The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-09
THE SCANDAL.
Continuation of TiltOn's CrOss.exam
nation.

NEW YORK, req. Ollie spectators III WV
Brooklyn City Court room were in their place'
early this morning when Judge Nelson as
cepded to the bench. Mrs. Tilton, with Mr.
Field and two other ladies, sat in their usua
places, Mr.. Beecher and wife sat behind theil
counsel and in front of the Plymouth gather
ing.
The first part of the examination was devot-
ed to the consideration of Tilton's and Mrs
fed 81 did not make any ar
rangement with any New York paper to pub
lish these letters, but the Tribune made such
an application for my sworn statement to oe
published in its columns, which l also refused
Oliver johnson is an old gentleman living IN
New York who used to be associated with me
on the Indepenpent afterwards assisted Mr
Beecher in the publication of the Christian
Union.
My intimacy with him began. when was
twenty-one or twenty-five years of age and con-
tinued until I placed him in the Christian
Union. Don't think L would recognize himnow.
When first became acquainted with him ne
was the editor of the Anti-Slavery Standard in
New York. 1 think he was associated with me
in the editorshp of the Independent about
seven years. He came there when | became
editor-in-chief of the paper. Our business rela
lions out of the office were very great. He came
occasionally to visit at my house, but was not
liked by Mrs. TiltOn on account of his religious
tenets After leaving the Independent he ed
ley The aggregate receipts in the rough from
my lecturing tours in one season averaged
about $4,000, from which the expenses OF my
family had to be deducted. 1 cannot now call
to mind what the regulation OF the Independ.
ent was while was there, but Mr.. Bowen told
me that it bad largely increased after took
charge of it. l do not know what its circula-
ton was when left, but Mr.. Bowen states
that it was sent to10 500 post-offices throughout
the country. When L went into the Independ
ent Mr.. Bowen told me the circulation was
about $4,000.
ent office varied from $500 to $1,000 a year, AID
was raised by successive steps to the latter sum
from 1869 it was fixed at $1,000 before that il
was $4,000 and per cent OF the profit. In De
cember, 1870, / abandoned lecturing and took
charge of the Brooklyn Union, at which time
I was also for few months editor of the hide
pendent. My salary on the Brooklyn Union
was 800 week, L think, in January, 1871.
do not think that any of my property brought
me any emolunent except some money l had
out at deposit. My house at that time was
worth about $17, 800, and there was mortgage
of 81 800 1 was offered for my share in the
Tribune $10,500. NY property in Llewellyn
Park was valued at $1,000 then, and there was
not long mortgage on it. L endeavored to gel
Mr. Moulton to purchase it, but he preferred to
lend me money. / never remember being
offered $500 for it, There is also lot of mine
with it. Naughter,) 1 understood Mr. Shear
man was making inquiries about it the Other
day. Increased laughter.)
Mr.. Bowen, in or about the month of NOvem-
Der. 1870, told me that for various reasons he
wanted me to become chief editor of the Inde-
pendent l resolved that would be no longer
on the paper.
Mr.. Bowen gave me notice in December that
he wanted to conduct his own paper six months
hence. 1 signed a contract with Mr.. Bowen to
become the editor of the Brooklyn Union for
five years, and also signed another contract
with him to be a special contributor to the In
dependent at salary of 5000 a year. My
salary on the Union was the same with an adj
ditional 10 per cent of the profits. These con-
tracts were terminated with the arbitration.
My valedictory was published in the Indepen-
dent on the 22d of December 1870. These con-
tracts remained unbroken until the 31st of De-
cember.
had an interview with Mr.. Bowen on Dec.
18th, but it did no. relate 10 my continuance of
the contract. This think was the first inter-
view had with him after signing the contract.
Mr.. johnson came over to see me shortly after
this and told me stories that some person was
circulating. We went over to communicate
with Mr.. Bowen on the subject Mr.. johnson
was there during the most part of the inter-
view, but not during the most important part.
do not remember what said to Mr.. Bowen.
at the onset nor can tell what Mr.. johnson
said. Mr.. Bowen said that stories were circu-
lating about me notwithstanding to sweep me
away like an avalanche-stOres of my immer-
ality, he said, which came to him from all
points of the world. He said if they were
true should not live day longer, and agreed
with him. 1 never heard these stories about
my connections with women until Mr.. Bowen
told me was threatened with an avalanche.
There was a small newspaper published in
New York which came out at this time with a
story about my going to elopee with lady to
Europe. There had been before this story
published about my living with woman who
was not my wife. during political campaign
out West. These stories told by Mr.. Bowen
was quite surprise and source of establishment
to me.
At this point the court took the usual recess.
After the recess TilIon resumed the stand and
his cross-examination was continued by Evarts
He was handed letter and was asked to fix its
date, about which there was no doubt. The
letter was dated January 8, 1869, and witness
was asked If it should not have been 1870. Witt
ness could not fix the date. This letter said
Tilton speaks of a wicked story, but its date
cannot remember. do not know of any con-
versation between Bowen and myself in rela-
ton to the story connecting me with lady
connected on the paper of which was editor.
told Bowen if any person had anything to
say about me they should say it to him in my
presence. Bowen said this would be only fair.
He hoped that would conduct the Union with
great particularly and pay great attention to
Plymouth church and its affairs. think Mr..
johnson left after this. Bowen said he MOTTO
ed did not attend Plymouth church with
great regularity, and told him never intend
ed to put my foot in that church again. After
this Bowen put some questions to me about
Plymouth church, and then went on to talk
about stories about Beecher, and kept reiterat-
ing his accusations against him until after
left. Bowen was over solicitous to know what
was Beecher's intimacy with Mrs. Tilton.
Bowen said Beecher should not be in Plymouth
church, but should be driven out, and suggest
ed that should bring the accusations against
him and he would substantiate them. A draft
of the letter of accusation was prepared by me
and taken to Bowen with the en' elope open.
The letter was read by Mr.. Evarts calling on
Mr.. Beecher to resign the pastorship Of the
church for the reason, the letter being signed
by Theodore TiltOn.
Witness contiuued-The first knowledge of
the delivery of this letter came to me from
Beecher's statement on Friday night Prior to
this, on Dec. 9th or 18th, had an interview
with Bowen; was then 10 very excited frame
of mind and was threatened that if L told
Beecher or any person of his (Bowen's) accusa-
lions against him that would never cross the
threshold of his house or office. replied that
l would tell any person irrespective Of his or
any other mans threats. In fact. the letter
this city, as Bowen said these charges would
make him do so in twelve hours. My usual
time for leaving my house for business was
about one o'clock every day. do not remem .
Der, on visiting my house after this interview,
of telling my wife and other persons there that
1 was ruined. was not ruined then. Think
told Moulton of this angry interview with
Bowen, but l do not remember whether plan
ned any further steps against him. l knew of
the establishment of religious paper in the
West in 1868, or go, which appealed to the re-
ligious community. / think it was started as
a mouth-piece Of the Congregational church,
and the the views of the Independent were too
liberal. After I had written the letter to
Beecher Bowen said, "Why did you not make
him promise not to write for the Christian
Union" and said that had put enough in
Between July and the Sd of December had
spoken to some persons with relation to the
intimacy between Beecher and Mrs. Tilton, but
did not tell all the story. 1 told Bowen, the
members of the family and my mother-in-law.
believe that during chat period | may have
spoken rough about Beecher. For instance,
when said he preached to a number of his
mistresses. do not remember making such
remark, but it was attributed to me, and sup.
pose must have made it, l think made this
remark to Mrs. Morse or Mr.. Richards. if it
was made use of by me- would not like to
say if l mentioned this matter from July to
exception of Moulton, johnson, and Mrs.
Bradshaw. On December 26th ali told Moul
ton was that Beecher had made unhandsome
approaches to Mrs. Tilton. This was all told
him at that time on the subject. When have
spoken about it have always used words to
convey the impression that my wife was pure.
Tho Iotfor uritten nv NV wife on the 29th of