New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-25
THE "TRUE STORY"

never does smooth.
THE TRUE STORY"
This woman. 80 innocent, 80 pure-whlte
angel of lgh-while she pouring into his ears these
beasty accusations against his wife, suddenly becomes
an angel darkness when she proposes to deal In ike
manner with other mems wives with whom Theodore had
peculiar relations When the "Tit for Tat article Is
threatened, Theodore turns in disgust from the whte
angel OF light and he would have you believe that he
neyermorc even entered her presence He proceeds TO
say in this letter:
Nor was It till after had known her for number OF
months, and when 1 discovered her purpose to lbel
dozen repeseh,o M0dn nv eyes 70 her real ten
denotes to mischief, and then 1t was that in.gnhty
repudiaed her acquaintance and nave never 'och nei
Charges against his own wife brought him to yckeys
saloon and In his stocking feet; but charges against his
other female friends wounded his delcacy, and he left
her with burning indignation and went to Concord, N
H. and then his utter CONSERVATION, she publishes,
not tho Tit for Tat" article which he did not want her
to publish but the libel upon his wife, which he did
The same identical tale, to use his own language,
which sh9 bad poured Into his ears that
spring. did Ind Which he had been tOIling
like Hercules to prevent. Now, what was this
unhappy man to doi lie had been carefully considering
this question from the 5th OF November when he came
back from Concord the slt OF December the date of
this letter He was in very delicate condition. Mrs
woodruff was a lady OF course no could not contradict
lady, and especially lady who In the libel on his wie
cited him rs authority for the accusation That might
endanger himself That might endanger the other female
friends who might be hurt IL the "Tt for Tat article
should be published He was at his wits end, and he
proceeds in this letter to explain the extreme dolcacy of
his position His wife innocent. Mrs Woodruff libeler
Four tendencies to mischief that had led him scOrnfuy
to repudate her. but could not contradict her. What
to do in emergency (Which Is not clearing but cloud
ing itself daily have not yet decided What could do
would be to take from my wrtngd desk and pub
lish tomorrow morning the prepared narrative and
yindicaton which, with facts and documents, my legal
advisers pronounce complete That ia what he could DO
Why didn't he That was the True Story" But what
had this do then, with counselors and advsers
He had one attorney, Moulton. Laughter.l But Mou-
ton had got his money. Who tho other lie was on
that stand and dared not say that Mr. Tracy was the
other. Benjamin +. Tracy never touched your palm as
client He has it, and he dare not deny 1t, and
must not assert No. il he had counsel gentlemen,
was the counsel who thought it we'll to publish his
wfes letters but don't believe that at that stage Of the
case oven Judge Morris was brought into the case.
The counsel and advisers have doubt Francis
d. Mouton, and the man who writes statements for him.
do not what stage Of the matter 1t was that
Butler came In. Down to this period don't find any
counsel any attorney, and adviser except Francis d.
Mouton, as between him and Theodore Tilton This he
says would explain and clarity everything That Is the
"True Story" undoubtedly "Both great and small in
GLIDING tho Woodruff episode, but which Is
minor part OF tho whole case, but II I publish it,
now observe. There is something which prevents
him from publishing it. II he publishes it, 1t will vndi-
cate the honor Of his wife. II he publishes It, 1t will
brand an atrocOus and foul conspiracy If he pub
fishes it, will vndcate those children whom tho fiery
spirit within him was burning to defend IL he pub
fishes it, will vndcate the pastor Of Plymouth Church
But there something which prevents What is 1t If
publish 1t must not only violate kind of honor
able obligation TO DO silent which / had volun-
tarly imposed upon myself, but must put
my old friend Bowen to q great risk on being
smitten dead by BeecheIs hand" Theodore TltOns
wife Is innocent, and his children legitimate. But
he permits her purity to be questioned and their egiti
macy to be questioned because OF his tenderness TO
Henry c. Bowen and he says, If the world knew the
TRUTH not that it would blast Henry Ward Beecher but
that would enable Henry Ward Beecher to blast Henry
c. Bowen. Hero have 1t. His wife, pure, loyal I'M
stained with dishonor. Her vindication prepared COM
plete within three feet Of the chair where he was writ
ing; tho charge false needing nothing but simple
denial he has made the denial the truth
that she is innocent is true of Mrs Woodruff that
he has used her and needs her he has other
wife to libel and destroy but there the two Difficult
ties one Is that he has private compact which he has
.:a5 VIII niseobserve, not with his wife, but with
himsef-that though his wife was publicly accused on
his authority by name, he would leave her undefended
before the public, but ho would put her vindcaton
in his writing-desk And whyi Not because he loved
her less because he loved Henry c. Bowen more.
II the truth were known 1t would acqut Mr. Beecher as
well as his wife, All there was the rub. Well, why
should 1t mott Why, he tells II the truth was known
1t would kill my old friend Bowen. 1t would expose
him to DO smtten dead by Beechers hand.
Plymouth Church would hound him a rat.
SO We have in Tilton's own hand, over his
own signature, q deliberate statement, which he
admits in tho postscript lie had read TO his wife, pro-
nouncing tho charge of Mrs Woodruff OF adultery be-
tween Mr. Eeechcr and his wife libel and lie declar
ing that he had prepared and deposited in his writ
ngdesk his vindeaon Of her purity and her honor
that his only for not publishing WERE first that
he would rather not his account, and, second,
that II the truth known and Mr. Beecher exon
Grated, 1t would enable him to ruin Bowen.