Beecher–Tilton scandal
E79063
The Beecher–Tilton scandal was a highly publicized 1870s adultery and seduction controversy involving famed preacher Henry Ward Beecher and Elizabeth Tilton that captivated and divided Victorian-era American society.
Aliases (2)
Statements (48)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
19th-century controversy
→
adultery scandal → legal case → scandal → |
| allegation |
abuse of pastoral authority
→
adultery → seduction → |
| centeredOn |
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims
→
surface form: "Plymouth Church"
|
| chronologyNote | alleged affair occurred in the late 1860s and early 1870s → |
| country |
United States of America
→
surface form: "United States"
|
| defendant | Henry Ward Beecher → |
| endTime | 1875 → |
| genre | moral scandal → |
| hasMainSubject |
Elizabeth Tilton
→
Henry Ward Beecher → Theodore Tilton → |
| hasParticipantRole |
Elizabeth Tilton as alleged victim and participant
→
Henry Ward Beecher as accused seducer → Theodore Tilton as accuser and husband → |
| historicalContext |
Victorian era
→
surface form: "Victorian-era America"
|
| impact |
damaged Henry Ward Beecher's reputation
→
raised questions about marriage and sexual ethics → sparked debates about clergy morality → |
| involvesClergy | Henry Ward Beecher → |
| involvesLayperson |
Elizabeth Tilton
→
Theodore Tilton → |
| legalClaim | criminal conversation (alienation of affections) → |
| legalProceeding |
Beecher–Tilton scandal
→
surface form: "Beecher–Tilton civil trial"
|
| location | Brooklyn, New York NERFINISHED → |
| mediaCoverage |
extensive newspaper coverage
→
highly publicized in the American press → |
| notableFor |
mix of sex, religion, and celebrity
→
one of the most famous scandals of 19th-century American Protestantism → |
| peakPublicAttention | 1874 → |
| plaintiff | Theodore Tilton → |
| publicReaction |
deeply divided Victorian-era American society
→
intense public fascination → |
| relatedTo |
American religious reform movements
→
Plymouth Church investigation → |
| religiousContext | Protestantism → |
| religiousDenomination | Congregationalist → |
| startTime | 1870 → |
| subjectOf |
extensive editorial commentary
→
numerous pamphlets and sermons → |
| timePeriod | 1870s → |
| trialEnd | 1875 → |
| trialOutcome | hung jury → |
| trialStart | 1874 → |
Referenced by (3)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form: "Beecher–Tilton civil trial"
this entity surface form: "Sickles–Key scandal"