New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-03
MP RFFCHER,S MANNER.

An ATTEMPT was made yesterday to describe Mr..
Beeoher's personal appearance and bearing in the
witness chair, but the effort unsatisfactory to
the writer and probably disappointing to the reader
twas too much like the task of describing familiar
picture TO admit of any originality; for Mr.. Beecher
in the witness chair only Mr.. Beecher in Ply
mouth prayer meeting reproduced. But it may still
be interesting to readers to know of the manner in
which he delivers the grave testimony which in the
public estimation is to settle the forever one
way the other for it is not too much to say that
80 far as the public verdict involved Mr.. Beechers
testimony on direct and crOssexaminatioD, will end
the controversy finally.
In the first place. then, notwithstanding the fact
that Mr.. Beecher is the most deliberate of oil the
witnesses thus far called. he is also the most ami
mated, except Miss Turner in his manner of re-
citing the facts relative to which he is called to tes
tif$ He is involuntarily an actor his accompany
ing gestures do not merely grace his speech but
illustrate his meaning. When he quotes the precise
language of any persen with whom he has conversed
he not only initiates the voice but reproduces the
gestures aud the air and bearing OF the speaker
So natural is this habit that he not only initiated
yesterday the voice and illustrated the manner of
Mr. Tilton, but when he came to describe the scene
with Mrs Tiltou on Dec go 1870 when she made the
retraction of the charge of improper proposals. his
voice changed to the appealing tones of weak and
almost dying woman. He even threw back his
head closed his eyes, and folded his hands over his
breast as he described the position occupied by Mrs.
TilLon. In detailing the conversation with Mr..
TiltoD on the same evening, Mr.. Beecher took from
his pocket sheet of paper to show the size of the
one which Mr.. TiltOn had produced as con-
tanning copy of the charge of improper
proposals, and be went ON describing Mr.. 1iltOn in
theact of tearing the paper to pieces, Mr. Beecher
mechanically tore mis- slip into fragments and threw
them upon the floor at the feet of the foreman of the
jury.
During the relation of the scene with Mrs. Tlton
Mr. Beeeher, being called upon to repeat the con-
versaton with her. became visiby affected and his
voice was choked with emotion The majority of in
cidents yesterday of serious character; very
few of the strong expressions usually designated as
"Beecherisms' when proceeding from him, cropped
out. Once when asked the topics upon which he
and Mrs. Tilton generally dscoursed, he enumerated
books pictures the condition of the church, Bethel
schemes and charities, and he added, above all
of Theodore Tilton" Describing the delivery of
Mr.. Tllton's letter by Mr. Bowen, Mr.. Beecher had
stated that Mr.. Bowen had declared that he was
ignorant of its contents. II handed it to him to
read" Did he read it," asked Mr.. Evarts. He
did" was the answer; and then the witness dryly
added in an undertone. "No doubt with surprise"
These characteristics of Mr.. Beecher are general;
they are observable throughout bis entire testi-
mony, ranging from lively to the testimony
changes from minor to graver matters. His manner
of narratng the more exciting scenes and important
events gave rise to several striking incidents.