Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-20
TILTON ON TRIAL AGAIN.
Bessie Turner Gives q Had Account OF
Him.

Oetn "A. turner kBeSsleD was called to the
stand as witness. She testified, in answer
TO ex-Judge Porter IL became an inmate of
Mr.: Tilton's house in April, 1864, and re-
manned there ten years. They were then
boarding with Mrs. Morse, in Livingston
street. 1never was there as a servant or in
the receipt OF wages. / assisted Mrs Tiltoa
in the care of the children and the household
AFFAIRS. L usually slept with the children in
the next room to Mrs. Tilton, and was al ways
treated as one of the family. Tilton always
treated me very kindly. He was in the habit
OF kissing the children, and he also kissed
me. used TO comb his hair. and he would
take me on his lap as he did the children. He
would also read and converse with me. Mrs.
hilton was very loving towards her husband
and children and fond of her home. she
would pray over the children when they We're
retiring 10 rest, and would give them re-
IiglOus instructions on week days as well as
Sundays She was always gentle and kind
in her way of speaking to people, and
especially so toward her husband; in the
earlier days OF my living there Mr.. Tilton
was very Kind to his Wife, but as lime p,o-
pressed there came change, which viSi5Iy
Increased
MR.. TILTON's MOODS.
Mr.. TiltOn was always very variable i'm
his moods; he would be very restless in one
OF these moods, and, with his hands in his
pockets, would walk about the house, max
ing every one uncom forta BILE; on these occa-
SlOnS he was very eXactlng when at the
table; his manner to his wife was very un-
kind, but hers TO him was alGa S gentle; she
would sit down beside him, if he lay on the
sofa, and try to SOOthe him; on one occasion
she refused 20 take any meat. and he became
excited and said II was all her mothers
damned orthodoxy. On one occasion he re
proved Mrs. Tilton at the table. before the
children and me about the horrible grammar
she used. On some occasions he objected Il
certain articles being on the table and
other times IcprOved Mrs. TiltOl ,or not
having 1t there remember on one occasion,
At the WOmanS rights meeting at Mr.. TIL
TONS when Mrs Tilton was standing by -IT
TiltOn'S side, ne said Elizabeth don't
stand beside me, for the comparison is too
great, and don't wish people TO make com.
paTisons.' Mr.. Tilton had also a habit Of
changing the pictures ON the walls. Attire
an his nightclOtheS he would take the pic
lures down and hang them up again. He
was also in the habit OF trying all the bells
IN the house before he could make up his
mind To remain in one / remember, on one
occasion, changed my bed twice, as ne said
ne wanted 10 Uy the beds to ascertain which
was the softeSt Mrs. Tilton fOllOwC hi IN
around with pillow in her arms Til -
suilen moods OF his would last for two o.
one occasion
WHEN LITTLE PAUL WAS VERY I'LL
Mr.: Tilton went out and stayed the whole
night. Mrs. Tilton was very much troubled
and said SO. She indicated her trouble by
walking up and down the room and stairs
and listening when she heard carriage wheels.
approximations were felt for the childs safety.
When Mr.. Tilton came in Mrs. Tilton went
up to him and said, "Oh, Theodore, darling,
i am so glad you came in; have been so
troubled" She did not krow what had han
pened to him. and the child was so i'll. Tilt6n
threw himself on the sofa and said il did not
matter, and he began Stroking his hair /
know of one or two instances in which he
offered objections TO her friends coming to
the house, but She always treated his friends
|. well when they came. On one occasion Mr..
Iilton was away on lecture tour and Mrs.
Tilton he'd q trouble with her wet nurse,
Kate Smith. When he returned she went to
him and asked for his advice and he said not
10 trouble him with her household affairs,
but TO manage them without his interference;
that If she desired to keep Kate Smith she
might do so, but if she desired to discharge
her then let her go; but in no case 20 come to
him about the matter. The witness was
asked if Mr.. Tilton was in the
HABIT OF SCoLDING HIS WIFE,
10 which Mr.; Beach objected, but the ques-
ton was allowed, and the witness said:-I
heard Mr.. Tiltoh scold his wife frequently
before the children and myself He has had
her in The room several times and the door
locked, talking harshly TO her, and using
prolane expressions. L never heard her voice
raised on these occasions. This habit of
locking himself up with her occurred ~ va
rious times, and the bell would ring .requent-
ly for meals TO which She would not come
down. / remember one Sunday afternoon
two gentlemen were in the room, and he
talked TO her in an angry manner; / cannot
recall the conversation that took place then.
On one occasion heard him upbraiding her,
and she said she would do all she could, and
was trying TO make every dollar go as far as
She could. IiltOn was very faStidous about
his food and on some occasions when he
came down 10 breakfast he was angry be-
cause the beefsteak got dry while waiting his
coming down stairs. Sometimes there were
dishes OF whey prepared for him. Parties
were in the habit Of saying TO the children
that their mother was a most unSelfish wo-
man, and MI. Tilton would misconstrue this,
and say she was selfish woman.
BEFCHER FREQUENTLY CALLED
al Mrs. Tilton's; his manner was gentle
manly, but never saw any Improperly in
their conduct toward each other. / never
observed any different treatment to him, as
compared with Other friends who called l
remember him going up TO the sitting-rCom
ana talking and playing with the children.
Mr.. Greeley, Mr. Ovington, Mr.. Bates, Rev.
DIR. Haven and Others were in the habit of
calling, but they received the same treat
ment as Beecher. GShown some photo
graphs. These | saw in the house; there
were three or four portraits of Beecher i'm
different places IN the house. There were
looks in the house which had been presented
by BeecheI.
THEODORE IN BEssIE's BEDROOM
On one particular occasion Tilton visited my
room in 1860 and we had conversation. Ihad
not been in bel long wheh he came in and
said he came TO kiss me good night. He
passed his hand over my hair and forehead,
and then put il down Oh my neck. / took it
away and he said: ''Why. Bessie. you are
very modest; people in the best classes OF
society do not object TO these little fdmiliarI-
ties" told him did not care what they
DID IN the best classes of society, would not
permit II. He then talked of marriage, and
said that should permit him TO careSs and
love me, and no harm would come to me.
and was frightened by seeing man in my
room. i jumped~up and asked who was
there, ana he said, "Hush, ii is only me, Mr..
Illton." then fou nd he had carried me into
his room; asked him why he had done this,
and he said he felt lonely; told him L would
not permit such liberties to be taken with
Inc, and then got up and left the room; the
next morning at breakfast Mr.. Tilton did not
say anything about 1t, but after he went
away took the boat fof Keyport, where
stayed for some time; Mrs. TIlton was then
away from home; / return ed when found
that Mrs. TiltOn was in town; / did not at
that time tell Mrs. Tilton what transpired
between her husband and me; 1 went to Ma
fietta in the spring of 1870, and remained
there on a visit to Mrs. Putnam about eight
or nine months; returned on the 9Th of De-
cember, 1870; Mrs. Tilton came there, think,
in October, and remained a month or six
weeks there; / returned with Mrs. TiItou,
because she was feeble, and did not like to
trust her alone; Tilton met us at the depot
with carriage, and we reached home about
or o'clock; Miss Ellen Dennis was at the
breakfast table the next morning; she ap
peared to occupy the position of
HoUSEKEEPER AND MISTRESS.
Miss Anthony was there; at dinner Mrs.
Tilton took her seat beside Tilton and burst
out crying; sh lie went into the next room and
Miss Dennis said, s'Well, this Is strange con-
duct in Elizabeth" Triton said to me-
bessie, don't you think Elizabeth is de-
mented?" and replied, mo- do not but
your conduct is enough to have driven her
into lunatic asylum long ago" Tilton fol-
lowed her into the other room; followed