Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-16
Mrs. Tiiton at st Makes Confession
Of her Shame.

pcrs to day:
IUr. Ira B. Wheeler:
zig Dear SRA few weeks since, after long
months of mental anguish, told, as you know,
4 few friends, whom had bitterly dec, lived,
that the charge brought by my husband of
adultery between myself and the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecber was true ard that the lie had
| lived 50 we'll the lest four years had become In
tolerable TO me.
That statement now solemny reafirm, and
| ease the truth With God, to whom also com
| nit myself my children. and al who must
suffer. koow full we'll the explanations that
| will be sought by many for this acknowledge
| ment-a desire to return to my husband IDsan
ity malice, everything save the true and only
| ouc-my qulckened conscience and the sense OF
what is due to the cause of truth and justice.
Duriog all the complications Of these years you
| have been my confidential friend, and therefore
address this letter to you, authorizing and re
questing you to secure its publication.
| ELIZABETH R. TILTON.
Brooklyn, April Is, 1878
If. l5cecher was out OF the city last night
When Mrs IltoD' letter was made public, and
his wcrcabOuts were not known, save to few
friends. The New York Tribune telegraphed
him copy OF the letter at late hour last night,
and received the following letter 10 reply rom
| Mr.. Beecher:
WAvERLY. N. y. April Is, 1878.
| To Editor Of NetO lork Tribune:
| confront Mrs. 1lltous confession With eX
pllct AID absolute denial. The testimony TO
h:r own innocence and to nine which tor four
years sho had made 20 buudreds 10 private and
10 public, before the SQUIRT, in writing and orally,
declare 10 be true; and the allegations now
made in contradiction Of her uniform solemn
and uDVarylng statements hitherto made, |
utterly dery
declare her to be Innocent of tn great
trans rcssloD.
(Signed) HENRY WARD BEEcHER
| New YORK, April l6 A special from Wav.
erly New York says: Mr. Beecber, who ectured
here last Dight. was handed telegraphio copy
OF Mrs. Tllton's confession 90 coming down
from the platform. He read it quietly and
seemed 10 nowise excited. La reply to questions
what he intended to d. he said: "Nothing at
present except to give an explicit denial He
seemed to be more sorry for Mrs. Tton than
troubled about himself The correspondent
asked him, Id you believe Mrs. TiIton wrote
this ct Der own mind, or was she Influenced"
Mr.. Beecher: Il have not spoken with Mrs.
Tiit0n for over two years. was Informed sew.
eral moths ago that Influences were being
eyertcd through their children and others 10
effect reconciliation with her husband and
that she cnereeticslly refused to consider it
u3uI he hal publicly cXonerated her from the
charges brought against her. 1t was only few
weeks ago that the rumor clm= to NE that she
was ia morbid and self cocdemnatory state Of
mind.
Correspondents Mrs. Tilton ever init
mated consciousness Of guilt before?
Mr.. Boechtr-So far from it that it is i'm
possible to conceive. ifher present confession is
true, Of such an elaborate prolonged and extra
ordinary career of falsehood as she must have
pracised. Upon her husbands statement of his
accusations before the committee OF the church
she broke away from her husbands house and
refused to live with him. She took refuge in
the house of dear friend to whom she gave
one uovarying testimony Of her owe innocence
and the baseness of her husband. She went
before the Investigating Committee of Plymouth
Church and With wonderful pathos cleared her
self Of every charge Of domestic in6delity and
underwent the closest questioning. She broke
friendship with former friends for doubling her
statement in this matter when the case Was 10
the court. Ooce, after her husbands testimony,
to the surprise of my COUNSEL and Cf all her
friends, she rose 10 the court aud demanded of
the judge that she be permitted to testify to her
Innocence. She was eXamioed repeatedly by my
COUNSEL and piled With the most searching ques
tons, aud By her consistent and explicit tcsti
mony satisfied them all of her inncceoce aud
won their esteem. When the council of
1867 was called several Interviews were arranged
betWeeo her and eminent gentlemen, both of
the clergy and Of the law 10 every case she
satisfied them Of her absolute iuoocense. Sub.
| az al inf for hn
pos, Of giving permanence to her declarations
aod form to her testimony, which was taxed
down by shorthand writer, and which | be-.
lieVe 10 be still 10 existence, although | have
Dever seem 1t, she deliberately, and 10 detail re
affirmed her Innocence and mine. These are
the most prominent instances Of her uniform
testimony Ii should be born 10 mind that she
first charged me with the offence to her hus,
baud, and upon my visiting her she withdrew it
10 writing, that she subsequently renewed the
charge, that she then apalu and Indignantly de.
MED it, and left her hus6aod's house, and for
four years has continued In every conceivable
form, and uoder the most solemn circumstances
to deny it until now, when once again, for the
third time she renews it. Against this long
and tortuous career | oppose ny uniform and
unim peachabie truthfulness.
MIR. Wheeler, on beng Interviewed. 10
Brooklyn, last evening, said that Mrs. Tilton
authorized him fully to publish the document.
-Four weeks ago. be said she verbally confessed
to Mrs Auna NJ. Field and four other ladies
of Plymouth Church. stating all the details and
circumstances of her aduleries.
In addition be said be held private let
ter, not yet to be published, from Mrs.
Tion. regarding the whole matter. He
said Mr.. Tllton knew nothing whatever of the
confession, and farther, that be has not made
any overtures to bis wife for rcconoiIement
He did not feel at liberty to state or publish
more facts at present, but he emphatically de-
cIared that Mr.. Tilton had nothing to do with
the confession. Mrs. Morse, the mother Of
Mrs. Titou, Mr.. Tracy, Of counsel, and also
Sam Morriswere Don.committal. Several prom
inent persons, on being interviewed said that
this explosion was looked for. One gentleman
said Mrs. Tilton had received money and aid
from her husband lately. aud that he bad made
arrapgemcntsfor her board at Warwick, Orange
county. N Y, "When Mrs Titon gave him