The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-03
MRS. TILTON,s CONFESSION.
How it was Caused by Her Lis
tening 10 One Of mr.. Beecher's
SarlnnnA.


New York Sun Of LIST. 5l5 o..
A reporter OF the Sun learned last eve
ming Of a gentleman who, on Saturday
last, had prolonged interview with
Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton. The reporter
called upon him, and received the follow
ing account Of the interview: r8lae4ls
~ have no objections to telling the
Substance Of the interview, il j can dc
40 anonymously. called on Mrs. Tilton
in consequence Of newspaper para
graph, which described her, on the au-
lhofity Of Ia member Of Plymouth Church
as being almost frantic with gIief al
what she had done. I found her ser enc
and happy, and she said that she had NOT
beeu i'll. / asked her II she regretted
what she had done. She said =" No, not
one particle. It is the truth, and rest
myself on that statement for time and for
eternity. Ny conscience is now unbur.
dened, and / no longer an forced to live
a lie.' It Is q singular fact that Mr.. Bee.
cher is. the direct cause Of this confession.
Mrs. Tllton was urged repeatedly by the
friends OF Mr.. Beecher 10 attend Ply.
mouth Church. They commended that "a
she was innocent she ought to assert Il
by going back 10 her old church. Mrs.
1'ilion was reluctant to do 80, but one
night consented. She went with some
lady iriendS, and her presence In the
church was known 10 but few. Mr.. Bee.
cher was ignorant Of it. He preached
his powerful sermon on the confession Of
Gilman, the forger, and reiterated
throughout that. the only. thing for a
guilty soul 10 do was TO confess. The
sermon electrified Mrs. Tilton, and from
that time she seemed bent on unburden-
ing her conscience. She attended several
churches In this city, and every church
seemed filled with the same admonilion
to confess, and she came at length to the
conclusion to cease living q falsehood.
Her confession, she says, came about in
this way. Her husband knew nothing
Of il; Mr.. Moulton knew nothing OF II:
there was no minister back OF it-sbe
says It was God. Mrs. Morse has been
blamed on all sides, but Mrs. Tilton said
that she had no influence on her; in FACT
Mrs. Morse called her crazy, and said
that she was wild to come forward at
this time with her confession.
"What excuse did she give for 90 ar
IDENTIFY supporting Mr.. Beecher in The
years that she was protesting their inno-
cenceP asked The reporter.
"She said II was resolved by herself and
by Mr.. Beecher 10 protect each other and
conceal their guilt. Mr.. Beecher said
that Il must never be told, and she yield
ed to him. Az long "a she vas under his
influence she thought as he did, and aid
"A his friends wished. As soon a. she pot
beyond him and his friends her spirit re.
bounded, she acted free, and she confess.
ed. Mn. Tilton says that her confession
Is the last uttetance she ever expects 10
make for the public. She feels purged,
forgiven, and L indeed happy. She Leaves
everything to God, and says that she
thinks she has HistotgiyenesS,r Il seems
70 be her hope, as II Il mine, that Mr..
Beecher will confess, too. She denied
that she had either written or caused 70
Be written q letter apologiEing TO Mr..
Beecher!"
Mrs; Elizabeth Tilton and her mother,