Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-02-25

] aA6O NlONC 4AlbOA AlAC lGNle
to which he had already referre,
ready introduced in the evidencI
in which Beecher said be though
/ Tiiton's religious views were undergo
ing g transient state. Beecher CAV
Tilton words OF sympathy and kindl
advice. Referring to his own exper
ence at the close of the letter, he sal
he had given up the idea of starting
| new newspaper, q statement OF import
anee, which would become apparen
later. General Tracey then said Tilton'
| views aiso underwent an importan
change in regard to the relation of th
sexes, believing that a great social revC
luton was impending in regard to thi
| matter. Tilton, according to his usus
custom, embraced this radical view, an
made this subject free conversation
with his associates who visited at hi
house, taking ground that every rela
| tiOn between the sexes was prope
which was attended by mutus
| love. These views and thes
associations were extremely offensiv
| to his wife, and source of even create
anguish to her than the change in his re
| ligious opinions. In 1855 Tilton in
WlIcf AGA Will W
vite to her house a young lady who's
/ acquaintance he had made in the west
and with whom there was no doubt ht
was desperately in love. 1t was his in
timacy with this woman which nearly
drove his mother-in-lsw to insanity, the
lady seeing danger to her from Tilton'i
admiration finally left and broke off hel
relations with him. In his letters to hi:
a.. L - /, l.
called them, for various women, with 6
freedom which was astonishing; in 0
letter written to his wife on the twelfth
Of February, 1867, he referred to
his intimacy in certain western family
which he had visited; and said his
wholeplife would have been different if
his Wife's mother was like Mrs. -,
and if he could have been sheltered un-
der such roof as that OF Mrs. --,
instead of breathing the atmosphere OF
Livingston street. He also spoke of
carrying Livingston street mildew upon
his garments for years, and said if he
should return to Brooklyn at all he
would return a better man. General
Tracey then said that the family referred
to in this letter was that in which the
young lady already referred to was one
Of the daughters-the young lady whom
he afterward took to his own home.
Could a husband infict greater
cruelty upon wife than
by writing such letter? In
January, 1868, Tilton's criminal con.
duct had become too notorious for con-
cealment, and his wife, in one of her
most exalted moods, taxed him with
his sins. Conscience-stricken he fell
% !, iol, H.
her free and generous forgiveness. The
letters read in evidence show that at an
interview between the two on the even
ing Of January 26th, 1868, Mr.. Tilton
made con fession to his wife, and that
she accepted his pledges Of repentance;
she went further than this, and blamed
her own conduct as the cause of his
trsnsgressions, continuing for long
time after to lash herself for this inn
aginary fault. General Tracey then read
a letter already in evidence written by
Tilton to his wife January, 1868, in
which he speaks of himself as a hypC-
crite and whited sepulchre, filled with
dead mems bones. He then read Mrs.
Tilton's reply to this, in which she
blsmes herself for unfeeling conduct to-
ward her husband, and calls herself the
CHlcl Vi SIuuCJS. IA6 EpcdhcI ll1cu bdl
that this letter, dated January 81, 1868,
was written long before breath of sus-
picion had been breathed against this
woman, even by her husband, and at
time when Tilton was himself guilty.
He then read a letter in which Mrs.
TiltOn spoke of her mistake in having
great love for her husband, for
fear she would make bim
selfish. She said she thought his influ-
ence over a woman whom he loved
must be like his influence over an audi
ence; that to love was praisewOrthy, but
to abuse his gift of influence was sin.
Tracy said that this was the letter which
had become somewhat famous in this
cause, through the fact that it had been
30 garbled by the plaintiff in his state
ment SIS to make it appear like confess
sion of his wife. She was struggling
against temptation, in fact she was re-
ferring to bis abuse OF his influence over
other women and to his confession to
her of his infidelities. Recess,
After recess, General Tracey resumed
his address TO the jury, taking up the SUBJ
ect of which he was speaking at the
hour of adjournment. He read letter
written by Tilton to his wife on Februs-
ry 8, 1868. In this letter Tilton spoke
Of her purity and devotion as filling him
with love and humiliation; he said that
Der conduct toward him on the last
evening he had spent at home had
made him new creature; that he was
)uce more man among men, and
among christians; that sac
was royal in. her love and he was
pledged to her forever; that for him
here was no more loss of seIf-respect.
5entral Tracey then read letter from
Mrs. Pilton to her husband on February
I9, 1865, in reply to the letter of Tilton
n which he spoke of his visit to the
'amily, and said that despite the cruelty
IF this letter from her husband, and al
though Tilton had forfeited several lu-
,rative engagements in order to make
he visit in question, the wife was re-
solved to exhibit no jealousy. Her
etter expressed her pleasure that
le had enjoyed his visit and her
'egret that she had ever given him
The speaker said that in
he following summer Tilton had re.
.ufned to his home and was surrounded
With lis old temptations, which he was
Unable to resist. In the following No.
vember Tilton wrote a letter from his
,ffice in New York in answer to a note
rom his wife in the morning, in which
le expressed his regret that he could
make his wife as happy as he wished.
de said in it that he had the best of in
ention, and the worst of success; that
lis wife was the kindest of human be-
Dgs and that her troubles were of his
,wn making, but that he had
% infiict them on his wife
md children which doubled his:sorrow.
General Tracey then read a letter from
Mrs. Tilton to her husband on February
20, 1858, in which she expressed her re-
yret that she could not manage her
in accordance with his wishes.
IN another letter, written in March,
1868, she spoke of her determination to
10 everything which he might wish.
rhe speaker said that the correspond
ence Of Tilton in 1869 showed
lis failure to keep the promise which he
made to his wife in 1868. Rumors of
ais dissolute life filled the air around
him, and in December, 1870, the storm
burst upon his head. Tilton then feared
Beecher's power, and he was continual
y disparaging Beecher. In 1868 news
paper was started in New York, called
the Christian Union, and in 1870 Beech
er became the editor. The rapid in
crease Of the paper alarmed both Bowen
and Tilton, and the latter's views be-
came wider. In 1870 rumors Of Tilton's
reached Bowen's ears, with
details of the Winsted affair. The
young lady was no mere child,
IS he says, but was larger woman than
Mrs. Tilton; this reached Beecher's ears,
aud there also appeared in the New
. that T;Ifo, xxoz