The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-17
MRS. TILT0N AND PLYMOUTH.
THE STIRTLrNG REPORT THAT HAS SET
THE GOSSIIS A-TfLkING.
A Letter Demanding that the Committee Take
Immediate Action why ~ II said there IL
Reason for some Months Further Delay.

A Letter demanding that the Committee Take
Immediate Action why ~ Is said there is
Keason for some Months Further Delay.
Mrs. Elizabeth Tiltons confession did not
cause so much talk among the members Of
Plymouth Church ns the latest phases Of the
scandal have done. 1t was known on Wedncs-
day to n few members Of the church that tho
question Of retaining Mrs. Tilton and Mrs.
Morse upon the church rolls must be decided
one way or the other Mt once. by the rules of
Plymouth Church nothing could be done until
formal charges. or request, should be laid be-
fore the Examining Committee by ono or moro
members of the church. Such formality was
complied with on last Tuesday evening. A let
ter signed by one Of the oldest members Of the
church. was placed in the hands OF the Exam
lining Committee. and action must he taken
upon IL.
The letter begins by saying that the writer ia
member Of Plymouth Church. on whose roll arc
Mrs. Tiltons and Mrs. Morses names. 1t
then quotes Mrs. Morse as saying that she
would never darken Plymouth Churchs doors
again. and refers TO Mrs. Tilton's shocking
charge against their pastor. In conclusion. the
writer asked that the Examining Committee in
vcsteate the matter and report to the church
whether or not the names OF the two shall be
longer kept on the roll.
Yesterday the news had spread among tho
members that the church rulc had been COM
piled with. and the general impression is that
the names would be stricken of with as little
publicity as possible. Mrs Tilton is known to
have partakcn Of the communion with the
members OF the church twice within the
last twelve months. She was present at the
May communion OF 1877. although sitting in II
remote corner among strangers. whore fewwho
saw her recognized her. She attended again
last fall but has not been in the church since
her first interview with Theodore Tilton in
last October. The letter is row in the hands
| OF Mr.. s. " White who says that he shall not
act hastily in the matter There is no hurry at
all about 1t. ana the summer vacation is coming
on. Other members Of the committee are re-
ported to BE- In favor Of delay and the feeling
is also so widely shared among tho members
that it was apparent yesterday that there was
some special cause for it. DIR. H. b. White said
that the committee would not hurry over tho
matter There was no occasion to do so. Tho
| church rules have bcen complied with. how
ever, and action must be taken Mt some time.
Lawyer Thomas O.. Shearman is the only
conspicuous member Of the church who ap-
peared not TO have heard OF the letter.
why. you are telling me news now. he said.
But no one could have sent the letter TO the
committee with more appropriateness than tho
/ person you say mas done go III IL Is true, tnen
the committee will haveto act
| The reason why the brethren desire delay is
believed to be an astounding piece OF informa-
ton that they have lately received. and delay
of four or five months may result in giving the
committee Plymouth Church. and the outside
world certain proofs Of Mrs. Titon's condition
when she wrote the confession. This is what the
! Examining Committee will wait for now. They
believe that within the next three months Mrs
| Tilton's resumption OF marital relations with
| Theodore Tilton will be made manifest. and
that the infant will be the pledge of restored
| love between the two.
Plymouth Church people were amazed when
they first heard Of this from what they consider
| good sources Some of them pretend not to be-
| lieve 1t. but these are few.
Lawyer Shearman leaned on the mantel pece
In his elegant library. and looked out over New
York harbor for several minutes before answer
! ing n question put to him regarding the sub
! jeci Finally he said that he did not know
. But you have heard oft
! We'll yes, have heard that such was Mrs
| Tilton's : condition" More than that Mr.. shear
DR.. White admitted that he had heard Of it.
| but said that he WAS hardly prepared TO believe
| IL. Time would tell.
"A matron OF Plymouth Church, who has seen
Mrs. Itlton recently. said Yesterday that the re-
| port was true. she WAS confident
| II ,ranspired Yesterday that Mr.. Shearman
| ton first visited his wife at the Madison street
| house. AMI the number Of visits TINT he has
! since made. and tho length of time that he
! stopped in the house. About n year ugo. Mr.
| TiliOn saw Theodore in the street. He did not
! sre her. She WAS SO ngitat"d that she could not
! finish her music lessons NJ that day, and she
said that she felt that all his old power over her
| had been restored. Lawyer Shearman heard Of
| this. and from that minut" was fearful OF Mrs.
| TiltOn. She did not see her husband agnin un-
| III October last. one evening in that month he
| was seen by a neighhor who knew him 10 20
! to the house. He stayed there for two hours
| A few days later Mrs T.lton called upon the
neishbor and said that Theodore had been at
! the house.
" How was it that he ?" the neighbor
asked.
Mother sent for him" was the reply. "He
| saw mother first. and then went up stairs to look
| AT Carrolls room. which j. n curiosity. Then
! he came down stairs and saw me IN the parlor.
| He only wanted to see me on business, and that
| was all We talked about"
Mr. Shearman heard Of this visit and felt
| greatly troubled about II. He said that Thco-
! dorc WAS resuming his power over EliZnbeth
| and that he had some purpose in doing so. He
! determined to learn more. some time after Mr.
| ShcArman learned 10y the means employed that
| Mr. Tilton had again visited the house and
| spent some hours there. These visits were re-
| pcated at intervals during the winter. and on
| several occasions Mr.. Shearman learned that
| TiltOn had remained ut the house all night. The
| dates of many of the visits he keeps among
other important documents bearing on the ease
| He knew that Tiltons influence over his wife
| had been regained. and fy believed that mari
| tai relations had been resumed.
| In view Of this report therefore. the Exam
| lining Committee Will probably wait until fall
| before they take up the subject Of dropping
| Mrs. Tilton's name from the church rolls.