The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-20
ELlZABETH'S STORY.
A Rich. Rare and Racy State
ment,
As Told an Intimate Lady Friend Long
Ago.

NcW oih, april lS.-lu hlultiOu ~
Mrs. Tilton's confession as made to Ira
b. Wheeler by letter, it has transpired
that she has long since confessed her
error to an intimate married lady friend
at Brooklyn. The lady in question
states that Mrs. Tilton told her that
for many years she had regarded
Beecher with great affection, though
until the 10th of October, 1868, this at
tachment had been innocent, and such
as was natural between devout men,
Der of a Christian church and her pas
tor. Shortly before the time mentioned
she lost child, and its death left her
in very weak state of mind. She
longed for loye and comfort from any
quarter, and the presence and CONVEX
sation of her pastor had a peculiarly
soothing influence upon her. She had
long been familiar with him, and he
was accustomed to kiss her when they
met.
She called in a very depressed state
of mind on Beecher at his own house,
and asked for Mrs. Beecher, but was
told that that lady was away. She then
inquired for Beecher, and while she
was speaking the library door opened,
and her pastor came out and asked her
into his room. AS she went in he spoke
kindly to her, and in an outburst of an
guish she leaned her head upon his
breast and burst into tears.
Beecher placed his arm about her,
and, after a few comforting words,
kissed her tenderly and sat down upon
the sofa with her.
AS he talked he seemed to her like
one inspired, and she was as complete
ly in his power and as incapable of re-
sistence as babe. Gradually he drew
her closer to him, and when, at last,
his familiarities became so marked as
to convince her that wrong was medi-
tated, she besought him, for his own
sake and hers, to spare her. He then
began an argument to convince her
that no act of intercourse between
them could be criminal 1t was then
the first act of criminality took place
between them.
The next offense took place the fol-
lowing Saturday night, at her own
house, and those acts were repeated at
frequent intervals. The first suspicion
by Theodore of anything wrong between
Beecher and herself, occurred nearly a
year after their criminal intimacy be-
gan. She and Theodore were at Beech
er's house one evening, and while she
was seated on a low stool, examining
some engravings, Beecher came and
reclined on the floor by her side, and
began commenting on the pictures.
Tilton was at the other end of the
room, but had his eye on them. While
in the position described, Beecher
placed his hand on her ankle, and was
proceeding to take further liberties,
when she said in a low tone: Don't
Dory will see you.'' And thereupon
he removed his hand.
1t seems that Theodore noticed the
movement, however, and after they
arrived home spoke to her about it.
At first she denied that Beecher had
placed his hand upon her, but when
Theodore insisted that he was not mis-
taken, she confessed that Beecher had
done so in careless manner, but
that she had rebuked him.
Some time after that, while Beecher
was in the large bedroom of her house,
in her company, where he frequently
sat during his calls, he closed the door
and locked it. She tried to dissuade
him from any familiarities, fearing the
return of Tilton, but could not do so,
and while thus engaged, they heard
some one enter the outer room. She
sprang up but did not unlock the door,
and Tilton, for it was he, came to it,
and after trying it knocked for admis-
sion. She opened the door, and Theo-
dore came in and seemed surprised to
see Beecher there. Beecher laughed,
and asked him, jokingly, what he
meant by rushing into respectable
house in that manner, but he looked
confused, and Tilton noticed it, and
afterwards spoke to her angrily about
lpnkinn tho Ionp