The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
DEATH OF THEODORE ruLroS.

mighty had made saints and sinner
and the Beecher family That is. that
the Beechers We're all erratic, uncer-
tain and not to be properly Judged By
any rule applicable TO ordinary people.
Henry Ward Beecher was the most
brilliant of the family: was Congre-
gatiOnal preacher of unusual eloquence
and power and for years the idol of
millions of Americans, who welcomed
his utterauces from the pulpit or thru
the press. He gained much of his repu-
tation by his eloquent advocacy of free
dom for the slaves and of the war for
the Union. He had broad. warm
humanity that was Immensely fascinat-
ing. Naturally man Of his generous
attached numberless 9TH
er men to him, and he could not help
making many mistakes in his friend
ships and affiliations one of those
whom he took when a struggling boy
and helped to prominence was Theo-
dore Tilton. to whom he was all that
a father could be. Triton, who was
afterward described as an inspired
idiot was man of superficial talents,
exceedingly SNOWY in al! that he did.
and of moderate literary attainments.
In the circle which Henri Ward Beech
err drew around him all the geese were
swans and all the scribblers We're gen.
fuses
Tiiton attracted Beecher's attention
when he was Is years old. was baptized
by him. taken into the church and Civ
en- all that the favor of an influential
pastor could give. He was sent to cob
lege. graduated in 1855 and met in
Plymouth Church, of which Mr.. Beech
err was the pastor, Elizabeth Richards
a girl a year or two older than himself.
and daughter of one of Mr.. Beecher's
lifelong friends and pensioners. Til
ton continued TO enjoy Hcecher's espe-
cial favor, and was promoted by him
to be Assistant Editor Of the Independ-
ent. then the leading religious paper in
the country.
In 1869 Mr. Beecher retired from the
Chief Editorship of the Independent in
favor of Tilton. Tilton seems to have
been spoiled by his rapid advancement.
swelled with the idea that he was far
bigger man than he really was, and much
superior to his lifelong friend and pa
iron. They disagreed over the policy
of the paper and political matters. and
finally Triton began to show signs of
degeneration. going over at last into the
camp of the Woodruff Claflin. pro-
fessei free lovers and social REFORM
ers" Victoria c. Woodruff and Tennie
CIafiin were then publishing a guerrilla
paper called the Northumberland
Weekly, and Tilton's jealousy of the
continued popularity of Henry Ward
Beecner made him a rancorous enemy.
and ready to do anything to pull him
down.
Among the many yellow streaks in
Triton was a common one among men
of his class. While he allowed himself
the widest relations with other women.
and utterly neglected his wife, ne had
quite different standard for her. Mrs.
Tilton was a plain, homely little wo-
man. devoted to her children and thoro-
ly domestic. AS some one said, she
was the kind of woman that you
would go to for a pattern for red
flannel undershirt. 1t occurred to Til
ton that the surest way to get revenge
on Beecher was to charge him and Mrs.
TfItor with improper relations, which
was design devilish in its conception.
and naturally produced a wide sensa-
ton. Tilton was always seeking for
something which would produce a sem
sation. In May. 1871, Victoria C. Wood
hull published a card in which she said:
For example, know of one man, a
public teacher of eminencc, who lives
in concubinage with the wife of another
public teacher of almost equal promi-
nence."
This produced tumult in the Beech
er world. and into the discussion were
drawn Beecher Triton, Mrs. Tilton.
Francis D. Moulton, 'the mutual
friend Henry c. Bowen, the publisher
of the Independent, and many others.
There was confusing tumult of cards.
alleged confessions, recantations, ex-
plantations and admissions. The whole
crowd implicated, from Beecher down,
was a voluble, talky-talky push, given
to much writing and speaking, and the
hubhub was confusing to the last de-
gree. Tilton was dropt from the rolls
of Plymouth Church for slandering his
pastor and finally Beecher. who had at
first refused to notice the charges, pub
lished card of denial. and demanded
court of investigation, which was
made up of six members OF the congre-
CATION. They sat until the Summer of
1874, when they declared the preacher
inncceh. of the charges brought against
him by Tilton. Tilton's reply to this
was in January, 1875, when he began
a suit against Beecher for 100000 for
the alienation of Mrs. Tiiton's affec-
tons. This began one of the notable
trials in the history of American juris-
prudence. The ablest lawyers were ar
rayed on both sides, and the trial lasted
for H. court days. The jury disagreed,
nine standing for Beecher and three
for Tilton. After the trial Mrs. Tilton
made a public confession admitting the
truth of her husbands charges. Beech
er's popularity and influence received
an irrecoverable blow, and he died in
1887. Mrs. Tilton and Mrs Beecher
died within two months of one another.
in 1898, and now Theodore Tilton has
died in Paris in his I'D year. He had
suffered great mental deterioration
when he went over to the Woodruff
II q