The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-02-11
Hener C. Bowen Expresses Hi.
Opinion Of Beeeher i'm Plain En-.
glish -Gnilty OF ssthe Awful
Crimes Of Adultery. Per.
Jury and HyDOcrfsy."


Henry C. Bowen has written letter
TO the Examining Committee of Ply
mouth Church, which he presented lat
evening. After a somewhat lengthy in
Production in which he intImates that
the committee and Plymouth Church
could be better employed in invesiigat-
ing direct charges against the pastor,
made in the plainest language-chArges
embracing the crimes of adultery and
perjury-rather than in skirmishing
about in new fields to zee if few more
persons conld be scared or in some way
drawn or driven into the difficulty. He
concludes the letter in the following
pointed style:
Il have known Mr.. Beecher quite in
iimately since the day of his arrival in
Brooklyn. / have been acquainted with
him socially and privately, in church
and in family. in business matters and in
religious matters. / have heard atten-
sively. but with profound grief, what
has been said to me con6dentially against
him. / have felt my heart stIrred to its
depths for dear friends who, years before
the present scandal was published, sor-
rowfnIIy begged my counsel. as they as
sured me that their pastor and mine had
craftily betrayed the sanctity of home
the very charge long after presented 10
me by Theodore Tilton in regard to his
own home. never can or will be base
enough to allow single name to be
bruited before the world, although am
now ready to testify to the essential facts
before any proper tribunal.
These disclosures | heard with a sad
heart and tried TO accept the evidence
brought to me that Mr.. Beecher was
grief stricken and penit~nt. have read
much that has been said for and against
Mr. Beecher in the pnblic press; ] have
with inter amaZement read and re read
and pondered over his published letter.
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 witnering charges which have,
been published TO the world against him;
have seen those charges again and again
hurled at him, and he calmly and bold
ly challenged TO appear before any i'm
partial 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, lifelong friends embracing the
soundest, abIest and best clergymen in
the country and seemingly defying
again and again the very God of Heav-
en- Himself to cast him down.
Snow, being summoned here to speak
and to speak the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth. I solemnly
give it as my my unwayering opinion,
in view Of all the facts and evidences
presented to me, that Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, without even the shadow of
doubt in my mind. ia guilty of the aw-
full crimes of adultery, perjury and
This say again, and before
the bar of this committee, is my deliber-
ate opinion, and I may be permitted to
affirm that / give it calmly, without
malice and with no other than a sincere
desire to do my duty faithfully TO God
and to man. to the Church and the
world. "HENRY G. BOWEN"
Brooklyn, February 4, 1876.
The Examining CommIttee of Ply
month Church has framed letter to
Mr. Bowen, in which he ia summoned to
appear before the Committee Tuesday
evening next and give proof of the as
sertions contained in his reply to the
grievances of Mr.. White.