New-York tribune., 1876-02-05
HENRY G. BOWEN SPEAKS.
cspt,nued from Fir.t Page.

IN that solemn compact That agreement has been cooy
nd say deliberately broken not by but by Henry
ward Boscher and with the apparent intent 10 in)ure
me Just permit me 10 deny, most emphaticaly,'
that ever sought 10 give the Impression or IN any
say 10 make the public believe'-as charged by Mr.
W3,e1that ever knew anything whatever against the
moral character OF Henry Ward Beecher. wna'eHor
sidn may nav or opnions on that subject have hitherto
sought 10 Keep them locked within my own breast an
except in taking private advice ana counsel, uc, ,
q " While any other member OF plymouth Cnsoa, % ~
to prove the contrary Bat why do You ash ne Do Won
think palmer or stronger uesnrcI"whose
swfni charges against the pastor have stunned ali
Cbristendomt think If such LANGUAGE a. 16rs & sen rn
UNDECIDED no other voice, though one snou,d riSo i
tha dead to sneak would reach your ears .,
Mr. White there one 700 mhi @ III, III ;, ta that
AZ one end ot the church stands man openly cnarg1u
with adultery ReT%T3y sT ana w 1EPSe tS mse n
of silence He does not propose to arrsirn ana try
Try t| $ Que Sfore Won the man who by his silence has
actually led people TO believe ne qu no insartiaIify
brotherIy love and fair dealing commend oyor TO
speotfui consideration
ATTACKS on MIR. BOWEN.
long ago told that it was the secret intention Vi
,.,h Cb,rcb to DESTROY me- II possible and that |
q. 4, anv .yent 10 be driven from It's communion l
.ould not then believe this hut 1t now appears that
,,bars had better information than myself For more
than year past has been evident 10 me and to Others
that . serious threat would sooner or later he put INTO
outiou But how was this to be donel The following
,ou. the whole story From ihi day to this have been
,rAdy and malignantly assailed in my business Of
,,,. all sorts o. crimes and misdemeanors have been
charged or hinted at aud have oeen heiu up To- & he
soyl1 s totally I'm worthy OF elhef respect or pun
,ieconddence Every of these charges OF nlsiha-
tons now prcno9nSe TO pe PymoutG Chnrc to
snpout its committee to lnvesuSdte Openly Ala ,s
oTousy nv words and my eds, ellher III oi ont Oh te
ohurc from tue day OF my biith to the present ho'
am raady for the uial. .,, . CT,
hst6 during trial between Theodore Tton
and the rev Henry Ward Beecher was waited Lp1h oy
one OF the leading members OF Plym9htn 'heI @ TI,u
nost earnestly urged to forward ana say some
thing if in my power 10 feSTe d , t tbis The
arms Of Plymouth Church would he thrown about me-
and that 80 doS NV EV% TS rp Was nat hcro
was not power enough, wealth enough OF Ilu@e,u, @
,nomeh in Plymouth Church in Brooklyn To- inice no
syen 10 consider the matter Tor moment Ihat re-
mark EN- "a the inorvlew. cannon heip lewemneln
science and telling le- could have b en- appauhcd
then and to-day as one OF the most worthy h'c"'0i "
plymouth Chuich
.IrecpD DrsCIosURrs CONCERNISG Mr.. BEFCIER |
lido not propose now to give in detail the facts which
have come to my knowledge or the incidents disclosures
and con hdeutiai communications. which nave rom Nio
10 time been presented communicated TO me ID toR"
Co the character of Henry Ward Beecher to his dsh"no
able conduct IN business affairs 10 his treacerous treat
p,ent Of friends; to his brclkn OF written c0Yenans
IN his untrutbf statements in court; 10 his dodgng all
thorough Investigations into his conduct and characters
A. his stold Indifference when unjust charge and malicious
olandcrs have made against particular empcrsOI h
his recent cOntr dlctOly i'e""
what he characterized as " h0dgeEo lSe eOulci,,
composed OF wolves and foxes" Clke pr- s9ifs ah9
Budngto.), which council at one time he sad he had
never positively objected but in regard 10 which on
another occasion he did positively say Il Won't /
won't have anything 10 do with ltl" and hnaiy az
his coarse and sandcrous charges OF peJdry NJ
tered ho y and Pp9ey IN MS S Own bS a
s6e alleged. to speak the truth concerning hiin
With this brief reference to matters winch nave ma
tell you frankly what my conclusions in regard to
the character of tho pastor OF Plymouth Church nave
Mr. Reec mi
arrival In Brooklyn. 1 have been acquainted WIN
him ,s socially v and pbyaSy bses maPs M ePs ana IN anu M
hgiOus matters have heard ntentiVell bul VIA pro-
sgaip,t HIM have felt my heart stirred to depths
FOR dear friends who years before the pree seUn tSc
assured that their pastor and mine had crafty De-
presented by Theodore Iton In regard to hs o"
home. never can or VIII l'e base ehough 20 aIo%
sm now ready testify to Tue essential facts before any
proper tribunal These disclosures | heard with sad
heart and tried accept the evidence brought To ne
that Mr. Beeoher was griefstricBen and pcni,ent.
CHARGES OF ADCLItEY AND PERJURY
Ihave read much that has been said for and against
Mr. Beecher in the public press. have with utter
.mszement read and reread aud pondered over hs pub
nshed letters and written confessions IN regard 10 the
serious accusations made against him. have tried to
weigh all the evidence which has come before NE with
judica fairness and Christian honesty have read the
whitening charges which have been published 10 the
world against him have those charges again and
to appear before any impartial tribunal to meet them
have seeu him. with this cloud Of darkness gathering
about him. apparently defyinZ public opinion defyng
the adv ce Of his old lifelong friends embracing
the soundest, ablest and best clrrSymen m thc
country end seemingly detymg agiih ana again the
very God OF Heaven himself to cast him down. Now
being sunrnoned here to speak and to speak the truth
the whole truth. and nothing but the trnfh, s0Ionhy
give II unwayering opinion In view OF hil the Iact
aud evidence presented that the Rev Henry W1fd
Beecber without even the shadow OF doubt IN my mnu
y guilty of the awful crimes OF adultery, WJnly anu
hypocrisy. Tns say again and before me par nI tn'
Committee Is my deliberate opinion, ana may Dc i"I-
mitted To affirm tha give 1t calmly without nance nee
and with other than sincere desire 10 40 NY uuty
wOIld. HENRY G. B0whS.
BROOKLYN Feb T. 1876
After Clarence W. Bowen had finished reading his
fathers reply. Mr. White remarked that it left many
questions for the Committee TO ask and consider,
and he therefore wished 10 know If Mr. Bowen in
tended to be present at the meeting. Edward A.
Bowen requested the Committee to send any ques-
tions the members had to ask, or any remarks they
had to make, in writing 20 their father. After thls
the Messrs. Bowen withdrew.
While reporter of The TRIBUNE obtaining q
statement of what occurred at the meeting OF thoEx
smining Committee from Mr. Bowen at his residence,
the dOoi-beil was rung and Mr. Halliday was an
nounced. "Te him." said Mr.. Bowen to his son,
that am engaged and cannot 500 him tonight"
The son, thinking his father did not fully realize
who it was that had called, made the announcement
more explicitly. but Mr. Bowen returned the same
message as before. Mr. Halliday then left a
letter addressed to Mr. Bowen, which the lat
tor read but refused 10 make public, stating
that IL WAS not necessarily part of the proceedings
Of the day Nr. Halliday on being asked to disclose
the contents of the letter also positively declined.
The reporter learned, however, from entirely
trustworthy source that it summons for Mr..
Bowen TO appear before the Examining Committee