New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-11
Mr.. MOULTON BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

Mr.. MOULTON BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
PROTRACTED CONSULTATIONS WITH GEN. BUTLER
THE EXAMINATION FIFTY EIGHT MINUTES LONG
MR.. BEECHERs LETTERS IN MR.. wINsLOws HANDS
PLEDGES OF sECRECY-THE COMMITTEE SEEM
INGLY RELIEVED.
The minds of the members of the Plymouth
Church Committee of Inquiry and of Mr.. Beechers
intimate friends stirred with anxious expecta-
ton during the morning and the greater part of the
afternoon. Committeeman and counsel were hard
to find till the time for their assembling at No
"a Monroe-place and those who were encountered
after long search were very resoute to avoid ques-
tioning. A little before one o'clock the chairman,
H. w. Sage hurried from his office, No 10 Frontst,
to the place Of business of another member of the
committee, II. NJ Cleveland, at No. 10 Beekman-st.,
but learning that the latter had left the store for
the day, Mr.. Sage made his way more slowly back
to his office. There he was found by
TRIBUNE reporter in animated conversation
with j. l.. Hill, counsel for the Committee.
Mr.. Sage was in some perturbation Of spirit over
the anticipation of very long statement from Mr..
Moulton as he had heard that it covered about 200
pages of foolscap. He said that the Committee
would learn what Mr. Moulton had to present with
as little delay as possible, would give him cross
examination Immediately after, would hear Mr..
Beecher as soon as practicable, and hoped TO get
through their sessions on Wednesday evening. From
another person, who is well informed it was learned
that the object of tho Committee in having Mr..
Moulton's hearing put over from Saturday evening
to Monday afternoon was not merely to give mem
bers of the Committee opportunity for Sunday OF
rest out Of town but mainly to provide against the
possibility of Mr.. Mouton publishing his statement
on Sunday morning without any cross-examination
or anything else to offset its effect Ii was thought
that Mr.. Moulton's hearing would take up the
whole of session at least, and If that session
were Saturday night no cross-eIaminatlon OF
evidence of other witnesses could take place before
Mr. Moulton's chance of appeal to the public eye in
the Sunday morning newspapers. The belief gen.
eral in the Committee and among Mr.. Beechers
advisers up to the time when Mr.. MOultOn read his
statement yesterday afternoon that it would be
the strongest array of evidence which could be
turned against Mr.. Beecher.
Many minutes before o'clock numerous curious
observers beside the gathering of anxious reporters
had come together in Monroe-pl The members
of the Committee struggling along at irregular
intervals. Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Winslow were
nearly half hour ahead of time. Mr.. Sage came
next Mr.. White appeared at o'clock. and Mr..
Cahin, who has been present at few meetings OF
late was the last of the Committee TO arrive. Mr..
Hill was present before, but b, +. Tracy was
little late, not reaching the appointed place
till 20 minutes past the hour. Mr. Mouton had
not then come, and the Committee waited little
impatieuty for his appearance. A gentleman con-
nected with Mr. Moulton brought a message To the
Committee from Mr.. Moulton that he was detained.
but would come in few minutes. Mr.. Moulton's
few minutes We're prolonged to about an hour, and
the impatient persons waiting began to fear that he
Iod OH oil IA nd WOul a e.
ment after all. His supposed change of purpose
was ascrbed by some to Gen Buffers influence. 1t
was known that the Massachusetts, Congressman
had spent several hours with Mr.. MOultOn at his
house and il was supposed that he had dined there
and given his parting words of counsel and cheer as
he prepared himself for the meeting with his exam
iners AT $3.50 D. III. Mr. MoulOn left his house, No.
40 Remsen-st. with his stenographer, James f.
MunsOn of this city. small black satchcl
carried by Mr.. Munson was supposed to con-
tain the statements which Mr.. MoultOn would
read and the original letters aud documents
which he had been called upon to present
Mr. Mouton was very deliberate in his walk to the
place of appointment, although he was an hour and
half behind time, and anxious Committeeman had
appeared upon the stoop Mr.. Sorrss residence and
scanned all the approaches narrowly looking for
their witness At $40 D. he entered the house of
Mr.. Storrs.
Mr.. MOULTON's REAPPEARANCE.
An interval of harassing anxiety to the news
gatherers outside and to the groups OF idly inter
estsd spectators followed. 1t was generally sur
missed that Mr. Moulton had so much to present, and
would be cross-examned so fully that the session of
the COMMITTEES would last, without recess, far into
the night: and there was mnen srrpr . when, .
minutes after his entrance Into the house Mr. Moul
1.,r H.
humor, and made short and sharp replies or none at
all to the questions which were immediately asked
In answer to an inquiry if he had read his statement
he replied that he had read statement, and in re-
turn TO another question he said that lie had left
with the Committee the documents and letters
which he had ,aken with him. Hints of the char
acter of his tement he refused to furnish or to go
into explanations of any kind. He would not say
whether he should appear before the Committee
again. or if ne had been requested to do So When
asked if he had been cross-eXamined he turned
deaf ear. In regard to the publication OF his state
meut or of anything which he had presented to the
Committee be said that the Committee and lie had
agreed that nothing should be given to the press
until to-day at IL o'clock at the earliest. When
asked if lie would give his statement at that time
for publication Returned away from his questoners.
took the arm of his stenographer, and walked mood
| lily away. Mr.. MoultonS rather gloomy fetlcence'
and the dissatisfaction aud disturbance of mind
| under which he seemed to be laborng. which made
his appearance notably different from his usual brisk
and jaunty air. gave rise to surnses that his hear
ing was not pleasant one TO him, and that either
he had come into dispute with the Committee, had
been roughly hached in examination. or had
beer disappointed in the effect upon the Committee
of what he presented Mr.. Moulton went to his
house and showed disposition TO receive callers.
The Committee did not dispense till little more