The Portland daily press., 1874-08-17
ANoforiaus Visitor.

Saturday forenoon it was nosed about the
city that MI. Francis d. Moulton, the veritable
individual who has become SO conspicuously
mixed up in the Beecher-Tilton affair, was in
town, Upon investigation, our reporter ascer-
tanned that it was really true, and that Mr.
Moulton had arrived Friday evening at 1920,
on the Eastern Railroad train. At Salem he
met Gen. B. T. Butler, with whom he held
consultation. The object of Mr.. Moulton's
visit here was to obtain rest for day or two in
this city and also to call upon some business
friends. 1t will be remembered, perhaps, that
Mr.. Moulon is the junior partner of the most
| extensive salt, fish and warehouse concern in
the country, Messrs. Woodruff s. Robinson.
| Mr.. Moulton is man above the ordinary
height and rather stout in appearance, with
| ford complexion, auburn hair growing low on
| his forehead, and slightly careless, moustache
| also about the same color, shoulders broad and
considerably bent, eyes keen and countenance
| intelligent, but showing marks Of debauchery.
The impression obtoined in viewing the indi-
vidual is that he is a shrewd but INSCRIPTIONS
business man, and just the person who would
delight to show himself deep and dee-vilsh
sly" in such an affair as the one now being ex-
hibited before the whole world.
While here he declined to be interviewed.
but from gentleman who held conversations
with him and the parties upon whom he called
while here, we haze obtained the following in
formation
In answer to the question if he had any sug-
geston or statement to make in view of Beech
er's severe and scathing statement he said that
he had not and relied upon the statement ne
had already submitted to the committee. He
did not even make any casual remark as to
whether Beecher was right or wrong. which, in
view of the terrible allegations against Moul-
ton as designing blackma:ler and hypocrite,
is rather strange, to say the least. He said he
had not irten tionally or otherwise acted dis
honorably to either party, and was considerably
surprised at Beecher's apparent going out of
his way to impugn his motives or to convey to
the public the idea that he (Moulton) had acted
dishonorsbly toward him. He declined to ans
wer whether the statement of "Gath," Geo.
Alfred Townsend) in the Chicago Tribune, was
true or not. He again said he fell back on his
original statement. He declared it would not
be right for him to state whether he intended
at all to answer BeeeAers statement any more
than for a lawyer or friend to reveal the conf
dence of his client or friend.
Subsequently in conversation with parties on
whom Mr.. Moulton called while here our in
formant learned that he was singularly retcent
and did not seem disposed to say much about the
scrape. He really appeared serious and medita-
tive, as though he was in deep trouble, whether
concerning his own or others position, of cour
is unknown. In answer to a remark that he and
Tlton had recently spoken very highly of the
Plymouth church committee now investigating
the case, as gentlemen of honor, integrity and
worth, and the query being added, "Do you
still hold to that opinion" he replied, eyes,
do"
The opinion entertained by several parties
with whom he had conversation here is, that
both he and Tilton are somewhat astonished
that Beecher after all remembers so much and
gives so many facts in SO strong and conclusive
manner Mr. Moulton left here Saturday
afternoon in the g. Is tain for Gloucester, Mass
where he passed the Sunday with Gen. B. +,
Butler, at Bay View, the latter's summer resi-
dence, and he will return here to-day
Last year Mr.. Moulton went outside this port
with party of our prominent citizens on
sword fishing trip, and has acceptedsa similar
invitation for this, season, and the party will
probably leave here within the coming week or
so, if the other members of the party will con-
sent to associate with him since the recent rev.
Citations as to his character.