Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-06-09
HENRY c. BOWEN AND WHAT
HE MIGHT PROVE

80 ~h wa ftV v IL
The sphinx OF Plymouth, Henry c.
Bowen, only awaits what he may
deem. the oppportunc moment TO lay
bare the secrets of his breast. When
] say he is master Of the situation,
speak Of that which | know, having
seen the fatal documents,
When Bowen was finally called as /,
witness in rcbuttal, it was known that
there was nothing important to be eli
cited from him, further than that he
might contradict Bcccher as to the
cause of his (Beecher's) letter Of con.
triton. But when he drew from bis
side pocket u bulky package of docu-
ments, from which he took q single let
tor called for by Fullerton, there was
n painful anxiety TO know what else
was held in reserve. In Bowen's pack
age there was the original subscription
paper. Of the founders Of Plymouth
church, headed by IL. G. Bowen, who
gave 81 900. Then there was cor
respondencc between Bowen and
Beecber, and donation of $50 to
Milton Badger, of the American Home
Mission, which was to bo sert to Mr..
Bcecher to enable him TO come from
indianapolis TO speak at the May an
niversary in 1S47. Next was the first
draft for $500 that Becchcr drew on
Bowen to enable him (Beccher) TO pay
his debts in indianapolis, and second
draft for the same amount as the first.
with which Beecher defrayed the OK.
penses of bringing his family TO Brook.
liyn. There is also an acknowledge
ment of perfidy andingratitude on the
part of Bcecher toward Bowen dated
In May, 1863, and signed II. w. Beech
or. From the document it appeared
that Bowen had heard from several
sources that Beecher was yilifying him
among the Plymouth deacons. The
most serious charge was that he( Bow
en-, in a money transaction, had
wronged Beeeher out of 1000. Bow
en- called for an investigation. leaving
to Beecher the appointing of com
mittce. The result of the investiga.
ton was that Beecher was found to be
indebted to Bowen for the sum of
81 200, which he had borrowed from
time TO time, and the return of which
Bowen had never demanded. There
was also the copy of tho infamous tri.
partite covenant and the 1000 check
to Titon for the violation of a bust
ness contract Also correspondence
with the Christian Union's managing
editor, Oliver johnson.
But the most important of all was
the terrible Woodstock letter. sent by
Bowen to Tilton in 1893 Just follow
ing the decease of his Bowen's) wife.
From the beginning Bowen has been
veritable sphinx regarding his knowl-
edge of the various charges that have
been in circulation regarding Beecher's
amours and outrages, and it is only
rccently-since his appearance in the
court-tbat he has spoken at all. That
Bowen was Beccher's patron and ben.
efactor for fifteen wears cannot be de-
MED. That Bowen took Beecher's
family to his own country home in
lConnecticnt and Lont thcm un,il MI.
Beechcr was nrenared 10 go ~ honsa
keenino in Rrootlvn 4 a Gc, That
Recchcr in ottcr yoars yiola,ed Row
ans bosni,al;tv n NOR. r,avs tSan
one can hc nositivelv nrovsd and
wonld have been nrovod IL con,, o,,i,'
tha, irheodoro Tilton ,ras do,orr,i',a1 Hn,y
thot ho himself shonld have ,be first
IN
ma nuhlio have no, yo, hoon nodo
ACQUAINTED with the contents Of tbe
Waodstocls letter NJ Tilton hosnnb
lIished a nortinn Of Il ,vhere he anntes No.
Bcecber ms HAVING heen ehar,dd Vi hv
Bowen with rane and sedrc,;on pIy
mouth church wbatayer be ,ho ;ss;o
~ tb;s tr;ai ,nust co,anJ pnyon pno 80 ~
snhs,antia,e ,he cior',al ,nodo s ~ ~ m
If | had n taste for exploring the
scandalous and licentlous, as was pos
sossod by Harriet Beechcr Stowe