River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-23

4
Tion commenced to hover over BROOKLYN.
The Difficulty OF Beecher's Defense.
From the Springfield Mass Republican,
1t arises at the outstart, and grow
with every chapter Of his story.
After Tilton confronted Beecher on the
night of December 30, 1870, with his
charge, whatever j. was, and read his
wife's confession, whatever it was, Beech.
er went to Mrs. Tilton's bedside. A..
cepting his own account Of that inter.
view It is perfectly plain that, before il
was over, he was convinced that her con.
fcssion had been extorted from sick
woman by husband who knew its falls.
ity. Here Is Mr.. Beecher's testimony
about their conversation:
81 said to her: Elizabeth, have lust
seen your husband and had a long inter-
view with him. lie has been making
IL any statements to me, aud charges,
al he has sent me to you in respect to
sone OF them that you should verify
them. i then said lie has charged me
with alternating your affections from him.
lie has charged me that have corrupted
your simplicity and your truthfulness.
lie has also charged me with attempting
impropricties is a hard thing for a
man to speak to woman he reveres of
such things, and | could not express my
self Very clearly. Are these things so,
Elizabeth 2 There was the faintest
culver, and tears trickled down her
cheek, but no answer. | said to her I:
lie says that you have charged me, Eliza
beth, With making improper advances.
Have you stated all these things and
made these charges!' And she opened her
eyes and said: My friend, could not
help it. Gould not help it, Elizabeth
Why could you not help it! You know
that these things are not true oh,
Mr.. Beecher, said she, 4 was wearicd
out. have been-I have been wearie d
with his opportunities, or something to
that effect. He made me think that, if
would confess love to you, it would help
him to confess to me his alien affections
or words to that effect. But, | said to
her, Elizabeth, this is charge of at
tempting improper things. You know
that that is not true Yes, it is not
true she says, but what can do Z DO,
you can take it back again. She hesita.
ted. and | did not understand her hesita.
ton. Why not take it back 1t is not
true She said something about she
would be willing to do it if it could be
done without injury to her husband which
| did not at all understand. But, said
|, you ought to give me written re-
traction of that written charge She
said she was willing to do anything if
would not use it against her husband. |
said, give me the paper She pointed
to the secretary in the other room, which
stood between the windows. | went
there, and took from the secretary some
note-paper, pen and ink. brought them
to the bedside. She raised herself up
little and wrote the retraction."
The retraction itself written, accord.
ing to Beecber, by Mrs. Tilton volun-
tarily, according to Tilton at Beecher' S
dietation,) repeats the same story as to
the origin of the confession which Mr..
Beecher represents Mrs. Tilton as giving
in the above conversation. "Wearied
with opportunities and weakened by sick
ness, | gave letter duplicating my
friend, Henry Ward Beecher.
| was persuaded to it, almost forced,
wbenII was in a weakened state of mind. F"
A ;cording to Mr.. Beecher's evidence,
therefore, he knew when he went home,
that Friday night, that Theodore TiIton
had been guilty Of as devilish a piece Of
malignity as can well be conceived
forcing of his almost dying wife to sign q
false charge of crime against her pastor
piece of nalignity which there is thus
far no pretense on Mr.. Beecher's part
that Tilton ever disavowed or apologized
for
Now what is the first communication
that Mr.. Beecher makes to Tilton after
learning of the latter's revolving conduct
The ''letter of contrition," or, as Nj.
Beecher prefers to call it, the "memoran
dunn, prepared on the Sunday after thai
Friday night. Though he says that iii
no proper sense of the word dictatior
did dictate it, he yet admits that this
document is largely made up of what hi
really did say, and explicitly admits hav
ing been the author of this sentence
she would heye been better man in nv
circumstances than | have been" He
the man who, but two nights before, haC
charged him with base crime, on tn,
strength Of a false confession that he hat
half forced out Of his sick wife, against al
her protestatons that it was lie!
Five weeks later, FEB. I, 1917 writ
ing to my dear Nj. Moulton' an earnes
wish that, by your kind mediation
Theodore, Elizabeth, and | could be mad,
friends again, Mr.. Beccher says, "Theo
dore will have the hardest task in such .
case, but has he not proved himself capa
BILE Of the nobleat things z" capable OF
the noblest things"-the man who only
FIVE weeks before, had brought this fou
and false charge against him, and never
since, so far as appears, said word by
way of apology.
What nextl A visit Of Beecher /,
Tilton's house in the same month Of Feb
ruary, in which, according to his own ties
timony, he kissed him and, three months
later, another visit, in which, according
to his own testimony also, ke sa
down on Tlton's knee. And then fol
years uneeasing efforts TO restore to hi
cid place and fame this man who, what
ever the facts as to the scandals abou
him.to which Mr.. Beecher had given ere
dence and circulation, he knew had beer
I ottttfv of a meet IaptarJlxs ,.,u,a 49,. -