The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-10
CONCLUDED from First PAGE. ]

the world. Mrs. Morse once went to a
lawyer in Brooklyn, and with plausible
air. consulted him about divorce between
my wife and me--a fact which we learned
only by accident, not until it had spread its
bat's-wings and gone flying abroad. She
wrote to sundry journalists anonymous let
tiers to prejudice me In their estimation,
and trace to her fertile brain the tale that
once took my wife by the hair of the head
and kicked her during illness. But l for
bear to narrate a hundred instances which
come to my mind of her mischief making
propensities. II is sufficient to say in ref
erence to my case with Mr.. Bowen and Mr.
Beecher, and to the case of each against
the other, that she made careful and ma
licious use of the few facts in her possess
ion and of the many fancies which these
engendered in her diseased and unhappy
mind. Mrs. Morse, in plotting her insane
mischief, chose a confederate for brief
time in Mrs. II. W. Beecher, another lady
of abnormal type, whose peculiurlties, hav-
ing less aggravation, are also less pardon
able than Mrs. Morse's. For II years
Mrs. Beecher and have not been on speak
ing terms, nor have l ever had so relent-
less an enemy. Strange it is the cause of
the hostility was an act of kindness which
| performed for one of her children-an act
for which her husband has never ceased to
speak gratefully, and which he commem'
Grated at the time by sending me n beauti-
iul gift in bronze. She never spoke to me
afterward. To the readers of these manu-
script pages, which are chiefly for Brooklyn
use, she needs no description here.
In the fall of 1870, Mr.. Bowen urged me
to support in the Union Mr.. l.. ID. Web
ster for Congress, republican nomination,
which many of the best citizens of that
party had publicly repudiated, against one
meeting at the Academy had made, Judge
George G. Reynolds being the chief speak
err. l declined to support Mr.. Webster,
though, as l knew nothing against him per-
sonally. made no war on his character.
Mr. Bowen repeated his plea in Webster's
behalf, and l repeated my refusal. Mr.
Bowen then said there was one way in
which the Brooklyn Union could be made
to support Mr.. Webster, and that was by
,!ismissing its editor. | answered eyes;
but that is the only way This was the
first instance, in all my relations with Mr.
Bowen, covering fifteen years, in which
had ever known him to attempt to bend the
integrity Of my mind. Mr.. Webster was
defeated and he credited his misfortune to
me. and maligns me for it to this day. AZ
teT luis ulluCulty, hI. DONtu gave MS "
understand that, as lie owned two newspa-
pers, he meant to edit at least one of them !;
accordingly he chose the lions share, TAX
ing the independent for himself and leav-
ing the Union for NE. He said that he
could not reasonably hope for more than
ten remaining years of active life, and that
if he was to win any fame or position to
bequeath he must do it within that time.
So, without murmur, took of my crown
and laid it at his feet, and said "Live the
King" We then made treaty, and two
contracts were drawn up between us, by
which Mr.. Bowen was 10 be editor-in-chief
of the Independent, as l had been, and
its leading special contributor, as Mr..
Beecher had been in the days of the Star
Papers-this arrangement TO last two years
at $1,000 year. Furthermore, | was to
be editor-in- chief of the Union, giving up
my lectures, an arrangement to last five
years at $4,000, together with 10 per cent
of the net profits, which promised to be
$4,000 making all told my yearly income
$4,000.
Two days later, namely, Saturday, De-
cember pa Mr.. johnson mentioned to me
that some strange tales concerning me had
been planted like seeds in Mr..
Bowen's ears, and that Mr.. Bowen, with
out specifying them, was annoyed by them.
Later, on the same day, Mr.. johnson said
that Mr.. Bowen had received report that
| was about to abscond to Europe to join
Mrs, who was already. On the fol-
lowing Monday, December &c, 1870, in
conversation with Mr., Bowen, Mr.. John
son being present, budget Of Mrs. Morse's
ingenious fiction, together with some other
gossip, was referred to and discussed, and
NJ Dorop lien, cd tl,o cuhiont caiI hot
as was to be for five years the editor of
the Brooklyn Union, he hoped hereafter
that / would devote more attention than |
had previously to Plymouth church. He
instanced my not attending service there
any more, and begged me to be n constant
witness of all the proceedings, with view
to make them topics of remark. ] then in
formed him that had not been at the church
for months past, and should probably no
more be seen inside its walls whereupon |
stated to him in a few words, in Mr. John
sons presence, my wife's communication
concerning Mr.. Beecher.
Mr.. Bowen's Indignation at Mr.. Beecher
was extreme. He arose from his chair,
talked vehemently, gestured angrily and
said that Mr.. Beecher must be made to quit
the pulpit. He then reiterated all the
charges that he had made many times be-
fore, and said, in addition, that Mr. Beech
err had in February, 1870, confessed his
adulteries to Mr.. Bowen, and implored his
forgiveness with tears. The interview at
which this confession took place, think he
said, was held at Mr.. James Freelands
house. 81 forgave him." said Mr. Bowen,
shut he still goes on with his crimes and
criminal attempts just the same as ever.
You ought to proceed against him instantly.
Don't let him preach another Sunday. If
l were as free to take action as you, Iwould
expel him from his pulpit, and he should
never write word again for the Christian
Union" l then said: "Mr Bowen, why
are you not still more free than i m?"
Because" said he, "Mr Beecher made
confession to me and asked my pardon,
which granted, and l cannot reopen set
tied quarrel but, if you will make a charge
| will furnish the proof" At a later Pc
riod of the conversation, and after Mr..
Johnson had.left, Mr.. Bowen rose to n still
higher heat, brought me pen and ink, and
challenged me to write to Mr.. Beecher de-
handing that he should retire from the pull
pit and the Christian Union. 81 will bear
letter to him. said Mr.. Bowen, "and
will sustain the demand with proofs. There
will be no resistance. Mr.. Beecher will
not deny, cannot deny, dare not deny them"
Mr.. Bowen put his case with such energy,
and with such passionate plea in it, that
would enable him, without his breaking his
treaty with Mr.. Beecher, to reopen his old
warfare upon him, and excited within me
such vivid remembrance of the wrongs
which Mr.. Beecher had done to my own
heart, that / wrote a draft of a note, which
| altered and re-wrote and left finally chang.
ed as folows;-
DECEMBER 20, 1870, BRo2KLYS
Henry Ward Beecher-Slr: | demand that
Tor reasons which you explicitly understand
you Immediately cease from the ministry OF
Plymouth church, and that you quit the city Of
Brooklyn as residence.
tSlgned THEODORE TlITOS
put the above letter into Mr. Bowen
hands, to be Immediately delivered by him
in person to Mr.. Beecher, and then went
home. During the afternoon, Mr.. Moulton
called on me, and | mentioned TO him the
occurrence of tho morning ending with the
letter He called nv act foolish. "becausp A"