Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-11
NEW YORK NEWS.


PLYMOUTH cHURoH-B0wES SPEAKS.
Ngw YORK, Feb. 4-To-night, Henry Z.
Bowen presented letter to the examining
committee OF Plymouth church. IN answer
to the grievances OF 5. '. White. member
of said committee. lie commences by say
ing that the church once unanimously ac-
quilted him OF slanderiDg the pastor. AT
tnat time he was charged with talking too
much. Now the charge Is talking too 1T
tie. His silence was based upon the trlpar-
tite agreement 20 bury the past and keep
silent in the future. lie relates the sub
stance Of interviews and concludes the
letter as follows:
do not propose now to give in detail the
facts which have come to nv knowledge or
incidents, disclosures and confidential
communications which have from time
to time been presented or communicated
to me in regard to the character
of Henry Ward Beecher to his dis
honorable conduct in business affairs;
to his treacher0us treatment of friends !;
to his breaking Of written covenants; TO
his untruthiul statements In court to his
lodging all through the Investigations, to
his conduct and character 10 his stolid in
difference when uni ust charges and malici-
ols ISLANDERS have been made against par
ticular members of his church; TO his re-
cent contradictory utterances in regard to
what he characterized as Hodge P0dge
Council" composed of wolves and foxes
(like Drs. SrOrrs and BudingtOn) which
council at one time he said he had never
positively objected to, but in regard to
which, on another occasion, he did posi-
lively say, II wont, | wont have anything
to do with it :" and finally at his coarse
abuse and slanderous charges OF perjury
uttered boldly and publicly in his own lee
ture room, against an honest Christian wO-
man. who had dared. as she alleged, to
speak the truth concerning him. With this
brief reference to matters which have had
an influence in forming my judgment,
will now hasten to tell you frankly what
are my conclusions IN regard to the charac-
ter OF the pastor of Plymouth Church.
have known Mr.. Beecher quite intimate
~ since the day of his arrival in Brooklyn.
have been acquainted with him socially
and privately in church and in the family.
IN business matters and in religious matters.
have heard attenrively but with profound
grief what has been said 10 me conf1entially
against him. | have felt my heart stirred
to its depths for dear friends, who years be-
fore the present scandal was published, sOr-
rowfully begged my counsel as they assured
me that their pastor and mine had craitily
betrayed the sanctitY of h0me-the very
charge long after presented 20 NE by Ihe0-
dOre Tlton in regard his own home. |
never can or will be base enough to allow
single name TO be bruiied hefure the world
although am now ready to testify to the
essential facts before any proper tribunal.
These disclosures heard with 4 sad heart
and tried to accept the evidence brought 10
me that Mr.. Beecher was grief stricken and
penitent. have read much that has been
said for and against Mr.. BeecheT in the pub
lie press. | have with utter lmazement
read and reread and pondeTei over his
published letters and written confessions
in regard TO the serious accusations made
against him. | have tried TO weigh all the
evidence which has come before me with
judicial fairness, and Christian honesty.
have read the whitening charges which have
been published 10 :he world agalns. him.
| have seen those charges again and again
hurled at hiM and he calmly and boldly
challenged to appear before any impartial
tribunal to meet them. have seen him with
all this cloud OF darkness gathering
about him. apparently defying public
opinion. defying the advice Of his Old. life
long friends. embracing the s0undest, ablest
and best clergymen in the country, and
seemingly defyIng again and again the very
God OF heaven himself TO cast him down.
Now being summoned here to speak and
TO speak the truth. The whole truth and
nothing but the truth, ! sOlemnly give 1t a.
nv unWaverlng opinion in view Of all the
facts and evidence presented to me that the
Rev Henry Ward Beeeher. without e7en
the shadow of doubt 10 my mind. Is guilty
of the awful crimes Of adultery. perjury and
hypocrisy. This | say again, and before the
bar Of this committee, l. NY deliberate
opinion and | may be permitted TO affirm
that give 1t calmly. without malice and /
with no other than a sincere desire TO do |
my duty faithfully to God and 10 man. 10 |
the church and to the world (>ignedl /
Henry {. Bowen.
DOLAN RErRlLvED.
NEW York. February o.-Thi- afternoon /
Judge Barrett. of the supreme court. who |
has twice sentenced John D0lan 10 be hang /
ed for the murder OF James Ii. Noe granted /
the prisoner a wit OF error, taking his case
IN exceptions to the court Of appeals.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
A FIRE broke out at $50. this evening. at
l2j Grand street west, which proved the
most destructive for years. The fire burned
throug the entire block bounded BY
.irand, Howard. Broadway and Crosby
streets. Altogether about thirty buildings
we're destroyed. The total loss l. estimat-
d at four and a half millions One firm,
Cashin, Brunderett a Co. lace dealers,
'stimate their loss al million and half
Two tiremen were killed and several others
injured by falling walls. At ore time it
vas tsarei the heart of the city would burn.
There were great crowds preson: and much
xcitement.
NEw YORK. Feb. 81. Is thought the
osses by the Broadway fire Will not exceed
hree millions, and that the Insurance will
each two and half millions. In the ex-
ltement and confusion consequent upon
ne discovery of the fire a fatal delay occur
ed in summoning the fire department Moth
D. definite has been ascertained in regard
D the cause of the fire The buildings de-
troyed were Of the most fiimsy character
nd TO this cause l. attributed the failure to
ontne the fire TO the buildings in which il
riginated. At one time there were fears
ha. the flames would get beyond control
nd sweep large portion of the adjacent
srrtory, and many guests of the s. Mich
las hotel left in haste and went TO other
Otels up town. The fire from | to 5
clock was seen at a distance Of 80 miles
ON the city. The flames al times shot in
be air as high a two or three hundred
ct. Mr.. Bush. an injured fireman. Is re- {
orted dead. Chief engineer Bates and
ycral officers of the fire department were '
lured by falling bricks and timberS. {