New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-15
TUYrE INrEREsrING WITNESSES.


sides to know what effect has been produced by the
testimony thus far produced for the defense; ana
eager inquiry is made of persons supposed 10
be in q position to learn public sentiment on
this question Of course individual opinions diner'
and the inquiry elicts nothing more trustworthy
than individual opinion.
what is the effect of Mr.. Wilkeson,s testimony"
asked Gen. Tracy, continuing the conversation else
where reported, adding that he had no time any
longer to read the newspapers. The repor'e,
answered that the opinion which he had heard
very generally expressed referred mainly TO MI
Wilkeson's aggressiveness while under Ine
brisk fire of cross-questoning leveled at hlm'
Gen. Tracy laughed heartily, and then
growing serious made an observation wh'cl
indicated plainly that he very well
satisfied with the testimony, and Thought
ii of such character that the plafntlnr
counsel would have hard work to meet it. Indeed
Mr.. WikesOn's appearance on the witness stand mas
caused a great deal of comment on all SIDES
and it is generally conceded that ne
is the best witness whom the defense
has thus far put forward. Following close upon
the heels of Oliver Johnson it natural that MI
Wilkeson should be put In comparison or CONTRAST
with that witness. true criticism would place.
them in contrast, for they were IN many respects
direct oppostes Mr.. johnson, without beng I'D tne
slightest degree nervous WAS tAccc"ibsiJ
while on the stand; Mr. Wilkeson, on the contrary,
was not merely sef-pessessed but very positive ana
aggressive, and in fact disposed to be little
dictatorial Mr.. johnson two or three times
apologized for going further in his an
swers than the rule allowed Mr.. Wilkeson
several times went further than the rules OF evil
dence permitted and when once started IN the FOR
hidden direction no circumstances could stop him.
Those listening to Mr.. Wkeson when he was cor
recting the lawyers as to the record, and when nc
was insisting that Mr.. Evarts should hunt up OLD
rulings of Judge Nelson, almost expected that the
witness would announce and insist on some ruling
for his own guidance, and were not greatly sur
prised and were greatly amused when. at the close
of bis testimony, he made almost as pronounced o
speech to the jury as ever COL Sellers
INDUCED in. The lawyers on both SIDES
pronounced him "a splendid witness"-the words
are Gen. Pryor's-and speak especially of his bold
ness and tact at the opening Of the cross-examna-
ton in declaring that be had, the direct exami-
ton, quoted the precise words Of Mr.. Tilton." The
scene in the courtroom at this moment was a very
curious and interesting one. 1t very bold
thing for witness TO thus put himself at the mercy
of q skillful cross-examIner and as Mr.. Wilkeson
uttered the words, which committed him 10
the exact repetition of the precise Language
of conversations two and three years
old the eyes of all Mr. Beecher's counsel
were leveled like so many batteries. directly upon
him. Mr.. Porter and Mr.. Abbott glanced dOubtingly
at each other for moment as if to ask, Can he
do it ~ Mr. Sherman aud Gen. Tracy looked up
ne1vously from the book which they were Jointly
consulting; and Mr. Eyarts moved nearer to Mr.
Beach, who was examining as if to be ready
to protect the witness Mr. Beecher the only
one of the group his side of the house who seemed
4, Mr. N he
tenacity of his memory; and even Mr.. Beecher for
the moment quilted his wife's side and moved to
seat few feet the witness.
Mr. Beach rot slow in permitting the witness to
test his memOry-tO prove his " remarkable qualIh-
catiOn'-and the consequence was that Mr.. Wilke-
son recalled in Mr. IutOns precise words every
thing the plaintiff had said damaging to his own
cause-and then Mfr. Wikeson stopped and remem
bered nothing mere. Mr.. Beecher and his lawyers
hugely enjoyed the grim humor of the witness,
while the other side apparently did not
In connection with Mr. Johnson's appearance in
court to correct his testimony of the day previous
it may be stated that two curious results fol-
lowed Mr. Johnson had testified on the first day
that that occasion was his second appearance in
court On his coming again, there went around the
rumor that having got a taste of the pleasures
of a cross-examinatiou, Mr.. johnson eager
for more. The moth attracted by the flame
that scOtches him." suggested Gen. Pryor, as he
saw johnson coming forward TO the witness stand
But Mr.. johnson wished only to correct his answers
and the record. He called attention to one or two
trivial errors he had made in his responses, and to
one question which he had not understood he had
afterward found it reported in The TRIBUNE
ThereupOn Mr.. Beach and Mr.. Evarts united In
saying that they had understood the question diff
ferently from what it was reported But upon
Of nf TIM
TRIBUNE reporters, 1t was found that the memories
of the lawyers, aud not the record itself, were at
fault. The language had been correctly reported
But az Mr.. Johnson had now again mounted the
stand, Mr.. Beach began cross-examinatIon to show
that although temperance man, the witness drank
wine and tried TO show further some act done by
Mr.. johnson which was not strictly proper. 1t was
only by Insnuation, however But, on inquiry, it
was found that the information on this point had
come to the counsel after Mr. johnson had retired
the day before, aud that the information consisted
of an affidavit, the contents of which could not be
learned and to the allegations of which the depo-
nent had not sworn. Mr. Beecher's friends consider
that the testimony given by Mr. Cowley has very
important bearing on the on the theory of the
defense. While much of his testimony has impor
lance only as being cumulative of the testimony
already given concerning Mr.. Tiltons relations
with Victoria Woodruff Mr.. Beecher's friends
say that some Of it bears out in strong
degree the theory of a conspiracy be-
tween Mr.. Tilton, Mr.. Moulton and
Mrs. Woodruff against Mr.. Beecher !;
and that this is especially shown by Mrs. Woodhurs
language, declaring that Mr. Beecher would be com
PEELED to pursue the course which she desired They
also think that it shows that Mrs Woodruff was
entirely in Mr.. TiltOns confidence throughout the
early days of the trouble that Mr.. TitOn knew that
she in possession of the story subsequently pub