The Grange advance., 1876-02-23

Mr.. johnson has written to the New
York Tribune long letter explanatory
OF the above. The part explaining the
nature of the evidence which he had seen
of Beecher's guilt, is as follows:
The letter shows what all nv intimate
friends knew before--that, at the time I
wrote, was giving credence to the accu.
satlons brought against Mr.. Beecher Lv
Mr.. Bowen and Mr.. Tiltor. On this
point, few words Of explanation are re-
quired: From June, 1866, to December,
1870, was managing editor of the Mde.
fe7adenf. At certain time during that
period MIR. Bowen had Z difference with
Mr.. Beecher regarding some business al.
fairs. After this, at various times, Bow
en- declared to me that he could drive
Beecher out Of Brooklyn, insinuatine
that he was guilty Of adultery. Later.
he told me he had had settlement of his
business troubles with Beecher, and for
some time afterwards he said no more to
me about driving him from Brooklyn. 1t
was subsequent to this that Mr.. Tilton
informed me that Beecher had committed
an outrage on himself and family. Til
ton had often spoken to me about Mr..
Bowen's insinuations and threats, and it
is probable to me nov that from these he
got the hint of working up charge on
his own account, founded upon his wife's
acknowledged affection for her pastor.
Near t e close Of 1870, after Mr.. Tilton
had retired from the Independent, Bowen
called me into his private room, opened
before me budget of evidence that had
come to his knowledge Of immoralities on
the part of Tilton and asked my advice.
advised him to take no steps against Mr..
Tilton. He expressed desire to see
Tilton in my presence, and, for that pur.
pose, al interview was arranged. In the
course of that interview Tilton told Bow
en- that Beecher had made An improper
proposal to his wife, which she had re-
PEELED. Mr.. Bowen was thereupon deep
" excited. He caught eagerly at Mr..
Tilton's allegation and at once renewed
his own attacks upon Beecher.
The rest of that familiar interview is
then detailed by johnson, after which
he adds:
1t was under these circumstances that
1 wrote the private letter published in
the Sun. confess with regret and NOR.
tification that upon purely er parte evi-
dence then thought MT. Beecher was
guilty. Mr.. Bowen and Mr.. Tilton had
not then been revealed to me in their
true character. The only written evil
dence which I had seen was what Mr..
Tilton said was copy Of his wife's con-
fession-the terms of which I do not now
remember. am not sure whether it
was before or after I wrote this letter
that Tilton or Moulton showed me what
has been called Beecher's letter of con-
triton. was not then nor am I now,
in possession of any evidence beyond
what has been disclosed in court and
weighed by the jury. My opinion rested
solely upon the affirmation of Bowen,
Tilton and Moulton. I had no free and
full conversation with Mr.. Beecher for
long time after this, but watched him
closely and found him always acting like
a man innocent of the crime of which he
was accused. On the other hand, found
Tilton involving himself in falsehood and
treachery, day by day, and I came slow
ly to the firm conviction that Mr.. Beech
er was the object Of foul conspiracy.