Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-08-05
The witnesses relations and feelings

The witnesses relations and feelings
toward Mr.. Beecher since January l,
1871, when lie made the apology, down
to the time when the church began to
put out It's right hand and take the wit
ness by the throat, were friendly. They
were friendly in the sense that they were
not in collision with each other, but
their feelings were not those OF friend
ship. The witness had taken Beecher's
apology and given his word that he
would not have him exposed.
els it your sentiment that that is
an offense for which one man can apollo
gise to another?
Al know there is q code of honor
among gentlemen that a man cannot
condone such an offense; but [ can't
see what of1ense man can't forgive
where an apology is made by the per-
son committing it to the person against
lieves in the Christian religion he ought
to. I sometimes forgave, and some
times I did not. I do not know line
of difference.
Is that your handwriting? (Show-
ing slip of paper on which was writ
ten ssH. W. B. Grace, Mercy and
Peace. Sunday morning. T. I'd aF
Al remember that one morning
Beecher met me in the street, and
told me how much pleasure it gave
him. I have said kindlier things than
that to him.
Odd you feel as you spoke?
Al did. Mr.. Moulton said two or
three times, ''Mr. Beecher is in great
depression, Can't you do something
to cheer him? One morning I walked
to church with him. In many circum-
stances l manifested feeling of kind
ness toward him. It would be lie to
say I had warm friendship for Mr..
Beecher, and I felt as kindly to him as
if the offense had not been committed.
If I had been a man morally great [
would have blotted it out and trodden
it under foot. was competent to for
give in large degree. I forgave him
in my best moods, but at other times
I did not. / am not a very large man.
In reply to an inquiry whether Mrs.
Woodruff came frequently to his
house, and whether his wife did not
persist against her presence there, the
witness said Mrs. Woodruff was there
three times at his house-once to meet
Mr.. Beecher. Mr.. Moulton made that
interview. It must have been in 1871.
Mrs. Woodruff and her husband came.
The witnesses wife expressed indigna-
ton against the woman. He told her
Mrs. Woodruff was too dangerous
woman, and that too much Of the wei
fare of the family depended on her
He told his wife the way to get along
with her ana prevent this coming out
was to keep friendly with her. It was
fatal policy, but then it seemed the
only thing they could do. The mistake
was in not being friendly with Blood
instead of Mrs. Woodruff. That was
the blunder. His wife always felt that
the policy was a mistaken one of try
ing to do anything with Mrs. Wood,
hull. She objected violently to his
writing the sketch of Mrs. Woodruff.
He read part of it to her. Mrs.
Woodhull's husband wrote a biogra-
ply and wanted the witness to re write
it because his style was more vivid.
The witnesses wife said she thought he
would rue the day. She was far wiser
than he was.
The witness was asked If he had his
wife's letters with him. He said no.
He was perfectly willing to carry them
before any Judge, or In the presence Of
some outside parties. but would refuse
to hand them to the committee alone.
There were six gentlemen determined
if possible not to find the facts but to
vindicate Mr.. Beecher, and If he should
hand over Mr.. Beecher's apology per
haps they would not return 1t to him,
though he did not mean to make that
implication. He did not mean to give
them a chance. The committee and
counsel protested against the implica-
ton.
To question as to his wife's devo-
ton and purity of life, the witness
said she was pure, unless technical
meaning was applied toward purity.
She was victim. She was not to
blame. She sought consolation from
her pastor, and he took advantage of
her orthodox views to make them the
net and mesh in which he ensnared her,
and for which the witness held him in
a contempt which no English words
could describe.
Q.--Was not she. Mrs. T1lton, dis
tressed at any suggestion of impro-
priety.
She was particularly so, and she is
more so than ever, because in her
early days such thought was never in
her mind but when it had passed
through her experience 1t came out
with this contrition. That is the truth
of the case. She never sought to have
been taken away from her home You,
gentlemen, you did it. Mr.. Tracy,
thou art the man.
Q.-When did you first bring your
wife's attention to the TACT that you
found there was something wrong in
Beeeher's caress .t
At must have been during the
early years We lived in our present
house. About 1862. Never spoke Of
it afterwards, because Elizabeth blot
ted out the idea OF wrong at that time.
I was very young, and utterly unsuspi-
cious. When [ spoke to her about it
she was little confused and denied it.