A Very Victorian Scandal

02/22/24 • 60 min

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In 1874, the most famous preacher in America, Henry Ward Beecher, was publicly accused of adultery. The story became one of the greatest sex scandals of the 19th century, and led to a shocking trial, in which Beecher’s accuser, Theodore Tilton, sued Beecher for ruining his marriage. The trial would reveal just how hard it can be to find answers in a courtroom, especially when a celebrity is involved...

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History on Trial - A Very Victorian Scandal

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:01.040

You're listening to History on Trial, a production of iHeart Podcasts. Listener discretion advised. On August twentieth, eighteen seventy four, Theodore Tilton strode into the Brooklyn City Court, his golden hair glowing in the sunlight. Nearly a head, taller than most men and famous to boot, Tilton drew attention wherever he went. But today he wasn't trying to be recognized. He was here on private business. Private for now, at least. Tilton was