The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-25
HOPE
OF RECOVERY
Theodore TiIton, Once Noted
American Editor and Author,
Dying in Paris.

Paris, May 24.-Theodore Tilton, the
American editor and author. who has
been i'll in this city for several days
past of pneumonia, is weaker tonight.
He can no longer retain nourishment,
and therefore his chances of recovery
are greatly lessened.
In 1874 Mr.. Tilton preferred serious
charges against Henry Ward Beecher,
who had been mis- pastor and intimate
friend, and demanded civil damages IN
the sum of 500, 900. After the tragedy
which wrecked his career, Mr.. Tiltun
came to Paris, where he has since lived
the solitary existence of broken-h heart
ed man. A slender income, derived
principally, it is understood, from a
single share in a New York newspaper,
coupled with meager royalties from his
literary work which have been con-
tinued in a desultory manner up tC the
present time, sufficed, apparently, to
to meet his modest demands; at least
his few intimates never heard him COM
plain of lack of funds.
Narrow Circle of,Friends.
After he came to Paris Mr.. Tilton
formed a narrow circle of friends who
esteemed his for his natural and genial
temperament and his attachments, but
he avoided new acquaintance, especial
ly Americans. For many years Mr.
Tilton occupied small two-room lodg-
ing in a remote quarter of the Isle ST
Louis, near Notre Dame cathedral and
the morgue At this time his sole pas
sion was chess, and ne haunted the
Cafe De La Regence, where the cels-
brated chess players of Europe congre-
gated, and where Napoleon III went
not infrequently. Mr.. Tilton here be-
came acquainted with many famous
FTenchmen and matched his skill.
among others, against that of NJ. Grevy
before he became president of the re-
public. He often played with Judah
Philip Benjamin, VINO was then residing
in Paris. Later. when Mr.. Fuller, at
one time a law partner of Governor
Albeit of New Jersey, came to Paris
with his daughter. the two old friends
joined forces and took modest apart
ment on the fifth floor of a house i'm the
Avenue KlebCr, near the American en-
be ssy, and since Mr.. Fullers death Mr..
TfltOn has always retained a room in
Miss Fuller's apartments.
Seldom Appeared. in Public.
Throughout Mr.. Tilton's residence III
Paris, although he was sometimes So
ny lliOSC WIZ hitN Ills
powers, to speak at banquets, he al
ways declined to do SO. and he never
appeared in public except at the annual
New Years reception at the American
embassy. AS he grew older he became
very stout, and of recent years he has
been a familiar figure i'm the Boise De
Boulogne, where he walked each morn
ing. always alone and usually selecting
the most unfrequented bypaths. To his
intimate friends Mr.. Tilton seldom or
never spoke of his wife or Mr.. Beecher.
One of his friends, with whom he hap
pened to be on the day he learned of
Mr.. Beecher's death, said Mr.. Tilton
after he heard this news. did not utter
a word for five minutes, and when he
did speak it was of other things. Mr..
Tilton's daughter, who lives in the
United States, has of recent years
wanted him to return TO America, but
he always refused.
OF late years Mr. Tilton has become
more cynical and bitter against the
world, and this spirit is reflected in his
latest poem. recently published here,
1.-THE Fading of the Mayfiower," a la
ment that the ideals OF the Pilgrim IA
theirs in America had been supplement-
ed by the worship of the golden calf