The evening times., 1897-03-11
THE BEECHER TILTON CASE


tits a long time since the famousBeecher-
TlltOn scandal case was tried in Brookl IN,
and very many of the people who were
conspicuous In it have passed away. Mr.
Beecher was the first to die, and then
Judge Nelson, who tried the case, fol-
lowed him. Henry G. Bowen's was the
last death recorded of the men prominently
identified with it, and now Mrs. Henry
Ward Beecher is dead. Moses S. Beach,
who gave thousands OF dollars to defend
Mr.. Beecher, and Augustus stons, who
was for thirty years the treasurer OF Plym
outh Church, died a few years ago, and
half a dozen other seIf-sacrificing friends
orthe Plymouth pastor have died since Mr..
Beecher's death, samong them John T
Howard. Both Mr.. and Mrs. John Hutch
inson. whose names will ne linked always
with Plymouth Church, are no more.
OF Mr.. Beecher's three sons, only one has
continued to livein Brooklyn. Mrs. BeecheT
seemed unhappy anywhere else, and she
was intensely interested in the church aud
all that related to it, attending its social
meetings regularly, and being always
anxiously desirous TO be included in all
its undertakings. And, be il said TO DR.
tDtOll sUt WIS., 70 ltt jdSt Udy
of Ter presence there, constantly gratified
by the Difference and attention paid her
by the pastor first, and then by all ass,,-
ciated with him in the management OF af-
fairs. At first her place was rather un-
comfortable one. for she was jealous of all
her rights and privileges as the wife of
the former pastor, but DIR. Abbott's affa-
bility and sincerely tomakeher
happy resulted successfully, and TO the end
OF her days she was the recipient OF atteR-
tions from the congregation. Through the
self-seekiDg OF publishers she mistakenly
permitted herself to be kept before the
public as writer on household subjects.
Mrs Beecher never again saw MIS- Tilton
after thetrial though the latter contnuedto
live in Brooklyn, as she does now. Shen ever
mentioned her name after Mr.. Beecher's
death ,and w8snotawaTe, probably that the
wife OF the nan who had bIighte,i Mr.. Beeclr
er's fame was living secluded existence,
at first earninga bare living by music teach
ing, and afterward becoming dependent
upon her daughters efforts. Mrs. Tilton
became blind-pauially for time, and then
totalIy-from the presence OF cataracts
which formed in her eyes. Too much weep
ing was given as the cause Of her great
misfortune, and she lived foT several years
in a daTkened room, hoping against hope
for a long time. Within the last year and
a half successful operations have been per
formed upon her eyes, and once more she
is able to see. As her health has improved
her vision has Increased, aHdn ow she is able
to go about the city alone and 10 take her
place in her widowed daughters home
useful and happy member of the little
household.
OF the two daughters of Theodore Tilton,
both Of whom he took to Europe and placed
In school in Germany, neither has seen him
for years. One married and is living in
Chicago. The other returned tD BROOKLYN
and has lived theIife of a successful teacher
since the death of her husband, which oc
Cured some years ago. She has two chill
dren, and they, with her mother. consti-
tute her family. She was a schoolgirl at
Packer Institute when the trouble bet wecn
her father and Mr.. Beecher became the
tonic OF the town and of the nation, and
the sudden transition from happy home
to position of almost total social stracism
made an impression that will not be out
lived The eldest OF the family OF children,
she became the care-taker and second
mother to her sister Alice, and together
they lived alone in a foreign country until
both were grown up. Her lips have never
been opened on the subject of her fathers
and her mothers troubles, and the name
of the former never is mentioned by her.
THEODORE Tiiton survives nearly all those
against whom he set himself in the dark
DAYS of the scandal, bit his wife and daugh-
ter will outlive him, in all probability, as
he is more advancedin years than Mrs. Iii
ton and is no louger the robust man he
was He is living alone in Paris, doing
what n e wspaper and other writing he can
get to do, and seeing but few of the many
Americans who are always al the French
capital A few Of his former friends -one
In particular visit him yearly, but he is
no longer of Importance to those of his
own generation, and the younger genera
tion has no memory of him. His reputation
alone survives DR.. Charles Hall, wlIT
preached Mr.. Beeoher's funeral sermon, has
ioined the great ajority, and his brother
Edward and his sister, Mrs. Stowe, are
gone. The Rev Mr.. Halliday, identified
with Mr. Beecher for aquarter OF century.
still survives, but is old and feeble. Horace
d. CIaflin died several years ago. stephen
v White, who, like Mr.. Claflin, gave with
lavish hand to Plymouth Church, andshared
his wealth with Mr.. Beecher, IS. as he has
been for thirty-odd years, deacon. New
York Sun.