Autograph, newspaper clippings, photograph, and booklet. Clippings include coverage of Henry Ward Beecher's trial in civil court for adultery in 1875, articles about him with sermon excerpts, reminiscences by his widow and posthumously published articles by Beecher. The 176-page booklet was published as part of the lawsuit and contains transcripts of the proceedings.

[Note: In the Scope & Content section, the notation "folder 2-5" means "box 2, Folder 5"]

Materials in this collection include an undated signature by Beecher (folder 1-1), many newspaper clippings, a photograph of Beecher, and a booklet. The clippings are from two series that appeared in the Ladies Home Journal. Clippings from 1891 and 1892 (folder 1-2) were authored by Beecher's widow and include reminiscences of their life together. Unpublished words by Beecher are found in the series dated 1893 (folder 1-3). One small clipping (folder 1-5) dated 1927 (newspaper not listed) tells about a slave girl who was purchased out of slavery by Beecher. There are many full size pages of newspaper clippings in Oversize Folder 35 (OS 35) which cover the trial of Beecher for alleged adultery with Elizabeth R. Tilton and some which contain articles about him with sermon excerpts. The Chicago Inter Weekly Ocean contains an article about the Beecher's last days just before his death. Items in OS 35 are listed below,

New York Herald, March 2, 14, 16, 21, 23, September 21, 1874;  February 21,  March 7, 21, 25, April 4, 7, May 21, 25, June 7, 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 1875.

The National Era, Washington, D.C., October 15, 1857

New York Daily Tribune, December 2, 1874

The Weekly Inter Ocean, Chicago, Illinois, March 8, 1887

Folder 1-4 consists of a 176-page booklet published as part of the trial. Beecher was pastor of the Plymouth Congregational Church at the time the charges were brought against him, and both Mr. and Mrs. Tilton were members of his congregation. The suit for damages totaling one hundred thousand dollars was brought by Theodore Tilton and began in the City Court of Brooklyn on January 4, 1875. This booklet is a verbatim report of the first eight days of the trial, interspersed with commentary and containing a portrait of Francis D. Moulton, a principal witness. Moulton was a go-between for Beecher, dealing independently with various persons and the Tiltons during the four years which elapsed from the time the charge was first made until the issue was brought into the courts. Contents of the booklet include the opening argument for the plaintiff by S. D. Morris and the examination of Augustus Maverick and Francis D. Moulton, the latter testimony on pages 60 to 176. The address to the jury by Morris summarizes the events of the years between July 3, 1870, when Mrs. Tilton first confessed her relationship to Beecher and the circumstances which led to charges in a criminal court in 1875.