Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-09-19
MOULTON's second statement has

|
appeared. 1t is very long, but really
adds little to what he has before
told. lie enters more into partcu-
lars, but fails to produce any direct
evidence to support the charges
made. As to whether Mr.. Beecher
did or did not commit adultery with
Mrs. Tilton this new statement
throws no light. The most serious
charge in this last manifesto of Moul,
ton is the charge that Beecher com.
mitted rape on ayOung woman,
several years ago. This story start
ed from Bowen, who said he had il
from the girls own lips, and Moul-
ton introduces a letter which taken
by itself would give some color ia
the charge. But Beecher's friends
say that the letter was written for
a very different purpose than that
claimed by Moulton, as will be seen
by what Gen. Tracy, Beecher's coun-
sci, says below. A reporter called
on Gen. Tracy Saturday, and got
his opinion rs follows:
after hasty reading of the document l
see nothing in it except Mr.. Moultons asser-
tons that he can prove any of his charges
| ct NIr Raachnr HE iufarannas from 1pf.
tiers are utterly unwarranted and seem to be
malicious. There was not n single fact. so far
as ! have been able to discover, fortified by
documentary evidence in this last statement,
That he had won Mr. Beecher's confidence.
and held it firmly for long time, there can be
no doubt. No documentary evidence was
needed to prove that and that is all his letters
do prove. 1t has all tho characteristics of a
special plea rather than of statement. His
explanation of the charge of blackmal does
not help him, and does not differ, as see,
very materially from Mr.. Beerher's statement
of it," Mr.. Tracy's attention being called to
the portion of Mouton's statement III relation
to the SO called rape ola virgin, he said: "The
use Of the lady's letter by Mr.. Moulton is one
of the most atrocious and damning outrages
that l have ever known to be pcrpetrated-
The lady referred to had business difficulty
with Mr.. Beecher fourteen years ago, and out
of that difficulty there was very sharp and
angry correspondence on her part with Mr..
Beecher. She spoke harshly and severely of
him to others, but Mr.. Beecher's letter show
cd that she had Inexperienced his action
and while she accepted his exp lanations and
resumed friendly relations with him, she never
quite felt that she had not been wronged in
that matter. This note. which is now pub
and was simple statement that she enter
tanned, fourteen years afterward, when the
note was written, no harsh or unkind feeling
toward Mr. b. growing out of that transaction.
The note itself clearly shows that it could
have no reference to such transaction, rs it
is now brought forward and used by Mr..
Moulton. Mr.. Beecher turned this ady's pri-
vate letters. with others, over to Mvulton for
safe keeping, and now Moulton attempts to
wrest from its true meaning and to make them
evidence to prove IA transaction that never ex
isted and which never had any foundation in
fact. No improper relations ever existed be-
tween this lady and Mr.. b., and they were
never on even especially intimate terms. The
friends of this lady, some days ago, hearing
of the use Mr. M. was about to make of this
letter, caused to be made to him a full expla-
nation of its meaning, and Mr.. BIS. correspOn-
dencc which occurred fourteen years ago, re-
lating to the matter and fully explaining it, |
was shown to Mr. Moulton's intimate and con-
fdental friend, and the injustice and outrage
of such a use as is now made of that note was
clearly pointed out to him. That this infor
nation was conveyed to Mr.. NJ, and that he
fully understood it, his own statement clearly |
shows. because he refers to the efforts of his |
friends to save her from this great outrage
1t is difficult for the imagination to conceive
of a crime blacker than the one Moulton has
committed on this lady" IN publishing these
remarks of Gen, Tracy, the Brooklyn Eagle
heads the extract from MoultOns statement
IN the subject "The Edna Dean Proctor
Letter."