Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-08
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@oUcAoH 81 tine StAo0s
NE pAxrop or PLYMOUTH CHURCH TEsTIFfINo ~
His own BExALF-HE ID PERFECTLY co'I' eAA.'
AND STEADY.
Mr. Beechcr's evidence was begun Thursday
After some testimony from JAS. Redps'h' nj
Evarts, turning to Mr.. Beecher, sAid
"Mr, Beecher, will you he swornF
He rose when Mr. EvArta spoke, anu WIN
only look and smile at his faithful wiie, VINO
turned her white thin face mp to MN - ne
arose, he stepped behind the plymouth group,
the witness. chair. He mounted the STAND mpoh
which it rests The officer prosecuted the Mpie
for him to be sworn, but he mouoned As'ue,
aud, turning full upon the Clerk, nftea up ms
right hand The Clerk, supposing ne as s 10
affirm. had begun to adnn ster that form Oh
oath, when Mr.. Fullerton and Mr.. beach obJec-
ted, unless Mr.. Beechcr should declare mat ne
had conscientious ecruples against swearing
upon the Scriptures. briei diseuss'o" oo'
tween the Judge aud Mr.. Beach WAS
BROUGHT 10 AN END BY Mr. BxEcnER
himself. who declared that no had such consci.
eptous scruples, The clerk then began again
'.You solemnly affirm and declsre"-when Mr..
Beecber dropped his arm, and Mr. Evarts Vt the
came moment explained that MIR. beecner took
the oath in the New England form. Again the
pre- ssive tones, and in manner strangely unlike
the rusty, mechanical habit Of speech which has
grown upon him in long years OF service
''You solemnly swear by the ever living God
that the evidence you shall give IN TINS issus
joiued between Theodore Tilton, plaintiff, and
Henry Ward Beecher, shall be the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the TRUTH
Mr.. Beecher,
UNLIKE ANY OTHER WITNESS
who has preceded him, and with most rsveren.
tAl bow, his eyes cast down, answered, ~ 40.
II any Of the auditors anticipated anything
s, Aaa
Once the reporter thou hit he raw his upifted
hand tremble rs he took the oath; but 1t was
probably imagination. His voice WAS as I'M
changed as his habit and his look, and when he
Lad dropped his hat, and taken from ms shout.
ders his cloak and thrown it across his lett arm
was the same familiar face that 10 seen on every
Friday evening in the Plymouth Church Lecture
room. And throughout the rest OF the day't
session he sat there unchanged, unanected: ap
parently as cool IS If in his lecture-room. WEI
bly, he was the least affected in the room.
HIS MANNER
WAS entirely nnconstrained. He was attired n
usual not change in his habit his long gra.
hair was disheveled as ID usually is he LOOKED
As he always does except that his face was--no
pHler-but less flushed. Otherwise 1t was tht
throughout the trial except on the exciting oc
casion when Mrs. Moullon told her strange
story OF his confession to her.
SUMMARY OF MR.. BEsoHER's TESTIMONY.
The testimony OF Mr.. Beecher yesterday may
be called preliminary. 1t WAS All outline nara
tive, an abridged history. Of 10 early life ant
struggles, his subsequent religious and politica
services, his domestic relations and his intimacy
with Mr. Bowen, Mr.. Tilton, and MIR. Moulton
II led from his birth down to the eventful per
nod of December, 1870, when, according to the
theory of the defense, the conspiracy began. II
Is narrative not without interest, but 1t cannot
with proprety be said to form part OF the de
Tense or to furnish an explanation OF his course
i'll reference to the issues Of this SUIT. The de-
Tense proper will doubtless begin to-day. Il
WAS not without its purpose and bearing on The
case, however, and some of the points Of inter
est are worth elucidation. Throughout it wa,
characterized by fine touches OF sentiment ant
hunor, and several times Mr.. Beecher in u few
phrases drew striking sketches of character
1t was natural to anticipate that the defens'
would elaborate Mr.. Beechers statement of hi
services during the war, and particularly abroad
Mr.. Tracy, IN ~ opening address. had PLACED
great stress upon the signal services performed
by Mr.. Beecher in enlightening public opinion
abroad But the point was dismissed with
single question or two, to which the answer
were brief, and the jury were left to recall Al
best they could what aid he had rendered at tina
time.
The growth of Plymouth Church from embryo
to its present magnitude, with between $500 an.
5000 commandments the building up Of tn
Independent and The hristidn Union (the lat
ter from a circulation of 800 to- $4,000 in
piH6io sSal bue VI
volumes-all these lsbors were merely men
TONED as ordinary events. The great he'll
which his wife had given him during all TIN
years Of their married life was, however, NOR
fully dwelt on and emphasized
few minutes occupied with the de
PENDANTS account of his early friendship wit
MIR. Tilton. Mr.. Beechers manner in giyin
the history OF their former intimacy WAS entire
ly devoid Of the. humor with which he had al
swered the unimportant questions Of the MOI
ming, and his voice hesitated at times az thong
he were deeply moved. He also told of first &C
quaintanee with Francis D.. Moulton, and thi
part OF his narrative seemed to arouse ono
more his sense Of humor, and he laughed ou
right rs he described him "a worshiper
james Russell Lowell and Shakspeare's Sol
nets" MIR. Beechers first acquaintance wit
Mrs. Tilton was then explained. He liza
known OF her when she was girl. but had L
personal acquaintance with her until she was
be married to Mr.. Iiton Then he called upo
her at her husbands request. This stage
the inquiry elected from Mr.. Beecher an O.
PLANTATION OF the circumstances under whit
some OF his presents were made to Mrs. Tito
The first of these was a Brazilian topaz broocl
which he had brought to her from Europe
1860, where he had also purchased little presen
for as many as thirty other friends. He al
explained how he came to give her the pictu
OF the trailing arbutus The questions in rega
to this period Of Mr.. Beechers acquaintance o
cupied only short time, and the narrator pass,
rapidly to the year 1870.
MI. TulieTtoH uuen moved MS cnalr clOse
that of Mr.. Beach, and the two lawyers were
constant consultation. Frequently when NJ
Evarts would put question Mr.. Beach won
object, but instead OF starting up to argue d
point with his usual earnestness he frequen,
turned to Mr.. Fullerton and conversed with III
in low tones for few minutes. The consult
ton sometimes ended in the withdrawal of n
objection without argument. These tacti
seemed to indicate that the spectators were n
the only ones who had been led by Mr.. Eyarts
preliminary questions to believe that none
the main points of the defendants testimoi
would come up for their consideration duriI
the afternoon. Mr.. Evsrts's course with Il
witness was clearly a surprise to his opponent
Mr.. Beecher narrated the circumstanc
which led him in December, 1870.
write to Mrs. Iiton the note advising her to 30,
arate from her husband, which the defense q
firm was one of the grounds OF the letter
contriton As much of the note as contain,
MIR. Beecher's advice was put in evidence, b
the latter part OF it, which contained Mr.. Beec
ers reasons for his advice was not read M
Eyarts made an effort to have the conversation,
between Mr.. Beecher and Mrs. Tilton regardil
Mr.. Tllton's treatment of her admitted in Il
defendants testimony. Mr.. Beach object,
strenuously, and arguments OF consideral
length followed each side. About tire
quarters of an hour were occupied with the d
cussion OF this point, but after Judge Nelson Ii
gwen his decision ruling out the conversation
Mr.. Beach withdrew his objection, and they we
admitted. Mr.. Beecher was discussing this to
ic at the adjournment.