Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-02-04
WOODHULL ON THE SCANDAL.
Her First Meeting with Theodore Til
t0n-Reecher and Burgundy.


publican.l
If not asking too much, will you
give me history of the Beecher scan
dal?
cannot pleasantly make reference
to the details of the affair. When
this present trial is over, let it go as it
will, though l think the jury will dis
agree, propose to sum up the case,
and then the whole truth will be given
to the world.
But can you tell me some of il. now7
Oh, yes, volume. My first ac-
quaintance with Theodore Tilton came
about in this way: He came to me
with copy of the World of May ",
! 1871 in which card of mine was pub
lished, which included this sentence:
"For example, know Of one man, q
public teacher of eminence, who lives
in concubinage with the wife of an
other public teacher of almost equal
eminence. All three concur in de-
nOuncing offences against morality.n
He asked me "who I meant.u / re
piled, "You, Theodore Tilton and
edged it was true, and was ready to
have the matter exposed. He wanted
it to come out, and he urged me to re-
fer to Mr.. Bowen, who had said to
Tilton, year before the expose, that
he could drive Beecher out of Brook
lyn at any time.
How was the article prepared?
From information received from the
parties. / first heard of it in the Agri-
cultural Committee room at the Capt.
tol when committee of ladies were
met there by Congressional commit
tee. Soon after this l had CONVERSE
tions with Mr.. Beecher about it. He
was very apprehensive, and more
than once made the remark that he
was a natural born coward, and could
not publicly avow his real sentiments,
though he had been pupil of Steph-
Ell Pearl Andrews for nineteen years.
He claimed that there was nothing
criminal i'm his love for Mrs. Tilton,
and that 1t was spontaneous.
Was the matter known of in private
circles?
Why, certainly.
What induced you to publish it?
Mr.. Beecher and to comply with his
request that / should do it. He said
to me it could not be held back much
longer, and he would have no power
to fight the story if it should come
out in the secular press, but if it was
published in my paper he might be
able to rally from the blow. He said
he had lived long enough with the
sword of Damoc.es hanging over his
head.
What followed the publication?
| The arrest of myself and sister, and
the confiscation of all our property. 1t
is safe to say that we should have re-
ceived orders for q million and a half
| of copies of that issue of the weekly.
! We had printed some two hundred
thousand, when one evening, after
Office hours, a Mr.. Comstock went to
| the office, and from the porter there
bought fourteen papers, and then hired
| the porter to take them to the postof-
| flee. He followed on, and as soon as
he saw them depart he had the porter
arrested and a warrant issued for our
arrest for sending obscene matter
through the mails. / first heard of
the order through the Lotus Club that
same evening. What followed is q
matter of public and legal history. l
was arrested for job which Beecher
put up.
Were your things taken when ar
rested.
Why, sir, the officers emptied the
contents of our trunks into the street
and carried them off They left us OF
our clothing only the dresses we went
to Ludlow street Jail in.
Previous to the publication were
you on friendly terms with Beecher,
Tilton and Moulton?
We were excellent friends. They
were frequently at my house, and ]
was very often at Mr.. Moulton's. Mr..
Beecher, Mr.. Tilton and myself often
dined at Moulton's, and Franks Bur.
gundy wine was the subject Of many a
Joke with us. 1t was very superior
and Mr.. Beecher never let his glass &C
dry. One day one off, us asked
how he could drink wine and go out as
he proposed to that evening and deliv-
er temperance lecture. He replied
s'The inner man dimes and drinks the
wine; it is the outer man that will
speak to the temperance people,
Mr.. Tilton was then happy with his
wife?
Yes, Theodore had thoroughly con.
doned his wife's fault, and told Mr.
Beecher that if he loved her it was al
right. The last time I saw Theodore
at Murray Hill, he came in saying
"Pm ten feet taller than ever before
| asked him what he had done. He
said that when going home from my
house the evening previous he mel
Mr.. Beecher on the boat, and walking
up to him said, "You have nothing tc
fear from me-" and then he described
| ho,,, l. sovy Mr. Raachar safaIy hOme