New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-11
MIR. BOWEN TO TELL ALL.
A MEETING WITH MR.. BEECHER ARRANGED.

TON TO EYCOMMUNIcATE MR.. BOWEN POST
PoNrD-DR. WARD ACCUSES MIR. BEECHER OF
CRIME AND RETIREs.
The Plymouth Church Committee appointed
consider charges preferred by the Examining Com
mtee against Henry Bowen presented s report last
evening" ut adjourned annual meeting OF the Chnsch
held in the lectureroom. At 740 Mr. Bowen, accompa-
MED by his son Clarence and DIR. william ii. Ward en-
tered the and occupied seat dlrecuy u,
front of the platform. The report OF the speca'
Committee read by H. L. Pratt. The findings o. Tie
Upon the proceedings and testimony your Committee
nnds that tie first aud second charges were inly ss
tanned by the evidence. Your Committee further nhus
that the third charge, win Its specifications teq'oo
ton and iiisehoon, wa. not ipiy s"stn Guilty Of
equSocation, but 1t did not appear ny iar eonJr r
alsehood that he did In any proper sense DO So
Your Committee further finds that the fourth charge
Cnakng " false and malicious charges" ana faing 10
subs aniiate them) was fully sustained. Your Committee
finds that the first specification III the nft charge
July sustained But what is named in the second
third specifications indicate mainly that MI. 6oweh
could not agree with the church upon what condtons
lie would re Ire WIN comoee named by hi Y anu
so the airan Senent was not contaminated Your Com
miItec could not agree that sucn failure CONSTITUTED"
violation of covenant.
In view OF the several oe nses committed Ivy Mr. Henry
c. Bowen, as proved by the evidence your Coinmt.s
hereby expresses the OPINION that Pymonth Church
ought to inf ct Oh hun the seSeres penalty named IN us
rue oi cenSure.
After reading the report Mr.. Pratt supported 1t in
long spe ch, which he referred TO Mr. Boweus love
for Plymouth Church and his former high standing in IT,
But when lac left its regular communism AMI was hostile
Mr. Beecher, Mr. Pratt said he could not have been
studying tie Of the church by keeping silent II he
knew SIR. Bcecher innocent, the purity OF the
church II he knew he guilty. One charge he made
WAS foul that II true 1t would put an end to Mr..
Beechers and n false could not fad to react III
on it author This charge the Committee had taken up
nrSt; the members OF the COMMITTEES wanted 10
get at foundation facts and had gwen Mr. Bowen the
- aanaa Ia1
and Thomas g. Sherman next read tae report OF the
Examining Committee. After mentioning the circum-
stances OF Mr. Bowens trial before the Special Commit
tee, this report says;
Gu the evening April 25 after the argument for the
prosecution conc. uded aud the Gaze closed, Mr.
Bowen Layin, reminded the Committee that Vt pre-,
yious meeting lie lad expressed Willingness 10 Tell
he knew Ia member 81 the epecal committee Messrs
in blair, and Tlney. Tor and GU behalf OF the
Examining Committee. earnestly urged Mr. Bowen TO
make such communication la response ht bo". maue
m. following proposition: 4" Mr.. Bowen consents, at
the request OF thr Exam ming Committee, 10 te al ne
Knows agzinst the moral character oi hehIy "aiu
BcecheT, neudns names and identify ihg circumstances,
r m - aud agreement from him that the names nnd
ucnufy,ng circGusa nces SHAH never Dc gwen OF uch,
topped ny hin, except under conpuslon VI a court .,
justice; that MI Beechrr nav DC p.'sen', ~ NO s ~
also that A. after tbs interview, MI Deecher anu MI.
Pa or Mr. eay dcsIG the p,esen9s oi any WOMAN .a
ia, facts In her pftscncc' c-,..- ~.
ms being as. cpted by the Examining Committee, MI.
Bowen then insisted that he would only meet Mi Itatt
alone the met instance. p.onisns after that i.r-
VIEW
t all Tat ne knsw ana finally IL meet Mr..
Pratt Mr. BsecheT aud the ladies iniphcated lie ek-
yi,say sti at-s that no otner person sloul Oe petA
,eI 10 be present on any OI tncse o.easons. ne
IA oe Enormously 81 that Mr.. Bowen saOuli agree W
meet bUtn Me- Pratt and SIR Bcecher al ha hIstnlertem
Ia. 80 pcrenpiorly refused Ia 40 L'e5 pid
Mr bowen being finally accepted, MI, Iia'. cDnson'Sa
Id t A. tho COMMITTEE are Informed two inter
views NJ. Bower aud MI Pratt ZOOS pit'e On
AIR. BrerErr's return to the c.y Mr. Pratt
called upon him AMI Informed him oi Mr. Do"Sus
an mo' tn,eryie% with M Bowon. AZ M. Beeen-
era desire Mr. Pratt relu.'ted ~, Bowen n",n
ing This Mr. Bowen used TO 40 unless he soaid oe
permtd 70 SIs Mr. tIahen 81 to e Mr. seeohar
in that affair Was enticiy closed ana ME- bowers
Si' VIA Mr. norea ' 'S S%n spuaio"s ~
which any lady was sllJ"oi " orins r'eni
an me sn mat he replied 10 MI Bowen stating IN sub
.tanc. thai Mr.. Be.cner demanded that He tMr fral
,nud niogIn him. IN Mr Bowen's presence or out
whatever fact Bowen had communicated; that he
pratt trusted Mr Bowen would not object ~ 81
y,ult thai me lPratU had never declined 10 call Mr.
HeccIer that Dir. Beccher was out OF town when the
interview took place. aud did nos return until several
DAYS anerwari -,
at tne interview and declining W meet hr beeone
unless they should meet alone, or " MT PRATT was
then MI 70 go 1es. 9 pe ss pf GS
Bnwrl's statements. after his fir BowehS case Was
closed. ,, a, "a. ..,,o., ,ro,,i, =. ,,., |
ur pratt xpicity denies that lac declined To call Mr.
b. echer TO the proposed interview, OF t ne gave s
Bowen To undo rstand that he considered Tue matter
closed or that said did anything from which any
Inference could be drawn. But having conferred
,h NJ Rec her on his return, he wrote Mr.
lowen requesting al IInmcda interview IN pursuance
of the agreement which Mr. bo"en having iOi Que pur
pose proposed for another purpose has "itAda"h
from aud broken.
PROPOSING TO EXCoMMUNICATE Mr. BOWEN.
resolution was then read by the clerk, Thomas j. |
Tlncy to this effect That whereas the church had pre-
f.rrcd charges against Henry Bowen. and trial had
been had. aud the Committee had reported that MT |
Bowen was guilty OF various charges made against NM
and whereas he had violated his covenant with the |
church by equivocatou and Islander. and was guilty Of
unchristan disreputable and dshonorabe conduct be
n re,oyed that Henry G. Bowen Is hereby excoumnn
Gated and east from the fellowship OF this church."
nr Wand said ,,at he and his client lad had no ntma
tn OF the character OF the report, and he WAS UMPIRE
parea 10 reply to 1t at that time. lie asked Tor an
extension Of time for a week IL moved and carried
that when meeting adjourned 1t should adjourn TO
meet on Thursday evening Of next week although some
onpotiou was manifested, aud Nc Mckay stated that
II was Impossible to open the discussion OF the entire
before church. Mr.. Sherman said That the
rule, OF the church required that member should have
me rortunty be heard In his own defense, and tho
church eould take evidence II 1t chose.
A motion 10 adjourn was made, but was checked oy
Mr. sbearman who said that Mr.. Bowen had agreed to
disclose what he claimed facts against NJ Beechers
character to Mr.. Beecher In the presence OF hr frat
and that he refused do unless Francis d. Moul
ton could no present also He asked whether Mr. Bowen
would meet Mr.. Beecher at once or would allow Mr.
pratt to disclose to Mr.. Beecher what Mr. Bowen had
dis oscd to him.
Dr. ward said that Mr.. Bowen had met MT Pratt ana
told all the facts In his possession and that Mr. Pratt
had the privilege OF bringing Mr. Beecher with hn he
thought best. Afterward Mr.. Bowen was advised by
eminent whom he consulted not To hold an inter-
view with Mr. Beecher before Mr.. Pratt Dr. Ward then
read Mr. Boven's letter TO Mr.. Pratt. dated May o. IN
which Mr. Bowen stated that he willing to tell Mr.