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About Nebraska herald. (Plattsmouth, N.T. [Neb.]) 1865-1882 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1874)
THE NEBRASKA HERALD. PLATTSMOL'TII, - NEBRASKA. THE BEECHER SCANDAL. Additional Statement of Frank moulton. The lon-promised statement of Francis D. Moulton. iu reply to the statement of Hev. Henry Ward Beecher, was given to Ihe public ou the 21st. It is a formidable document, comprising about twenty columns of-ordinary newspaper type. The salient portions only are here given. Mr. Moulton prefaces his statement with an ex planatory card in which he details the circum stances which called it forth. lie had been a friend of Mr. Tilton from boyhood and had always entertained for Mr. Beecher the warmest admiration. In 1870 he had learned that Mr. Beecher had given Mr. Tilton a grave cause of offense, and because he believed the rev elation of the scandal would undermine the foun dations of social order and blast the prospect and bflght the family of one of the most brilliant men of this generation he had labored assidu ously to keep it concealed and effect a harmoni ous settlement of all difficulties. This labor had continued for four years, and, w hen it had failed to accomplish what was desired, Mr. Beecher had feen fit to visit on him (Moulton) the penalty of his own wrong doing, and at the sume time de manded that he should tell what he knew, as it wonldjnstify his attack on him. Mr. Beecher in his statement had said that he brought this investigation without Moulnyn's knowledge or advice. Even while mourning what seemed to him the unwisdom of the pro ceedings he had done all he could to avert the catastrophe. He had deuied the united and pub lic appeals made by both Beecher and Tilton to Erodtice the evidence in his possession, but be ad stated that clearly in an emergency he should apeak in defense of his own integrity, if assailed. By the published accusation of Mr. Beecher his wn scif-respect made it imperative that the 'truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" should he told, and he then-Tore gave to the public the statement he had Dreriared for the committee, but which, at the earnest solicitation of the friends of Mr. Beecher. he had w ithheld. Its publication was not in the ' interest of either party, but solely for his own protection against public acensatious which af fected himself personally. He was profoundly . prievert at the necessity which seemed to com pri the publication, but liis grief was alleviated by ' the fact that the disclosure could scarcely work more harm to Mr. Beecher at the present time thun it wonlil Viuvrt eMnsed him in .luminrv. 1BT1, when, but for his interference, the public would most assuredly have been put in posses sion of tho whole truth. The statement to the committee here follows: Mr. Moulton, after recounting the fact of his acquaintance with Messrs. Tilton and Beecher, and his admiration of their Renins, says that up to the date of Tilton" valedictory as editor of the Independent lie had been frequently a visitorat Tilton s house, and had seen himself and Mrs. Tilton under all Dhases of social intercourse, but had never heard or known of the slightest disagreement or nnkindness existing between them, and believed their mariral relations were almost exceptionally pleasant. On the-Jfith of December Mr. Tilton. returning from an interview with Mr. Bowen, told him that Bowen had made certain accusation against Beecher, and had challenged 1 iltou to write an onen letter demanding that he should cease his ministry at Plymouth C'hurch.whicb Bowen was to deliver, lie tola Bowen mat he Relieved his accu sations against Beecher becanse he had made ini- : proper advances to Mrs. Tilton. He afterward learned from Mr. Beecher that Bowen had deli v- ' ered to him the open letter referred to. In a day ' or two arter Mr. J ilton informed him that when he told Bnwen that he was going to call on j Beecher he came up to the otlice in great anger i and told him that if he should sav to Beecher w hat he (Bowen) had told him concerning his ! (Beecher's) adultery he would dismiss him from ithe Independent and the Union. Tilton told him Ihe hail never been influenced by threats, and he ! would not be in the present case, and subse- 'quentlv received Bowen's letter of dismissal. On the evening of the 30th of December Tilton came to him and said that bv his wife's request ;he had determined to see Beecher, in order to show to Beecher the confession of his wife of in tercourse between them, which he (Tilton) had never up to that time mentioned to Beecher, ami the fact of the confession of w hich his wife hud told him that she had never told Beecher; that her confession had been made in the July pre vious iu writing, which writing he (Tilton) bad afterward destroyed, but that his w ife, fearing that it Bowen s accusations against Beecher were made public the whole matter would be known and her own conduct with Beecher become ex posed, had renewed her confession in her own nandwritiug. which l ilton handed to him (Moil I loin to read. niton wanted him to go down and ak Beecher to come up and see him (Tilton) at Moultou's house. He went and said to Beecher: "Mr. Tilton wants yon to come and see him at my house immediately." He asked 'V hat for. Moulton replied : He wants to make pome statement, to you in reference to your rela tions w ith His laniitv." lie then cajled la some one In the back rouTii to go down and say that he should not he at praver-mectinz. and Moulton and Beecher went out together. It was storming . at me time, w hen no remarked: i nere is an ap j pro;riatencs iu this storm, " and asked Moulton, j What can I do? -what can 1 dor" He said: 44 Mr. Beecher, I am not a Christian, but, if you wish, I will show-you how well a heathen can : serve you." Thev then went to Moulton's 1 house, and he showed him into a chamber 1 over the parlor, where Mr. Tilton was : and left them together. In about an hour Mr. . Beecher came down and asked him if lie had seen the confession of Elizabeth. He said he had : Said Beecher: "This will kill me," and asked Moulton to go walk with him. They walked to .Mr. intons house together. On the war he said: "This is a terrible catastrophe. It comes upon me as if struck bv lightning." Beecher went into Tilton's house, and Moul ton departed for his own house. Within an hour Beecher returned, and shortly after left for his home. Moulton accompanying him. When they nnivt-u in. jeeeucr s nouse lie wamea jiouitou to stand Dy Him in his emergency, and procure a reconciliation, if possi ble. He told him he would, because the interests of women, children and fami lies were involved, if for no other reason. That ended the interview that night. During this evening nothing was said by Beecher as to luetnunor laisityot sirs, nitons confession. imr oiu ne iinoriii uini uiai ne naa ooiained from her any recantation of the confession. Moulton returned to his honse and had some conversation with Tilton, in which he told him that he hail re. cited to Beecher the details of the confession of .. i.i r, .tjuiu-iiui-. ami me rcniurK wnich Beecher made was: " This is all a dream. Theo dore." anil that was all the answer Beecher made to him. Moulton then advised Tilton that for the MKe oi his wife and family, and for the sake of iKTniiT s lamiiy, the matter should be kept quiet and hushed up. The next morning Tilton came to his house and informed him. w ith great anger, that Beecher had done a mean act: that he had gone from the interview of the night before to his house and procured from .Elizabeth a recantation and re traction of her confession. He said for that act he would "smite h:'m;" that therj could be no peace. He said: You see that what I have told you of the meanness of that man is now evi dent." Tilton said that Beecher, at the inter view of last uight. had asked his permission to po and see Elizabeth, and he told him he might go, which statement was confirmed by Beecher himself, and Beecher left him for that purpose. Moulton said to Til ton: -Now, don't get angry; let ns see if even this cannot be arranged. I will go down and get that retraction from him." In the even ing Moulton visited Beecher. and told him he had !oue a mean and treacherous act, treacherous first, toward him. from whom he wanted help, in taat he did not tell him on the wav to his houe the night before what he had procured from Mrs lilton. and that he could not expect his friend ship in this matter unless he acted trnthfully and hmiorably toward him. He further said Mr. Beecher yon have had criminal iatercourea with Hit. Tilton. You. hava done great Injury to Tilton otherwise. Now, when von are confronted with it, you ask permission o"f the man to again visit his house, and you get from that woman who has contessed that vou have ruined her a recantation of the truth for your mere personal safety. That won't save yon." At that interview Beecher admitted with "rief and sorrow the fact of his sexual rela tions0 with Mrs. Tilton. He said that Mrs. Beecher and himelf, without knowing of the confession of Mrs. Tilton to her husband, had been expressing great sympathy toward Mrs. Tilton, and taking active interest with h-r against her husband. Moulton said: "Mr. Beecher. I waut that recantation. I have come for it." " Well." s.iid he, " what shall I do without it?'' lie replied: "I don't know ; I can't tell vou what will happen with it." He asked: What will you do if I give it to you?" Moulton answered: " I will keep it as I keep the confes sion. If yon act honorably I will protect it with my life as I would protect the other withuiy life. Mr. Tilton asked for that confession this morning, and I said I will never give it to you ; you shall not have it from my hands until I have exhausted every effort for peace.' " Mr. Beecher gave him back the papei. When he went home with the recantation he found Til ton there and showed it to him. He expressed his surprise acid gratification that he should have been able to get it, and he then showed to him how very foolish it would have been in the morn ing to have proceeded angrily against Beecher. He made another appeal for "peace, saying that, notwithstanding the great difficulties appearing in the way. if they were properly dealt with they would be "beaten out of the way. He expressed his willingness and desire for peace. On the 1st of January, in accordance with a Crevious understanding, ho went to Beecher's ouse and went into his study, where he told him again of his great surprise that Elizabeth should have made the confession of his criminal com merce with herto her husband without letting him know anything about it, making his destruction at any moment possible and without warning to him. He expressed his great grief at this wrong which he had done as a minister and friend to Theodore, and, at his request. Moulton took pen and paper and Beecher dictated to him the paper known as " the apology." all of which was In Moulton's hand-w riting except the words, " I have trusted this to Moulton in confidence." and the signature, which Witter were in Mr. Beecher's. Mr. Moulton says this was intrnf.ed to him in confidence, to be shown only to Tilton. It had reference to no other fact or act than the confes sion of sexual relations between Beecher and Mrs. Tilton, which he at that interview confessed, and that he had also at subsequent interviews unqualifiedly confessed that he had been guilty of adultery with Mrs. Tilton, and always in n. spirit of deep grief and sorrow at the enormity of The crime" be had committed against Mr. Til ton's family. At such times he would speak wtth much feeling of the relation which he had sustained toward them as pastor, spiritual ad viser and trusted friend. His self-condemnation at the ruin he had wrought nnder such circum stances was full and complete, and at times he was so bowed down with grief in consequence of the foul wrong he had done that he threatened to put an end to his life. In that interview Beecher was vcrv earnest in his expressions of regret at what had been done against Tilton in relation to his business con nection with Bowen. and besought Moulton to do anything he could to save him from the destruc tion which would coine upon him if the story of liis i Beecher's) intercourse with Mrs. Tiluu should be divulged. In compliance with the directions of Beecher. Jan. 1, 171. he took the paper which Beecher had dictated to him to Tilton, detailed to liim Beecher's expressions of regret and sorrow, spoke to him of his agony of mind, and again appealed to him to have the' whole matter kept quiet, if for no other reason for the sake of the children. To this Tilton assented. Mr. Moulton then gives a full history of Tilton's claim against Bowen, of the Independent, for damages for cancellation of the contract for edi torial services, and the settlement of that claim by arbitrators, resulting in the payment to Tilton of $7,0U0. After the above settlement the paper known as the " tripartite agreement'' was signed by Bowen and Tilton, and subsequently by Beecher. In the form in which it was first drawn it bound the parties to say nothing of any wrong done or offense committed by Beecher, und l'uUv exonerated him therefrom. After Bowen had signed it, it was handed to Tilton to sign, and he refused. He was w illing to sign an agreement never to repeat again the charges of Bowen. say ing that, if lor no other reason, if the matter should thereafter ever come to light, it-would ap pear that there had been something between Beecher and Mrs. Tilton, and it might be used as evidence to the injury of himself aud familv. as well as of Beecher, and. therefore, it w as not for the interest of either Tilton or Beecher to sin it in the form first proposed. From the time of the tripartite covenant noth ing occurred to disturb the relations between Beecher, Tilton and Bowen. or either of them, until the publication in Woodhull fc Clafin't W eekly of the elaborate story concerning the so cial relations between Beecher. Tilton and Mrs. Tilton. After that publication appeared it again came to the knowledge of Beecher that Bowen was making declarations derogatory to his char acter. This was followed by the publication ol the tripartite covenant, which was done by Samuel Wilkesou. Beecher was not a party to its pub licaiimi. nor knew anything about it. Another curious complication of the relations of the parties arose from the publication by Mrs. Woodliull of the story in her journal. It is a mat ter of public notoriety that Mrs. Isabella Beecher Hooker, the sister of Beecher, had espoused the cause of Mrs. Woodhull on the question of woman's suffrage and had been accused still fur ther of adopting her social tenets. Beecher's re lations to Mrs. Tilton had been communicated to her. This had been made a subject of communi cation from Mrs. Hooker to her brother, and. after the publication by Mrs. Woodhnll, Mrs. Hooker addressed the famous letter to her brother, in tfTrtrh she implored him to confide the whole truth to her. . Then follows the letter from Bev. Thomas K. Beecher to Mrs. Hooker, in which he savs that he respected Mrs. Woodhull but abhorred her philosophy, and that she was only carrying out " Henry's philosophy, against w hich I recorded my protest twenty ye'ars ago, and parted loving ly and achingly from him, saying: We cannot work together.' He has drifted. md I have hardened like a crystal, till I am sharp-cornered and exacting." Mr. Moulton saw Mr. Beecher. conversed about these letters at various times, and Beecher said he was apprehensive that his sister, iu her anx iety that he should do his duty iu presenting this truth as she understood it, "and in protecting Mrs. Woodhull fromthe consequences of having published the truth, from which she was then suffering, would go into his pulpit and insist on declaring that the Woodhull publi cation was substantially true. Moulton suggested that he should see Mrs. Hooker, speak to her kindly, and exhort her not to take this course; aud that Tilton should see her, and so far shake her confidence iu the truth of the storv as to in duce her to doubt whether she would be safe in making the statement public. In this course Beecher agreed, and such arguments mid induce ments were brought to bear noon Mrs. Honker as were likely to prevent her from doing that which would have certainly brought on an. exposure of the w hole business. Dunn" the consultations between Beecher and Moulton as to the means of meeting Mrs. Hooker's inten tions, no suggestion was ever made on fhe mirt of Beecher that his sister was then, or had been at any other time, insane. Beecher was exceed ingly anxious that Tilton should repudiate the statement published by Woodhull, and denounc ing her for its publication. iieecher asked .Moulton to say to Tilton sub stantially: "Theodore may for his own purpose, if he choose, eay that all his misfortune has coiueupon him on acconnt of his dismissal from the I nion and the Independent ; aud on acconnt of the offense w hich I committed against him he niav take the position against me and Bowen that he does. "i et the fact is that h Mrs. Woodhull and hrr th the injury which prevents his rising. Now, in order to get support from me and fi Church, and iu order to obtain the sympathy of J the w hole community, he must publish a cardde- me allegations oi iMrs. w oodhiul. and un less he does it he cannot rise." He also said the same thiug to Tilton in Moulton's oresence. lo this Tilton answered, in substance, to Beech er: "ion know why I sought Mrs. WmwIIidIIi acquaintance. It was to save my family aud ! vours from the r(u...i.,,ii,1.. . . . r . : . i - I facts about which hH immi !.... They have now been published, and I will not de nounce that woman to save vou from the conse quences of what you yourselfhave done." After Moulton had carried to Mr. Tilton the paper of apology which referred to Beecher's adultery, aud had received assurances that all between Tilton and Beecher should he bent quiet. Moulton conveyed the information to Beecher. who was profuse ia his expressions oi thankfulness aud giaUtude, Mr. Moulton here stales that Mrs. Morse, the mother-in-law of Mr. Tilton. who was from time to time an inmate of his family in Livingston street, had, as he had been informed both by Mr. and Mrs. Tilton. learned from her daughter the criminal relationship existing between Beecher and herself, and who Could not under stand why thatinatter had been settled, and who had not been told how it had been adjusted, and who had had a most bitter quarrel with Tilton, accusing him of not having so carried his affairs as to keep what fortune he had. and w ho had called upon Beecher about the relations between Tilton and Mrs. Tilton. aud who had. as leecher had informed him (Moulton). tilled the minds of Mrs. Beecher and himself with stories of Tilton's iutidelitv and improper conduct to his wife. wrote a letter to"Mr. Beecher, under date of Jan. --!7, 171, in which letter Mrs. M. speaks of the suffering in Mr. Tilton's family, and especially of neglect and want endured bv Mrs. T. She says: "Neither Mrs. B.. yourself, nor I can have done anything to ameliorate her condition. She has been for the lust three weeks with one very inditferent girl. T. ha sent the others away, leaving my sick aud distracted child to care for all four children, night and day. w it hout fires in the furnace, or anything like comfort or nourish ment in the house, she has not seen any one. He says she is mourning for her sin.' If this be so. one twenty-lour hours under this sheet I think is enough to ntoue for a life-long sin, however heinous. I know that any chr.uge ill his affairs would bring more trouble upon her. aud more suffering. I did not think for a niomeut when I asked Mrs. B. as to your call there, supposing she knew it. of course, as she said you would not go there without her. I was innocent (sic) of making auv misunderstanding, if there w as any. Vou say, keep quiet. I have ail through her married life done so. aud we now see our error (sic). It has brought him to destruc tion, made me utterly miseraole, turned me from a comfortable home, and brought his own family to beggary. I don't believe, if his honest debts were paid, he would have enough to buy their breakfast (sic). This she couid endure, and thrive under, but the publicity he has given to this re cent and most crushiug"of all trouble is what has taken the life out of her. I know of twelve per sons whom he has told, and they iu turn have told others. I had thought we had as much as we could live under from his neglect and ungoverna ble temper. But this is the death-blow to us both, and I doubt not Florence has hers. Do you know when I hear of your cracking your jokes from Sunday to Sunday, and think of the misery you have brought upon us. 1 think with the Psalmist, 'There is no tiod.' Admitting all he says to be the invention of his half-drunken brain, still the effect upon us is thesame for all. He be lieves it. Now he's nothing to do. he makes a target of her night and day. lam driven iu this extmity to pray for her release from all suiler ing. by tiod's taking her to himself, for if there is a Heaven I know she'll go there. The last time she was iu his house she said : Here I feel I have no home, but ou the other side 1 know I shall be more welcome.' Oh, my precious child, how my heart bleeds over you in thinking of your suffer ing. Can yon do anything in the matter? Must she live in this suilering condition of tniud aud body, with no alleviation? Sir. yon or any one else who advises her to live w ith him when he is doing all he can to kill her by slow torture is auytliing but a friend. I thought the ieasi you could do was to put your name to a paper to help reinstate my brother in the Custom House. Elizabeth was as disappointed as my self. He is still without employment, with a sick wife and five children to feed, behind with rem. and everything else behindhand. If your w ife has adopted Lib tsic). or you sympathize with her. I pray you do something lor her relief before it is too late. He swears so soon as her breath leaves her body he will make the w hole thing pub lic, and this prospect I think is one thing which keeps her living. I know of no other. She's without nourishment (sicl for one in her stale, and in want, actual want. They would both deny it, no doubt, but it's true." In reply to the foregoing Mr. Beecher writes a short letter w hich contains the follow ing: " My course toward you hitherto should satisfy vou that I have sympathized with your distress, but Mrs. Beecher and I, after full consideration, are of one mind, that, tinder the present circum stances, the greatest kindness to you and to all will be, in so far as we are concerned, to leave to time the rectification of all the wrongs, whether thev prove real or imaginary." Mr. Moulton says he purposely omits the name of the young girl in the expression by Miss .Morse tnat " l ilton nas sent , with tneothers, awav," aud adds that "the reason why it was de sirable she should be away from Brooklyn, as given me by Mr. and Mrs. Tilton, was this: She had overheard conversation by them concerning .Mrs. Tilton's criminal intimacy with Beecher, and she had reported these conversations to several friends of the family. Being young, and not knowing the consequences of her prattling. it seemed proper for the safety of the two families that she should be sent to a distance to school, which was ac coidinglvdone. She was sent to a hoarding-school in the West, and the expenses of her stay then? were probably paid through me bv Beecher, to whom I had stated the difficulty of having the girl remain in Brooklyn, and he agreed with us that it was best that she should be removed, and offered to bear the cost of her schooling. The bills were sent to me from time to time as they hccanie due. a part ot them through Mrs 1 ilton. Here are given two short notes in Mrs. Tilton's handwriting. signed bv this girl, purporting to exonerate Mr. Tilton from any improper attempts toward the voting ladv. saving that Mrs. Tilton's mother had repeatedly sought to hire her bv offering money and presents to go to certain persons and tell them stories injnrioua to the character of Mr. Til ton; that she had not. at the time of this occur rence, thought Mr. Tilton's caresses were for anv bad purpose, and that she did not want to be used by Mrs. Moree or any one else to bring trouble on her two best friends. Mr. and Sirs. Tilton. She characterizes a storv that Tilton had at one time used violence toward her for a bad Burpose as a " wicked lie. Mr. Moulton says this young lady, while at school, informed a friend of Mrs. Tilton (a Mrs. P.) of the stories of the family relations, and these stories having come to tflg knowledge of his (Mmiltoji's) friends', creating an impression upon their minds Unfavorable to Mr. Tilton, he took pains to trace them back to the one to whom the girl had told them, and soon after received from Air. Tilton a letter written by Mrs. Tilton to Mrs. P.. in which she says: "I have mistakenly felt obliged to deceive . . . these two years, that my husband had made false accusations against mo, which he never has to her or any one, in order that he may not appear on his defense, thus adding the terrible exposure of a lawsuit. Will you implore silence on her part against any in diguation which she may feel against him for the only ray of light and hope iu this midnight gloom is his entire sympathy and co-operation in uiv behalf?" Mr. Moulton here gives a statement of acconnt of the girl's school expense, and says all these sums were paid by Mr. Beecher and be (Moulton) forwarded the money to settle them through Mrs. Tilton. or sent money directly to the principal of tue scnooi at ner request. Mr. Moulton savs : Mr. Beecher was anxious to.ascertain Mr. Tilton's feeling toward him. aud to get a statement in writing that would seem to free him (Beecher) from imputation thereafter, and a letter is given, dated Feb. 7, from Mr. Tilton to Mr. Moulton, in which Mr. T. writes: " I say, therefore, very cheerfully that, notwith standing the great suffering he has caused Eliza beth and myself. I bear him no maiice. shall do him no wrong, shall discountenance every project, by whomsoever proposed, for any exposure of his secret to the public; aud. if I know- mvself at all, shall endeavor to act toward Mr. Beecher as I would have him in similar circumstances act to ward me." Mr. Moulton says he had known Mrs. Tilton well and hud had no suspicions of infidelity ou the part of either her or her husband toward the other up to the time of the reading of her original confession. On the 31st of December, 1S71, he received a letter from Mrs. Tilton asking that he bring to her, that they might be destroyed, her letters, the one he (Moulton) had and the one she had given Mr. Beecher ut his dictation the even ing before. Mr. M. did not accede to this request because "I had pledged mvself to Beecher that her retraction on the one side and her confession to Tilton on the other (which are the papers she refers to as 'my letter which you have and the one I gave Mr. Beecher') should not be given up, but should be held for the protection of "either as against the other." A letter is given by Mr. Moulton. written to him by Mrs. Tilton Jan. 4, 171 (but dated by mistake 1S7U). in which she emphatically aud in dignantly denies that she had ever sought a sep aration from her husband. The story that she wanted a separation was a "deliberate falsehood carried by my poor mother, who said she wouid bear the responsibility of this and other statements she might make, and communi cated to my husband's enemy. Mrs. H. W. Beech er, and by her communicated to Mr. Bowen." Another letter of Mrs. Tilton is also given to show that the story that she desired a separation from her hut band did not emanate from her. and was not in accordance with her feelings at that time. Jan. la. ls,71. Mr. Moulton says he had as a necessary precau tion to the peace of the family and parties inter ested interdicted all parties lrom having com munication w ilh each other except husband aud wife, uuless t hat communicat ion w as known to him. and the letters sent through him or shown to him. Mr. Tilton and Mr. Beecher both faith fully compiled with their promise iu that regard so far as he knew, but on his return from Florida iu the spring of is;i Mr. Beecher placed in his hand the following unsigned letter from Mrs. Tilton. in her handwriting, undated, but marked, iu his handwriting, " Beceived March 8:" " Wkds esdav. . "MtDkar Friend Does your heart bound toward all as it used ? So does mine. 1 am my self again. I did not dare to tell you till I w;is sure, but the bird ha sung iu my heart these four weeks, and he has covenanted with me never again to leave. Spripg has come Because I thought it would gladden voir to know this, aud not to trouble nor embarrass you in any way, I now write. Of course I should like to share with you my joy, but can wait for the bevond, when, dear Frank says, I may once go to old 1'lviiiouth. I will thank the dear Father."' He t!id not show this letter to Mr. Tilton. or in form him of its existence. On the !Mst of April, 1871, Mr. Beecher received another letter, un signed, from Mrs. Tilton. saving: "As Mr. Moulton has returned, will you use your inflti once to have the papers in "his possession de stroved? Mv heart bleeds night and day at the injustice of their existence." Mr. Moulton couli not comnlv with this request, nor did he show this second letter to Mr. Tilton, or call Mrs. T.'s attention to it. Ou the 3d of Mav Mr. BcccIk handed him still auotuer letter, unsigned, but in Mrs. T.'s huudw riting. and reading as follows: " Bkooki.vn. N. ., Mav a, 1871 " Mr. Beeciieii Mv future, either for life or death, would be happier could 1 but feel that you forgave, while you lorget me in all the sad com plications of the past year. Mv endeavor w as to entirely keen from vou all sufferinsr. to bear mv self alone, leaving you forever ignorant of it. My weapons were love, a large, untiring generosity and nest-hiding. That I tailed utterly we both know, nut now l asK forgiveness. Mr. Moulton savs the conteuts of this letter were so remarkable that " I otirried within mv own mind whether I ought not to show it to Tif- ton; but as I was assured by Beecher, and verily believed, and now believe, that they were unan swered by him, I thought it best to retaiii it in my own possession, as I have done until now; but from the hour of its reception what remained of faith in Mrs. Iillou s character for truth or pro priety of conduct was wholly lost, and from that lime lorta I had no thought or cure tor her repu tat ion, only so tar ad it affected that of her chil dren." Mr. Moulton having learned that Mrs. Tilton had been making declarations which were mill v ing the reputation of her husband, and giviug it to be understood that her home was not. a nappy one, because of the waut of religious sympathy between herself and husband, and sometimes speaking of her unhappiness without definin specially the cause, thti leaving for the busvboilies and intermeddlers to infer causes of unhappiness which she did not state, he called upon her and cautioned her in this respect, and subsequently received a letter from her dated Feb. 11, IS.", in which she says that until he had called her attention to the fact she had not seen nor felt that whenever in conversing with others to the shadowing of Theodore she became his cnemv. and that it was her who had hindered the reconciliation more than any one clses Sh says: " I have not been equal to the great work of" the past vear. I have done much to cause the utter misery of those I love best my mother husband, Mr. B., my dear children. After the sieuing of the "tripartite cove nant," Mr. Tilton desired the return to him of his wife's confession, to relieve-her anxiety as to its possible falling into wrong hands. Mr. Moulton gave up the document, w hich Mr. Tilton suhse quently iuformed liim his wile had destroyed, and she also confirmed the statement. Some time af ter this Mr. Moulton learned from Mr. Beecher that Mrs. Tilton had told him that when she made her confession to her husband of her intl delity with him (Beecher) her husband had made a like confession to her of infidelities on his part with other women. Mr. Moulton never hav ing heard Mrs. T. claim that her husband had made any such confession, although she had freely admitted her own transgressions with Mr. B.. brought the matter to the attention of Mr. Tilton, who promptly denied that he had ever madv any such confession, or that his wile ever "claimed that he had. They then had an interview with Mrs. Tilton, who then, in the presence of .Mr. Moulton alone acknowledged that she had told Mr. Beecher that her husband had made the alleged confession of infidelity on his part. Then, in the presence of Mr Tilton. linediately afterward, she said she could not have understood Mr. Moulton's question re lating to this matter, adding: liecause it lsn t true that Theodore ever made such confession, aud I didn't state it to Beecher because it is not true." The next morning Mr. Monlton received the following letter from Mrs. Tilton. without date. but it was after the tripartite covenant: "Dear Francis I did tell you two falsehoods at vour last visit. At Urst 1 entirely misunder stood your question, thinking yon had reference to the interview at vour- house the day before but when I intelligently replied to you I replied falsely. I will now put mvself on record truth full v. I told Mr. Beecher that, at the time of my confession. T. had made similar confessions to me of himself, but no developments ns to per sons. When vou then asked for your own satis faction. ' Was'it so?' 1 told my second lie. After vou had left I said to T., ' You know 1 was obliged to lie to Frank;' and I now sav. rather than make others suffer as I now do, I must lie, for it is a physical impossibility for me to tell the truth: vet I do think, Francis, had not T.'s angrv, troubled face been before me, I would have told yon the truth I am a perfect coward iu his presence, not from any fault of his. perhaps, but from long years of timidity. I implore you, as this is a side-issue, to be careful not to lead me into further temptation lou may show this to I. or Mr. a. or auy one as an effort made for truth. retchedly, (Signed) 'Klieabeth."' After the nublieation on th 2d of November. '72. in Woodhiitt ': Clafin't Weekly of the story of Tilton's and Beecher's conduct in relation to Mrs. Tilton, Mr. Moulton was continnally asked if such story was true, and he found it quite dif flcult in making an answer. In some cases he doubted not inquirers supposed be denied the truth of the charge, but upon that point he was verv careful not directly to commit himself. Finding that his silence was working injury to the cause of the suppression of ttie scandal, he told Tilton that he wished to be authorized by his wife to deny it. Soon after he received a paper without date from Mrs. lilton. in which she said: " For my husband's sake and my children's, I hereby testify wili all my woman's soul that I am innocent of the crime of impure conduct al leged against me. I have been to my husband a true w iie in his love. I wish to live and die. My early affection for him still burns with its maiden Came, all the more for what he has borne for my sake, both private and public wrong?. Having had the power to strike others, he has forborne to use it. and allowed himself to be injured in stead. I bless him every day for his faith in inc. w hich swerves not, and for standing my cham pion against all my accusers." Vpon the strength of this paper he then after ward said Mrs. Tilton denied the storv. About the frith of December, lb7i. Mr. Carpen ter and Dr. Storrs undertook to look up the re ports with the intention of advising some public statement, or as being concerned in some investi gation of the matter, and Mrs. Tilton wrote for them the paper hearing that date, as follows: " December 10. 17'i. "In J n It. 170. prompted bv my duty, I in formed mv husband that Mr. ll. W. Beecher. my friend and pastor, had solicited me to be a wife to him. together with ail that this implied. Six mouths afterward my husband felt impelled by the circumstances of a conspiracy against him, in which Mrs. Beecher had taken part, to have an interview with Mr. Beecher. in order that Mr. B. might know exactly what I had said to my husband. I wrote a brief statement, I have forgotten in what words, which my bus hand showed to Mr. Beecher. Late the the same evening Mr. B. came to me. lying very sick at the time, and tiled with distre-s, saying l naa ruined him. and wanting to kuo'.v if i meant to appear against him. This I certainly did not mean to do. nd the thought was agonizing to me. 1 then sigiiW: a paper which he wrote to clear him in case of a trial. In this instance, as in most others when absorbed hy one great interei or re:iug. the harmony ot my minu was enurei disturb"d, and I found" on reflection that this paper was so drawn as to place me most cujtistly ainst my nusnann aud on tne siae oi .nr. Beecher; so, in order to repair so cruel a blow to my long-suffering husband, I wrote an explana tion of the first paper over mv signature. Mr. Moulton procured from Mr. Beecher the state ment which I ave to him in my agitation and excitement, and now holds it. This ends my con nection witli the ra:'. I Signed i Ki.izabktii K. Tll.ToN. "P. S. Thin statement is mado at the request of Mr. Carpenter, that it nriy be shown conliilen tially to Dr. Siorrs ni:d other fi lends w ith w hum mv husband aud I are consulting." This paper was delivered to Mr. Monitor, and the theory of the confession theu was that Mr, aud Mrs. Tilton should admit no more than the solicitation, but that endeavor to makeau expla nation of the business fell through, and alter it was shown to tho-e interested, as I was told, the paper remained with me. Mr. Moulton received no furihei communication from Mrs. Tilton until ttie -'.Mh of June of this year, l(i", I, and that communication came to him iu this wise: When .Mr. Tiitoti showed him his (Dr. Bacon's) letter, he most strongly and earnestly advised against its publi cation, and said to .Mr. T. in substance that while he admitted the wrong and injustice of Dr. Bacon's charge, that he (Mr. T.l had lived by the magnanimity of Beecher. and that he was a dog and a knave," when he (Moulton) believed he haii acted a proper aud manly part in endeavoring t shield his family, yet that its publication would so stir the " public mind that an in vestigation would be forced upon him and Beecher in some manner, and that, the truth would in all probability have to come out, or so much of it that Mrs. Tilton and Mr. Beecher would he dishonored and destroyed, and Mr. Til ton himself be subjected to the severest criticism. Mr. Tilton iusikted upon the publication of the letter; the only inodificiition Mr. Moulton was able to get being that, whereas the letter originally read that Mr. Beecher had committed against Sir. Tilton and his family a revolting crime, ' as published it said "an offense committed against me." Mr. Moulton secured t his change in t he letter in hopes that a reconciliation might yet be etlceted be tween all the parties concerned, and an exposure be thus avoided. After giving a brief note from Mrs. Tilton, in w hich she asks hts forgiveness for having coupled his name with Mr. Carpenter's as having advised the publication of the Bacon letter. Mr. .Moulton says that having now placed before t he commit tee his statement of facts coneerni ug M rs. Tilton. and documentary evidence that he had to support them, and as they are diametrically opposed to nearly all that Mrs. Tilton appears to declare in her published statement, he deems it his duty to himself and to his position in this terrible busi ness to say that during this affair Mrs. Tilton has more than once admitted to him and to another person, whom he does not care to bring into this controversy, the fact of her infidelities with Mr. Beecher, and that she never has denied them other than in written papers prepared lor a pur pose w hich he had already exhibited. Mr. Moulton here gives a portion of the history of the connection of Mrs. Woodhull with this case after the fall of 1H71. He produces a li tter from Mrs. W. to Mr. Beecher, to the effect that two of his (Mr. B.'r" sisters were assailing her character, and that he (Beecher) knew that it was iu her power to strike back in a very disastrous way. and demanding mi interview. The interview wai held, at which Mrs. Woodliull desired Mr. Beecher to preside at her meeting in Steinway Hall, and fr. Tilton also urged him to do so. Mr. Tilton subsequently presided at the. meeting, thus, as Mr. Moulton believes, preventing Mrs. Woodhnll' attack ou the Beecher famiiy being made at that time. Dec. ), 1871. Mrs. Woodhull sent a letter to Beecher desiring that he would speak at a Woman's Suffrage Convention in Washington, iu the following mouth. This letter Mr. B. returned to Mr. Moulton with a reply and a note to Mr. Moulton iu which he says: "I do not mean to speak on the platform of cither of the two suf frage societies. What influence I exert I prefer to do on my own hook, and I do not mean to train with either party, and it will not be fair to press me in w here I do not w ish to go." Other letters are given by Mr. Moulton from Mr. Beecher, in one of w hich, dated March g.", 1 87-. lie says: "I have been doing ten men's work this winter, partly to make up loss, and partly because 1 live under a cloud, feeling every month that I may be doing my l.i-t work and anxious lo make the most of it. When Esau sold his birthright he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with teurs; tint ( have one abiding comfort. I have know n you. and found in you one who hus given a new mean ing to friendship." A letter is also given from Mr. Tilton, writen in the fall of 1H71, or thereabouts, on board of a passenger car on the Hudson ltiver Kuilroitd, Mrs. Beecher being also a passenger in the same car. Mr. Tilton says in the letter: Mrs. Beecher sits in the next seat. We are almost elbow to elbow in the palace-car. She is white-haired and looks a dozen yeurs older than when I last had a near view of her. My heart has been full of pitv for her. notwithstanding the cruel wav in which she has treated my good name. Her face is written over with many vol umes of human suffering. I do not think she has been uware of my presence, for she has been absorbed in thought. If I am ever to be vindicated from the slander which she has circulated, or which Mr. Bowen pretends to have derived from her and Mrs. Morse, w liv would it not be well to get from her and Mrs. Morse a statement, under oat h. by such a process as last evening docu ments made easy and harmless of the e:ii t narrations which they made to him und to others? If would be well to have them sav what they said before he gets a chance to say' what they said to him. My sullen neighbor keeps the dark and lurid past viv idly lit' fore my mind. If she actually knew the conduc t which her priestly husband has been guilty tX. I believe she would shed his blood; or, perhaps, sparing Bi in she would wreak her wrath on I is victim. " After the publication of the tripartite covenant, was made Tilton deemed, from tinr comment from the press, that the statement reflected upon liim. and lie desired that in some way Bee her should relieve him from the imputarion'of having circu'ated slanderous stories itboiit him without justification, for which he had apologized, and nv advice ol irientts he prepared a card for -Mr. Moulton to submit to Mr. Beecher tor him (Mr. B.l to sign and publish in his vindication. Mr. Beecher felt much aggrieved at this claim on him by Tilton. feeling that theVnatter had been all settled and adjusted, and he answered Tilton's application in this regard by l"iter, un der date of June 1, lt7J. published in fi II In Mr. Beecher's statement, and beginning "Mj Dear Frank: The whole earth is tranquil, am1 the heaven is serene." Meanwhile charges vcre preferred against Tilton for the purpose of hav ing ii i in uisiinsseii mini r i nioiiwi v iitiren. j ins action, which seemed to threaten ttie discovery of the facts in regard to Ihe troubles between Beecher and Tilton, annoyed both very much, ' and Mr. .Moulton feared that serioii dif ficulty would arise therefrom. Cpon consultation with Beecher and Tilton, Mr. M. suggested a dan by which that investigation would be rendered unnecessary, which was in substance that a reso lution should be passed by the church amending its roll, alleging that Tilton having voluiitarilly withdrawn from the church some lour years be fore, therefore, the roll should be amended by striking off his name. This course hud been sug gested by Mr. Tilton. In a letter to Mr. .Moulton, dated Dec. 31. 1H71, Mr. Beecher says to press ac tion iu the case would only serve to raise a profit less excitement; there were already complexi ties enough. He suggests that "if a letter ii written it had better be very short, simply an nouncing the withdrawal, and. pel haps, v, ith an expression of kind wishes, etc." But when the meeting of the church was held for that purpo-e, it was charged th-re that i liton had slandered the pastor. Tilton took I he stand. and said, in substance, that if he bad uttered any s:anders against Beecher he was ready to answer them, as Cod was his witne-s. Beecher thereup on stated that he had no charges to make, and the matter was dropped. But when the resolu tion was pa-sed. instead of being put so as to ex onerate Tilton. it was declared, in substance. Ihat, w hereas, certain charges had been made against ' him. and as he pleaded to those charges " non mnnbersl.jp." his name be dropped from the roll. This action of the church very mur h exas perated lilton. who thought Beecher should have prevented such a re-uit, and that he might have done so 11 he had stood by Mm fully aud fairly as agreed. In that, however. .Moulton believes Tilton was mistaken. he a tse Mr. Wil liam F. West, who preferred the cliari-es against Tilton. did it again-t the wish of Beecher and without any consultation with him. Meanwhile, through the intervention of Dr. storrs and oth ers, an tcciesiast. cai council had heen called The efforts of (his council in attempting to cis- liowship Plymouth ( huri li were very displeas ing to Beecher. audcatist-u bun much lroiih;e, es pecially the action of Dr. Storrs, Which he ex pressed to Mr. Moulton in a letter, dated March '. ls;4. in which he says: "1 am indignant beyond expression. Storrs" course has been n nt.speakable outrage. After his pretend'-d frieuu-nip for Theo dore he has turned again-t him in the inof, venomous manner, aixl it is not sincere. His professions of faith and affection for me are hol low and faithless. Triey are nier-!y tactical. Hi object is piain. He is determined to force a con flict, aitd ue one vf us to Ucntroy the other, IT