The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-03-25
THToN's TRUE STORY. !"
what 1t Really Was, and HOW II
Get Into the Present Case.

Mr.. Beeeher's lawyers have made
great deal Of the ''T1ue Story OF the
scandal which Tilton wrote in its early
stages, and with which MIR. Evarts sur
prised him on his cross-cxaminatlon.
everybody supposing that it had been de-
stroyed. This narrative is one that Til
ton prepared in December, 1872, in one Of
the moods when he felt compelled to
make some sort of statement. and was
written to save his wife's reputation,
" lille at the same time relieving Bcecher
of the worst charges in the then fresh
Woodruff blication-impropers olicita-
tions which the wife repealed, and not &C
tual adultery, being it's groundwork.
This story Tilton showed to a number OF
people and finally destroyed, so that, as
he testified, he supposed it had quite dis
appeared from the case. 1t seems, how
ever, that James Redpath Of Boston was
among the number that perused 1t, and
made copy Of tor rather of the bulk
of it--for the purpose. it is now SAID, OF
having it published in New England, at
Tilton's desire. But before he hao finish
ed copying it, as the story is now told, he
got frightened at the idea of having any
hand IN the publication, and sent the
original back to Tilton, retaining his un-
finished copy, which had remained in his
hands till a month or SO ago, when he
sent it to Mr.. Evarts. Rcdpath has
always been friend Of Tilton in the
affair until this trial got under way,
when something or other seems
to have occurred that produced a
change in his feelings, and he is now set
down as one of the witnesses that the de-
tense will call. Such, at least, was the
story that the New York Tribune pub
lished on Saturday, but now appears Red
path with a card, declaring that Titon
never sent him the manuscript to get it
printed in New England, and that he has
not been summoned as witness for the
defense, though he does not deny that it
was his copy which Mr.. Evarts used. His
course in the business, according to any
showing. has been rather queer, but it
would need to be so to accord with his
style of doing things and with the gener-
al air Of mystery that surrounds the
whole case. The importance that Beech
er's lawyers try to attach to the "True
Story" does not seem justified by any,
thing it contains, as Tilton had freely
acknowledged, and everybody knew, that
it's charge of improper advances was all
he made to most people up to compare
lively recent period. Nevertheless, the
narrative is very Interesting enc, espec-
tally for the Lighter should we say
darkness?-it throws upon the mysterious
relations between Beccher and Bowen,a and
we therefore reproduce its salient portions
promising, as already limited, that it
breaks off very abruptly and appetizing-
ly:-
About 10 or IL years ago, Henry c..
Bowen, for whom | was then working as
subordinate in the Independent office.
told me, onclevening, while crossing the Full
ton ferry, that Henry Ward Beecher was
guilty Of adultery, practice begun in
indianapolis and continued in Brooklyn.
Between the years of 1860 and 1870, Mr..
Bowen repeated the accusation not less
than hundred times, frequently exhib-
iting deep sense Of a personal injury,
and sometimes saying that, if he were so
minded, he could drive Mr.. Beecher from
his pulpit. During part of this time, Mr..
Beecher was editor in charge Of the Inde-
ward he retired. andI succeeded to the
chair. Both before Mr.. Beecher's retire.
ment and afterward, Mr.. Bowen was in
the habit Of saying that the pastor OF
Plymouth church was dangerous WISH
tor among the females Of his congrega-
ton. These charges were not made to
me in confidence, nor to myself alone.
This gossip always heard with unwilling
e,rs, having no more taste for scandal
then than now. and | would not note ii
here except that it is one Of the pivots on
which the ensuing history turns.
As further statement still more un.
willingly opened, yet necessary to an ex'
PLANTATION of the subsequent complication
of circumstances, must say that in the
summer Of 1870, few months after
the Independent. to edit also the Brook
lyn Union. Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton. my
wife, made to me 4 communication con
Gel ming Mr.. Beecher. which, to use hel
own words, lest should wrong him using
mine. she aftcrward noted down in .
memorandum as follows: MIR. II. W.
Beechcr, my friend and pastor, solicited
me to be wife to him, together with al
that this implies" borrow the above
fact from my wife's handwriting, and for
bid myself from pausing at this point
either to blacken it with an epithet o,
tighten it with an explanation. The sub
ject of my wiie's recital was commune
Gated, few weeks afterward, by me t.
Oliver johnson and Francis D. Moulton
and by my wife to her mother, ant
thence to some relatives. Mr.. Beechcl
was absent from the State ut the time. il
being his vacation. During the summer
and fall of the year 1870. Ispoke Of tn,
case to few friends, exhibiting NOR,
anger than charity toward Beecher
though to Bowen, whose two papers wa
then editing, was silent-unwilling I,
add any fuel to his indignation agains
the man whom he seemed preparing t,
destroy. At the same time, BY othel
persons and from other quarters, storie.
we're set atloat concerning Beecher Of thu
same damaging kind; for instance, ther,
came from Washington . statement
traceable knew not to whom, tha
"Beechcr preached every Sunday, to