The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-24
LOCKING UP MR.. H.C. BOWEN
an ATTEMPT TO IMPRIsON MN IN
MIR. HALLIDdY'S HOUSE.
Fastened In by MIR. =. v. white aud PIym-
ouths Examining Committee-An Escape
Through the Back Parior Door.


llevina Mr.. Bcecher to be guilty OF adultery.
perjury, and hypocrisy, robbed the secret
council OF much Of tho interest felt In
II by the church members. Mr.. Beecher in
the afternoon sent word to President Sturte-
want, DIR. Strong, DIR. Samuel Wolcott, Or. J. r.
Warren, Prof. Talcott OF the Bangor 1heologi-
cal Seminary Prof. Paine Of the same, DR.. Par
ker OF Hartford, the Rev John Twitchell DR..
Twtchell OF Cleveland, J. Morgan Smith OF
GRAND Rapids, Deacon Holmes OF Mont
clair, N. j., and one or two others, who were
from tho representative Beecher members Of
tho council, and asked them to meet with the
Examining Committee In the evening to hear
Mr.. Dowen's revelations and oil OF the gentle
men, several of them being the Chaifmen Of the
leading committees. accepted the rare Invita-
tion. At half-past seven tue Examining Com
mittee met In the Rev \. II. Holidays house.
The invited delegates arrived at the appointed
minute, and while they await ed Mr.. Bowen they
and william, his son-in-law MIR. Scovile, Gen.
II. +. Tracy. and Oliver johnson, who was sum
DR.: Edward Deecher called tine committee to
order. Mr.. Deecher, although chairman OF the
committee, refused to preside. Mr.. Halliday
Il o'clock Mr. Bowen arrived with hIs sons.
Edward and Henry, and DIR. W ard, editor Of the
from from the chairman Of tho committee The rest
Of his bret hren In the church sat as stif as sta
tues. Mr. Beecher partly hid himself behind
tho back parlor door, yawned lazly, looked at
the ceiling. smiled to himself, and drunmed on
his chair with his fingers.
ASKED TO PRODUCE HIS FACTS.
Mr.. Tiny, clerk OF tho church, said Mr..
Bowsn, we are ready to hear any facts you may
have In your possession affecting the character
Of the pastor. In order to expedite matters,
will you nrst state all the facts Of which you
have personal knowledge"
Mr. Bowen sad that he supposed that he was
meeting the Examining Committee, and was
surprised to see so many gentlemen Ia attend
unce. He asked for on explanation.
Mr.. TiineY replied that the committee had
uniformly waived all objection to Mr.; Bowen's
companions, and they felt thtt he should extend
the same courtesy to Mr.. Beecher's friends.
Mr.. Bowen retortod that he Intended TO put
the responsibility Of the publication OF his
statement u It was published on tho gentlemen
present. He would not give II 10 the press III
they were willing to tak0 the responsibility he
would proceed. One OF the committeeman said
the statement would not be published by them,
and that Mr.. Bowen might proceed.
Mr.. Bowen then began TO read from bulky
document his detailed reasons for believing Mr.
Beccher guilty OF adultery, perjury, aud hypo-
crisy. lie and DIR. Ward, who helped in the
reading. were more than an hour IN finishing
Al its close Mr.. Beecher smiled, yawned, and
looked at the ceiling. Mr. li,ney, with undis-
YOU no other facts TO givef" Mr.. Bowen an
swefed " That is all have to say at present"
ana he s,ose to 60 mr. S9ea,mnn ASKED aHes
=" protest against MIR. Dowen's leaving" Mr..
Bowen approached the parlor door and Nj;
not be permitted to leave" Mr.. Bowen did not
answer. lie quickened his walk TO the door,
and Mr. :. V. N lite, srrnging forward ahead Of
bim, locked the door aud slipped the key in his
pocket
rush for the back parlor door, and Dir. White
called out Lock tile door" A number OF the
committee started toward the door, but MIR.
Bowen aud his son darted out before the door
could be closed. Edward Bowen and DR.. lard
were left in the room.. Mr.. Bowen and his son
shot out OF the front door, aud Mr.. Bowen has
tened home.
YOUNG BowESs EXPLANATION.
Edward Bowen stood for a moment In the
doorway OF the back parlor and excited said :
will he sorry for It,. Then he passed out with
DR.. Ward. Henry Bowen standing ON the front
OF his voice for - msmbers OF the press" He
repeated hts cry two OF thre" times and tue
dows to see what the matter was. After young
MIR. Bowen had called Two OF three times, two
reporters from Plymouth Church answered, and
he excitedly explained to them the attempt Of
Mr.. Beschers committee to lock his father In
and IN AXE him u prisoner. He angrily denounced
the whole thing as an outrage OF the viest sort.
Mr.. Edw d Bowen explained that from the savage
deneanor OF the committee. he feared that hts
father wouln suffer personal violence. lie there
fore remained until his father was safely outside
before he consented to leave tho back parlor
iio was shocked at the attempted Outrage. Mr.
more than an hour. lie was suffering from ex-
haustion.
the committee with the essential facts Of his
allegations against Mr.. Beecher. lie had de-
cations and the names OF witnesses. In return,
they sent MIN the following:
PLYMoUTH's DEMAND.
BROOKLYN, Feb IL
sIR; Inc Examining Committee have directed to
from ihe church, embraced IN resolution, copy
Of which has been transmitted 10 you. ln the
Tor assertion that you are on trlal Tscy are max
ehsrse! p wheh You have made Ssaas feSW Gebcr
OF the church. concerning which you have repeatedly
aS sss
aes N % ea Of s inst for The pup.s
'"''s'- -'-'''' s. d. HALLIDAY Clerk
Mr.. Bowen responded TO this, he said with his
| statement, which he refused To make public, or
| even to characterize. lie expected TO put the
| responsibility Of its publication on the commit
| tee. " | think the whole proceedings" he said
"were the most outrageous that we're ever heard
% u r.n it. vent me here
| on brooklyn Heights, all attempt Is made to
| lock gentleman Ia Aroom with committee
VINO are his enemies. 1t Is an outrage which mas
no parallel. Is It safe for any man To 80 before
committee OF plymouth Church with any facts
| about Its pastorT He perristenty refused to
make known tue contents OF his statement.
MIR. WHITES VERSION.
Mr. 3. V. White said that Mr. Bowen had read y
a statement Of all the old scandal trash that
| had been drifting about brooklyn for the
| last twenty years, and tnat when he was
| through, and was asked about names and
dS hs @mp'S and TO DATED n S iSd
| back paIlor door. There was not single fact,
| or name or date in all the mass OF matter
| that MIR. Bowen presented. MIR. White said that
| In a thuughtless moment ho turned the key In
| the door, and locked II, not so much to deprive
| MIR. Bowen of his liberty as to preserve order
| that he ght be questioned.
| Mr.. Beecher was found In his home whstling
| merry tune, and lrOlicking about In pair OF
| leather slippers. He laughingy said that Mir
| BOwen's whole statement was In tho start au
| effort to prove that he (Mr Beecher was
| criminal. IL turned Into "A special plea fol
himself, explains his reasons for signing the tri-
| partite covenant, his excuse for staying In the
| church In one Of ITS highest priced pews, and III
short II was a rehnsh of all the stale scandal that
| had been so often heard In the last year
| There was not a single new fact In IL ALL MOI
| was there a fact which MIR Bowen could state OF
| his own personal knowledge. large part OF
the paper was disconnected and rambling de-
| fence of himself.
| Col. Beecher said: " We were very much dis
| appointed TO hear nothing new, MIR. Bower
| gave the names OF Mr.. and Mrs. Richards as wit
| nesses to fathers crimes, but he did not men
| tOn date, name, or tangible Tact III
| told that old story that father haC
raVished some lady IN his study, ant
| the Joke Of II is that at the time Mr.. Bower
mentions there was no study at all. The Exam
lining Committee expect TO present Mr.. Bowen
documents TO Plymouth Church with recon
mendation that he be Instantly expelled.
| Tho Canal Boat Revlvalist in jail.
| Harrison Parkerson, an old canal boat captaI
in zen has been very earnest in his