The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-16
MRS. TILT0N'S CONFESSION.
CtIIrNG on 0OD TO niiAFSs rHAT SIfk
AND BEECHER .tHE GpTITE.

AND BEECHER tHE GVTLTr.
"A Letter that rrn Like Thunderboit On
Plymouth Church-A nuiCk erina Coincidence
that Compris ~ r d" ipenk the Truth
Oih~r Persons 10 whom she has Confessed
! New Accusations or Isin,Lmnii by the
Pastors Fri-rds-The Great scandal RE
= opened-uenry Ward Bccchcr's Denial.
! Plymouth Church was stirred to its foun-
dation last night by the following thunderbof.
launched by the hand Of Mrs Tilton:
Nr. Era n. Wheeler.
My DEAR SIR A few weeks since. after
long months OF mental anguish. told, as you
know, few friends. whom had bitterly de-
ceiycd. that the charge brought by my husband
of adultery between myself and the Rev. Henry
Ward Beechcr was true. and that the lie had
lived so we'll the last four years had become in
folcrable TO me.
That statement now solcmnly reaffirm. and
aenvc the truth with God to whom also commit
myself my children. and all who must suffer
know full well tho explanations that will be
sought by many for this acknowledgment; q
desire to return 30 my husband. insanity. mall
ice. everything save the true and only one-my
quckened conscience. and the sense Of what is
due to the cause Of truth and justice. During
all the complications OF these years YOU have
been my confidential friend and therefore l
address this letter TO you. authorizing and re-
,qucsting you to secure its publication.
ELIZABETH H. TILToN.
BROOKLYN. April 10. 1873
Tho news that Mrs. Tilton had confessed was
flashed about Brooklyn. last night. with won
'dcrful spocd. and it seemed to plunge the
stately Columbia Heights into the same fever
which raeod 50 long in the summer OF 1874
whom evprv tloN brought n npv surpriap Those
who move in the inner circle of Plymouth
Church were prepared for the shock. The in
dications OF the coming storm had appeared in
many places. and faint intimations. albeit
that they were speedily repressc1. cropped
out in the newspaper columns. Every time
the story was told that all the rIans for putting
tho scandal TO sleep were to be upset by Mrs
Titon an adrcit answer was ready to destroy
Its strength. Tho willy Mr.. Shcarman had the
fact that Mrs. Tlton WIS 10 turn on Mr.. Beech
or long before any one else. and he caused the
rumors Of n confession to be printed and then
denied SO as to dull suspicion. All that could
BE- was done to avert the disaster Of n confess
son.
The threat Of war socms first to have come
from Mrs. Morse. Mrs. Tinon's mother. A gem
tleman possessed of all the facts said last night
that early in the winter Mrs. Morse had visited
Mr. Bccchcr aud told HIM that Elizabeth had to
be taken care Of and that IL she WAS not liber
ally supported there would be trouble. Mr..
Beocher consulted with some Of his friends.
and they agreed that 1t would not do
for him to be known as the supporter Of
Mrs Tilton after all the scandal. and they nd-
,vised him not to pay her any money. Mrs.
Morse renewed her demand. and. II is said. ac-
companied 1t with strong and abusive Ian
guage and wrote several pointed notes to Mr..
BeocheH but without any effect. Mrs. Til
ton was induced to start school in
Henry street. under promise OF liberal support
from the families OF Plymouth Church. She
found that she was not only not TO be literally
supported. but that persons from whom she
expected favor expressed the opinion that
nfter her course she WAS not nt person
60 instruct children. This stung her to des-
peraton. and she threw up her school.
She com planned OF her harsh treatment by Mr..
Boecher and his friends. aites. Hs she said. they
had used her for all their purposes; and sho
blamed herself for desertng her husband. who
had been magnnn mous to forgive her ain and
e. premise her protection. She wrote n letter to
Mrs. Raymond. the wife OF Prof. Ro-stcr W.
Raymond. which the reporters informant said
had been seen and read by several persons in
Plymouth Church. He understood, also. that
she had written similar letter. saving thu; she
WAS no longer gong to live lie. 10 Mrs.
Anna Ficld. who accompanied her daily
10 the trial Of tho Titon- Bcechor suit.
Women from Plymouth Church made to her
frequent visits and reported growing change
in her disposition toward Mr.. Beocher. t. one
she said: What vicousncss all this trouble has
brought out. TO be sure. Nearly every form Of
crime