River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-02-05
How the Beecher Scandal Became
Public.


/ saw, in reprint, an ingenious falsehood,
originally uttered in the Sunday edition Of
the Brooklyn Eagle, in which the firing
of the Plymouth dome, is charged to a
Brooklyn journalist, Muldoon by name,
vino, IL is alleged, wantonly and purpose
ly published Titon's letters to Bowen
which was the slow match Of this explo.
sion. Yesterday Beecher's counsel tried
to obtain from Moulton aR admission that
he knew how
THAT DeoMFUL LETTER CANE TO BIZ PUB
LIsHED.
Moulton did not know-but do.
About five years ago, Congressman Kin.
sella, Of the Brooklyn Eagle, became en-.
tangled in laison with the lady-princi-
pal of public school, and in
some respects, very remarkable woman.
Kinsella was at the time, and is still, odd
ly enough, a member Of the Board Of Ed
ucation in this city. So disgustngly no.
torious did his amours become that every.
thing but the most secret details found
publication in the New York Sun Of July
II, 1870. Knsella was alarmed by the
exposure; and, when committee OF the
Board was appointed to examine into the
questions Of the lady's sobriety and chas-
tity,wlth Characteristic cowardice, he aban.
doned her to her fate. She was proud
and reckless woman, with some royal
traits Of character. Stung to the quick
by Kinsella's desertion, she avoided inev-
liable expulsion by resigning, and within
three weeks
WAS A CORPSE.
1t is said that she died Of poison; snd,
when Kinsella's friends talked of exhum-
ing her, one Of his personal adherents a
prizc.fghter and hand-ball player named
James Dunno, was hastily appointed dep
uty coroner by the ring officials. The
poor woman was scarcely under the mold
before Kinsella's wandering fancy was
attracted to the wife of the present su-
perintendent of public schools. Thus
again did HE adulteries fall within the
scope Of the Board Of Education, of
which he was, and still is, a member.
Mrs. Field and he kept up a
vicious relation for two years. occasional
ly interrupted by Mrs. Kinsella's exhibit
ton Of revolver, and Mr.. Fields threat
to put his wife in mad-house. While
still under the Field regime, Kinsella
entered one of the public schools in the
vertiginous stage Of inebriety, andlplacing
his cigar upon the school. Bible, called,
rather too ingeneously, for brandy.and.
water. The refreshment was not pro-
duced, and kinsella proceeded to execrate
in no mild or stated phrases, the incom-
ploteneSs Of a school system which did
not provide such luxuries for an official
visitor. OF course the male principal re-
sented this impeachment of his hospital
ty, and an outrageous scene followed.
Bowen, who was at the time editing the
Union after fashion Of his own, cordial
~ detested Kinsella for his arrogance,
and, perhaps, for his success. OF course
the brandy and water episode provided at
least an alcoholic fame for his boilers,
and for two weeks he kept RAINING away
at his adversary with full head Of steam.
So vigorous was Bowen, and 80 numerous
we're kinsella's enemies, that shortly q
mass meeting was convened, and the
Academy of Music overtiowed with pro
tests against Knsella's behavior. Now,
MARK wHAT FOLLOWS:
Henry Ward Beecher was ash ed to speak
and consented but, at the last moment,
without giving any reason. shut himself
up in his bedroom and refused access to
the Committee which waited upon him.
Mr.. Beecher had been notified bg his
present champion, the editor of the Ea-
gle, that he had the trus story Of the
Beecher- Tilton case in his table drdt1sr.
just after the meeting, while the pro.
tests Of the community were still ringing
ia his ear, Kinsclla, by appointment, met
Mrs. Field at a tavern in the outskirts of
Brooklyn. Their interview was, all Of a
sudden, interrupted by the frantic intru-
sion of Mrs. kinsella, who slapped her ri
walls face. and then, hinging open the
doors, called upon some score Of her hus-
bands constituents to gaze upon an
adulterer and his paramour.
You can imagine with what grateful
alacrity Bowen seized upon the chance his
enemy had afforded him. The Union
fairly bristled with sensational head.
lines. Everybody was interviewed"
from the tayern.hostlers upward. The
city absolutely smelt Of sour champagne
and dusty silks. Meanwhile, Kinsella,
who is not by any means Of a heroic
strain, fled to Albany, and there began to
arrange for an elopement to Europe, not
daring TO return to Brooklyn and 70 ce
the rage Of its people.
But HIS suBoRDINATEs SAVED HIM
from the necessity Of such fight.
They knew that if Bowen could be put on
the defensive and greater scandal than
Kinsella's be set adoat, their chiefs
catastrophe would "blow over" The do.
sideratum was, how TO do these two things
in one. One Of kInsella's subordinates, the
Muldoon before referred TO, was ger.
sonally very intimate with John w. Har.
man, one Of Tlton's friends who came in
possession Of proof.slip Of Tilton'
famous letter 10 Bowen, which he had, as
] believe, borrowed" from the Golden
Age Office. Muldoon went TO Hartman
and managed 10 eject loan Of the proof.
slips. This point gained, a council OF
war was held, and Kinsella stole back 70
New York, and, in hiding at the st. Mich.
olas Hotel, awaited the explosion Of the
mine under Bowen's feet. There was a
ramshackle Sunday newspaper in Brook.
Ign at this time, which had originally been