Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-03

have been heard IRON IN pupiic siuce 1neH
return to tneir homes. Rev. Mr.. Barrows,
Of Lowell, Mass, said Mr.. Beecher's limo
cence would soon be proved by the commits
sion, and then the religious press OF the
and particularly the Congregational
press of Massachusetts,, would be compelled |
to cease its unholy traffic in tbs misefabls !
scandal Rev. Mr.. Wright, Of the Boston
Berkeley street church, said that, while he
had gone to the Council disturbed and dis
Quoted Of mind, he had come away feeling
sure thai a noble soul had been assailed.
Rev. DR.. Warren, Of Lewiston, Me-, had had
an interview with Mrs. Tilton, who gave him
satisfactory explanation of the mysteries OF
the case. lie says that the sin which she con-
fessed ia her letters, was not the sin OF adul-
terry or impurity, aud she gave satisfactory
reasons for Withholding a public statement
of it suli.e it 70 say it had no relation
to her chastity or to Mr.. Beecher, but only
to her own husbands infdelity. Rev.
Mr.. NAa Norien, Of s., Adams. gave to
a large congregation, on SUNDAY, MS &C
count Of tie Council, anu his observa-
tons and connections. He went to Brook
lvn puzzled and almost doubling the in
nocence OF Mr. Beccaer lie returned a
firm believer IN his innocence, and strong
cont.mncr Ct tie unprinciplel Tar:.es who
have consp.Iel against h.D. Mr.. Pstten-
gill, of tie Rutland Herald, who was a
member Of the Council, says in his summing
up of It's results
A great many very pointed questions
were asked Of Mr. R,ccher, and the com
mittee Of the church and the investigating
committee, every member of which appear
ed before the Council in open session and
before the different committees of the Coun-
ell. and were answered frankly and in the
main satisfactorily. Several members of
the Council had interviews with Mrs. Ill
ton and Mrs Moulton, and obtained from
them information which had no inconslder-
able weight in the general result. Mrs
Moulton told ex-Goy. Dingley, and others,
that Mr. Beecher in his confessions TO her
never mentioned the word adultery, but
that ste inferred from language which he
used that that was what he meant. Mrs.
Tilion told those who visited her what was
the crime which he had committed in con-
sequence Of her discovery of her husband 5
niidelities and which was the occasion OF
her rem0rse Sac determined to bear no
more children to him, and as the statute Of
limitation now prevents the arrest and pun
ishmeut Of the physician who aided her in
the accomplishment of her purpose, she
has no objection to having the fact pub
licl7 stated.
Mr.. Bowen appeared before the council
and made the impression upon everyone
that be knew nothing, Of his own knowl-
edge, To substantiate the charges against Mr..
Bee er. and that the investigating com
mit;ce we're justified in not calling him TO
testify in 1874. There are Il
thousand things about this thing which may
never Doe publicly known, and it is doubt
les best that they shodld Rot be. But now
if any person viii make charges against the
character of Mr. Beecher and become respon-
sibe for the truth and proof Of them, a
tribunal has been provided, and We shall be
di-app tinted if the mere fact that Plymouth
CAuIcl ard Mr.. Beecher accept the arrange
ment does not olyiate its necessity.
That this council which has cost Plymouth
CauIcl about Sl2 600, viii be Of great
benefit 90 it, cannot be doubted, provided
Of c3ur-e, the arrangement proposed for sup
Elemental iaqIi1y in;o the scandal Is &C
cep;cd in good iaiIh aul acted upon without
evasion
The Z -ton IrIrsl.-r says
Two prominent clergymcn who we're mem
ber- Of the Council gave, Monday evening.
at meeting ot the Congregational Clab, a
very interesting account Of the proceeding
Both stated that they went to the Council
under q cloud, with great doubt as TO Mr.
Beecher'> innocence, but with the determin-
alton to ascertain, if possible, the bottom
facts. They said, with great emphasis,
that tie Council was not packed, that not a
few of lie members were bitter glinst Mr..
BeecLcr, that some believed him innocent,
while a great majority did not know what
I, believe, and Went to Brooklyn determined
To- ascertain the truth. Many stories which
have been truudiing about Brooklyn and
New York were examined, and as a sample,
one instance was given as follows 4 man in
New jersey had positively stated that he
] li4 1ttA M bttCltT -hlUL 20 uou>t- Ol III
fame. The name OF the man was ascertain
ed AMI he was visited. If said he had his
/ Information from a hack driver. and gave
his name. The hack driver, after a long
search, was found and said he had driven
Mr.. Beecher three times only and gave the
places. one Of which was his church and the
other two were similar places, and denied
positively having driven to any other.
The statement was made in the mos; en-
Ihstic manner that in connection with visits
TO various parties, including Mrs Moulton,
Mrs. TilJon and many others. the bottom
facts - had been obtained, and that the theory
Of Mr.. Beechers innocence was the only
possible way to account for them. Many
matters that were before mysterious had
been cleared up, and those who went to
Brooklyn believing in Mr.. Beecher's guilt,
came away thoroughly convinced that he
was innocent.