he had it in his power to drive
Beecher out Of Brooklyn in twelve hours.
l told him that after had this interview
with Bowen, l told it to my wife, who was
distressed, and who reminded me that l
said the previous summer l would not
break my promise to hurt Beecher, for that
if he was driven from Brooklyn, it would
be her shame, and that of her children,
and Beecher asked me what I meant by
her shame. l read TO him her letter Of
confession. This confession was destroyed
on this evening.
The witness was going on 20 relate the
contents Of this letter of confession, but il
was objected by Mr.. EVarts, and long
argument ensued over this point. The
Judge decided that the contents Of the let
ter should be left out for the present.
Tilton then testified that Beecher at
tempted TO speak, but witness said, swat,
hear me through and then speak, Wit
ness said TO Beecher that Mrs. TiltOn had |
come unexpectedly aud said 20 her hus- |
band that sh' wanted 10 communicate a |
secret that had long been on her mind, and |
that she wanted to throw il OF; that she |
had been at the point several times, and |
once particularly when she was on a sick /
bed, Of telling the secret. She extOrted a /
promise from her husband not 10 tell any 4
one. and not to iniure the /
person concerned. She said it was /
a secret between herself and her /
pastor. She said that for a long time 9 /
friendship had existed between them; 4
more than friendship; it had been sexual /
1t began after the death Of /
her son Paul. She went to her pastors
house and on the 10th % October, 1S6S, !
she surrendered her body to him in sexual
embrace. On the Saturday following she
repeated the act al the house Of her hus-
band, and on several other occasions at his
house and at several other places. IL had |
occurred all through the fall. In the
month Of July, 1870, she had written a
letter 20 witness, telling witness
she bad been greatly distressed,
owing TO the rumOrs Of Beecher's |
moral character. Shewanted to demonstrate
he honor and dignity Of her sex, until he
.Old her TO love was innocent. She said to
IiltOn that for a long time Beecher'S home
had not been happy one; that his wife
lad not been a satisfactory one, and that
be wanted Elizabeth to be a wife to him
put she always refused. Beecher's solicita-
ions to her were often times violent. She
lad gone away from witness in the spring,
md witness wrote her a letter saving, till |
jhe made a.full confession, he never would |
OOk upon her. She said she had come
iOwu from the country on purpose to make
confession. Witness said he wished it |
understood that the conversation was not |
,iven word for word, but as &C
urately as he could. de furthermore |
old Beeceer on that occasion, that Mrs.
TiltOn had become a brokenhearted woman,
md that instead Of taking her usual sum-
ner vacation, she went to the far West. He
.lsO told him in regard to the statement
hat she had asked TiltOn TO send to
}eecher, that they might hold it in view,
nd they could hear; the letter about with
rawing from the pulpit and Brooklyn
hOUld be withdrawn; also told BeecheT
hat he had refused to acquiese, and thai
be had appealed four or fEe times, and
hen she asked witness to carry a letter and
fitness refused to do it. She then implored
i'm to hold an interview with Beecher,
7hich should not jar his pride. T
lrs. TiltOn wrote a letter to MOul- l
IN for the purpose Of holding I
n interview. In conclusion, witness re- I
minded Beecher that he had revoked the
emand made upon him, and promised
eecher that he would not assist Bowen in
is efforts to prosecute Beecher. At the =
Ose Of the narrative, the witness waited :.
lOment and noticed that Beecher's face +
nd neck were blood red. TiltOn went to l.
le door, unlocked it and said, 'YOu are
ee to CO." Beecher appeared not to hear
i'm and sat as f in dream. Tilton re-
5ated il, and Beecher arose and walked to
le door, but came back and asked, "May l i
} for the last time and see Elizabeth?"
iltOn said no, then yes, and then said to
eecher, do not chiie her. If you smite
sr with her with a word 1 will smite you,
ten fold degree. l did not smite
lu when 1 had the power
T my wife's sake, but if you chide her =
ith a word, will smite your name be- -
10 l.,eI l