Year: 1875

the suOJeot or IaCL Oh SeXual lntercourse
between Mrs. Tilron and yourselfp A.
No, sir; no, sir. 1t Is such l0athso ONE and
odious stuff that don't talk about 1t.


Moulton came to my house on the Sd
of January. He had letter which pur-
ported to be from Tilton. In it Tlton
stated that after going home the last
night he found that had taken advan-
tage of my interview to procure from his
wife retraction of the charges that had
been made against me; that was the
substance of it. There was some little
more which don't remember. He then
proceeded to say, in substance, that he
presumed that this was so. said had,
He said he thought l had acted very in.
discreet part-a dishonorable one; that
/ had no right to take advantage of such
q situation to obtain such a retraction,
and claimed the right Of self-defense.
He then produced letter to himself
from Elizabeth, in which she said:


~ want you to do me the greatest pos
sible favor. My letter which you have,
and the one gave Mr.. Beecher at mis-
own dictation last evening, ought both
to be destroyed. Please bring both to
me and / will burn them. Show this
note to Theodore and Mr.. Beecher. They
will see the propriety of this request"


l said my objection to giving up that
retraction was that 1 should be lett with
out defense II should be in any way
brought to account on such a charge;
and he said in substance that he would
stand between me and any such accuse.
tion. He said he would defend the doc
uments, or he would burn them, or would
keep them il wished.


After some further parley, I went to
the little drawer and brought the letter
ua hoh ts,,.r ha tpn d
off his overcoat, and as he did so, saw
the hilt of pistol. He took it out and
laid it on the bed. After he had the doc.
ument he put it In his pocket.


Mr.. Beecher denied having on that oc-
casion used any expression regarding
having considered his sexual intercourse
with Mrs. Tilton as the natural express
sion OF his love for her, and said that the
topic was not referred to.


Q. Now on that night, Mr.. Beecher,
was there by Mr.. Moult0n, any accusa-
ton, imputation or insinuation that you
had carnal intercourse with Mrs. Tilton


The witness-There was no such in
sinuation or impulation, nor implication.
and there was nothing said by him or by
me on that supposition, nor on that sub
ject. Applause.]


The next day we had long talk, and





of my regard tor Tilton. walked about
the room in great agitation, and with
great selt-condemnation l said to him
that could not conceive of anything for
which man should blame himself more
utterly than that to intrude ON house.
hold, and to be the means of breaking 1t
up; that my idea of friendship and love
was that it gave strength, and that had
always supposed that my presence in
their family was giving strength to all of
them, that it was blessing to the chill
dren, that it was help TO his wife in her
duties, and that 1t was not without q
beneficial influence to Tilton in the long
run, and this came upon me like thun-
der-clap, and l was amazed and be-
wildered by it. That he had occasion to
think that 1 had done him wrong in the
matters Of Bowen, was ashamed to be
obliged to admit; that had done him
intentional wrong in his family, l de-
MED, but that had wronged him there,
it was very evident it seemed to me
from the present condition and action Of
Mrs. TiltOn.


The memoranda that Moulton made of
this talk l reluctantly signed. as he ill.,
sisted on it. ".


@. Was anything said by you or in
your hearing by Mr.. Moulton that Sum-
day that was in the. nature of this state
ment, that you and she prayed Tor help
to discontinue your sexual relations. A.
[Very decidedly There was no such
thing whatsoever in any manner or shape
by Mr.. MOulton or any other human be-
ing,