New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-05
do not expect to record any increase on either
side of the account.
BETTEB LATE THAN NEVER.


The only measure by which the light can
be made to shine upon the dark places OF the
Brooklyn scandal was taken on Friday by Mr..
Beecher, in appearing before the Grand Jury
and procuring the indictment OF Theodore
Triton and Francis ID. MOultOn for the crime
of malicious libel. The indictment does
not rest ON any technical point or
any side issue. The question raised is
one involving the vital merits of the case.
Tilton is accused of malicious lying in charg-
ing Mr.. Beecher with criminal intimacy
with Mrs. TiltOn, and with perjury in his
affidavit denying such intimacy. MOultOn is
indicted for falsely saying that MIR. Beecher
had confessed to him his criminal intimacy with
Mrs. Tilton and with another person. No
verdict can be given on such an issue which
shall not be decisive. If Mr.. Beecher is limo
cent these men are guilty. If they are &C
Quilted he is condemned. There can no longer
be any middle ground. This trial will decide
between the pastor of Plymouth Church and
his assailants. When it closes he will have to
leave his pulpit, or they will have to go to jail.
1t is scarcely possible that the contest before
a court of justice can result in drawn battle,
with cloud of doubts and INVESTIGATIONS, and
no positive assurance of truth on either side.
If the case be now thoroughly tried, the mat
ter may be finally put to rest
While no one can help regretting the new
floods of foul evidence which this judicial
investigation will pour out upon the country
we think there will be few who will not
approve the conduct of Mr.. Beecher in fore
ing the present issue. There was no other
way of settling the dispute. The suit OF Til
ton against Bcecher for adultery was
derisory one from the beginning. If it ever
came TO trial the fact of TiltOn's
confessed conformation would put him out OF
court. The libel suit brought against MOultOn
by a lady whom he had so brutally assaulted
did not touch the merits of the principal
question. The public unquestionably looked
TO Mr.. Beecher to appear in the attitude OF
prosecutor against the men who have stirred
up this unprecedented scandal. 1t was not
matter of merely personal concern
The community is directly interested in
the issue now joined. II these men
tell the truth, then Mr. Beecher should
not be allowed to pollute the Christian
religion by his ministratiOns. If they lie, 1t
would be general disgrace to permit them
to escape punishment after having for 80
MANY months filed the public mind with such
poisonous deflement. Mr.. Beecher might
forgive if he chose. the crime against him
self But he has no right to forgive the crime
against the public involved in that unwhOe-
some familiarity with the vilest forms OF do
nestle misery which MOulton and TiltOn have
propagated throughout the length and breadth
of the land Ten thousand immoral and OBJ
scene novels could not have done the harm
which this case has done, in teaching the
science of wrong to thousands of qulck-witted
and curious boys and girls.
It is the fate of Mr.. Beecher and nothing else
which is to be decided by the result of this
trial. We do not wish to PREJUDICE it. nor to de-
part from that impartiality we have main
tanned since the miserable business began.
We shall not relinquish the hope which we
share with all clearly people, that the most
eminent preacher of our time may prove to
be innocent of the disgusting crimes which are
laid at his door. But the truth Is more
important than any mans fair fame, and we
trust that the truth may be ascertained in the
strict analysis of a criminal trial, no matter
who suffers by it. We must repeat however,
that as it appears to us, MIR. Beecher is the
only person whose reputation can suffer
materially The others have nothing left
to lose, and little to gain. Ii they
established the fact of Mr.. Beecher's
infamy, they could drag him down
to their own level. but could not make of
his ruin a pedestal for their own rehabilita-
ton. Mr.. Titon has given a picture of him
self which even to those who believe his story
makes him something monstrOus and repul-
siye And Moulton in his last statement
showed depth of ferOciOus depravity
which is entirely Independent of the issue of
this particular case. The question to be decid-
ed is not what manner of men they are.
That is well enough known. The public now
wait to hear court of justice say merely what
kind of man Mr.. Beecher is.