The Portland daily press., 1875-05-07
THE SCANDAL.



every Sabbath prior to that conversation of
December 26, 1870. He next saw Beecher at
his house on New Years day, 1871, and on
that day had no especial conversation with
him, but in the evening he made the an
nouncement to Beecher that Tilton's connec-
ton with the paper was severed. He an
nounced it to Tilton the previous day. He
visited Mr.. Beecher for half an hour. The
day after the 26th of December he received a
letter from Beecher but did not reply to 1t.
Beecher's letter says, "Since l saw you last
Tuesday," but it was on Monday that ne hao
seen him, December 26th. Beecher had sald
very little against Tilton that day, except
general remarks against his moral character
and reference to letters he had received from
Mrs. Tilton from the west, which witness
ought to see and he also told witness there
were stories in circulation concerning Tilton's
moral character.
@. (Reading from Beecher's testimony
"Did YOU say to Beecher that you would
stand by him as friend"
Ale asked me if l was friendly to him,
and 1 said our difficulties had been settled
now, and had no unfriendly feeling; that
was all 1 said.
Q.-Is this true (reading from testimony ?
"Bowen began to grow more and more friend
ly to me-.
Question objected to.
Odd you say or do anything to express
friendliness more than you have stateds
1 called with friendly feelings, and those
friendly feelings remained.
He was then cross examined by Evarts.
Witness has handed Tilton's "step down
and OUT letter to Beecher. He said the en-
velope bears marks of having been closed and
opened. He has no recollection whether it
was closed or opened when he took it to
Beecher. He had no recollection of Beecher
opening it or of Beecher asking him if it was
an open letter. Witness had the letter in his
possession about three hours. Tilton and
Johnson had arranged to call at his house
that Monday, as it was a holiday, and he
told them he would be at home all day. They
they called in the morning. They said they
would call in the morning. He does not re-
member whether they made the hour they
called before ii and remained two hours or
more. Johnson left at II o'clock, and Tilton
soon after. He wrote note to Deacon
Freeland that day. He has no copy
of it. 1t was an informal note in
pencil, and he did not make a
copy. 1t might have been just before
2 p. M, when he sent that note. He got
verbal answer by the messenger, his son,
John A. Bowen. He cannot remember ex-
actly at what hour he went to see Beecher.
l or 5 in the afternoon, he thinks. He does
not recollect seeing any one else at Freelands
house except Beecher, Does not even remem-
Der the servant admitting him. He is not
positive whether his interview with Beecher
was by gas light or not; and
he has no recollection on the subject.
The interview was in the front parlor
re lo ~, oh no III ypra
closed when he went in, but he has no recol-
lection of any one leaving the room when he
entered. He has no recollection whether it
was late at night when he got home, or of
any gentleman being there awaiting him to
learn the result of the interview. He has no
recollection or impression of Mr.. Eggleston
speaking to him just before he went, and
awaiting his return. Mr.. Eggleston is one OF
the corps of editors of the Independent.
When he received Beecher's letter of Janu-
airy goth he read it, and it did not strike him
that it presents the interview in different
light from what had really happened. He
had verbally informed Tilton that morning
that his connection was terminated. He had
Odd you, when breaking it. consider
that you had justifying causes
Question excluded.
Witness had no recollection exactly as to
when or from whom he received the first pro-
posals for arbitration in 1872, but he had
himself proposed to Storrs and to others to
arbitrate. He did not accompany these offers
with a statement that he owed nothing. There
were some small debts not in dispute, which
he promptly settled with Tilton at dismissal.
The check on that occasion was for $4,000.
One of these items was for weeks salary,
which witness through Tilton ought to have.
T1,o+c at+1 do with w
showed written authority from Tilton.
Here witness produced the contracts and
also Bowen's receipt for $1,000 in full pay
ment of all claims under these contracts.
Witness conld not tell who first brought
under his notice the prospect of immediate
settlement. 1t was either Storrs or Clafin.
About that time he saw the galley proof of
the Golden Age article. 1t was shown him
before the arbitration, and by the same per-
son who proposed the arbitration. He told
that person whoever it was, that he was
ready to arbitrate. He is not sure
whether he named any of them. He does
not know when he first learned who they
were to be. He never saw the text of the
tripartite agreement until some days after the
arbitration. He received what is called the
Woodstock letter from Tilton. 1t was an old
letter; having been written in 1868. That
letter was returned to him Immediately after
the settlement. He never asked for its return,
and did not learn about it until
the day of its return, and it
surprised him when he received it. 1t was
Clafin who brought him the tripartite agree3
ment and left it at his Office, and it was
signed there the next day, but he is unable to
fix the date or state whether other signatures
were then to it. A day or two before he
1nft xx,,fl flor
day or two Clafin brought another paper,
with alterations which witness wanted, and
then he signed it. He did not retain
any copy or memorandum of it.
A few days before the arbitration, he
was notified that the arbitrators would meet
at Moulton's, but he has no recollection who
notified him. He went around to the arbi-
tration with Charles Storrs, one of the arbi-
traitors. 1t might be that very evening he
first heard of the time and place of meeting.
He had not the slightest recollection, distinct
or indistinct, vino were there when he got
there. The first thing done was to shake
hands all around, including Tilton. There
was no "chasm'' Qaughter.) They all
got together in the back =, room.
The arbitrators were about to commence
when he interrupted them, and asked, "What
are you going to submit and he refused to
go a step further until that was decided.
Then Moulton took paper and said, swell
gentlemen; what are you going to submits"
After a few minutes Moulton drew up the
amount. For aught witness knows there was
nobody else besides the arbitrators, Tilton,
Moulton and himself. There were no wit
nesses. He presented no documents except
two contracts. Tilton briefly stated the
matter. He claimed about $1,000. He
used the words, 81 claim about
So 900 under the contract" Witness cannot
recollect anything else Tilton said on the
subject. Witness said on his part he be-
lieved there was no legal claim on him, but
he would leave the whole matter to them, and
this was about all >he said on the subject
He has no recollection of saying there was
no claim for any amount. He might have
said in his Judgment there was no legal claim
on him to any amount The matter was
submitted on these statements, and
Tilton, Moulton and witness retired.
In about half an hour or more the doors
were opened, and it was announced that
the arbitrators were ready. Then they heard
the award mentioned. He does not remem
Der who announced it or in what words, ex-
cept that the amount was named. He can
not remember who announced it. There was
no written award.
Q.-Perhaps 1 can refresh your memory.
Mr.. Clafin says, 81 then made an announce
ment of the award that he should pay Tilton
$1,000; that they should burn all docu-
ments connected with the scandal, and all
three Sign the tripartite agreement, as we