The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-01-28
Pushed for "CODy.S

There are but few people who know
when and where the first publication
was made which laid the foundation of
the great Beecher-Tilton scandal suit.
1t devolves upon Sunday jSun reporter
10 give to the public an interesting story
about the scandal, which is published
for the first time to-day. Four or five
years ago vague and indefinite rumors
hlnted at unfriendly relations between
Mr.. Tilton and the pastor of Plymouth
church. Not until about two and a half
years ago were the real sentiments of
Theodore Tilton made known. At that
time he was endeatoring to obtain a
certain sum due him from that large
headed, meek and lowly Christian, Henry
q. Bowen. Mr.. Tilton was editor of the
Golden Age then, and while in litigation
with Bowen wrote an article entitled.
A Personal Statement" In this state
ment Theodore charged Bowen with
having written letter from Woodstock
on June IL, 1863, in which, speaking of
Henry Ward Beecher, he said: "1some-
times feel that must break silence" In
this Statement were made the out
rageous assertions which eventually led
Miss Edna Dean Proctor to sue Francis
Moulton for libel. 1t was the first state
ment made by Mr. Tilton, and was in
tended for publication in the Golden Aoe.
For some reason it was suppressed.
Several weeks after proofs of the article
were handed around for examination
among certain well-known journalists of
Brooklyn. 1t was the first substantial
proof of Mr.. Tilton's enmity toward Mr..
Beecher, and consequently y created a
great sensation among the newspaper
men who read it. Ex-Supervisor John
Harmon was the gentleman who ex-
hlblted the proofsheets in question, but
how he came by them is mystery. The
article was submitted to Thomas Kinsella.
editor of the Eagle, but he refused to
publish it. The proof finally fell into the
hands of W. H. Muldoon, now a Reporter
on the New York Tribune. He copied the
article and returned the proof. Several
weeks after he dropped into the office Of
wild little sheet entitled the iSundav
Dash, and edited by James McDermott,
a wild Irshman. McDermott was rush.
ing frantically around the office, bias
pheming with a vigor that would have
put trooper to shame.
Have We any copy ?'' said he. "The
printers are raising the devil, and say
they will strike if 1 don't give them more
copy, d-n theml"
Muldoon said he would give him a
little, and McDermott rushed into the
composing-room with a look of fexultation
on his face, to curse the compositors
again.
NJ. sat down and wrote an article on
Tilton, and attached to it a short ex-
tract from Theodore's statement. The
compositors were quieted for a short time,
and then began to yell for copy again.
McDermott struggled with them and
swore he would have more copy in ten
minutes than they could set in a wear.
Then he rushed into the editors sanctum
and began to howl.
For the love Of Heaven, Muldoon,
give me some copy; give me some more
about Illton and old Bowen. Blast the
bloody printers, do you hear them yell
ing nowT' The appeal was effectual.
Muldoon gave up the entire "personal
statement" and it was put in type. In
the meantime copy came in and McDer.
mott was saved from the fury of the
compositors. Mr.. Tilton was surprised
when he saw the article in print, and
now receives his first information con.
cerning the manner in which it got into
type. The statement was copied by the
Edgleand in every leading paper through
out the country. The sensation caused
by its publication led to additional state.
ments, controversies and chickering's. The
result of that first publication is the
arraignment of Henry Ward Beechel
in court of law.