Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-24
THE BEECHER CASE.
BESSIE Turner's EcideHce.
4 Vigorous CrOss-ENaminati0
From the ". J.. Herald.

The great subject of the crowd and the Cos
sips yesterday was Bessie Turner'S cross
examination. Great results were looked for
from Fullerton's tilt with this one OF the two
inhabitants of the Tilton household who
could testify, the other being Mrs. Morse.
General opinion ran that Bessie would
weaken, contradict herself, and make help
less cripple OF her original testimony under
the well-infOrmed and caustic croSs-ques-
tionlng or the most unsparing and nimble
rapiersman who ever faced a witness. The
result was not very complete success. The
lawyer appeared TO know as much about
Miss Bessie Turner as she knew about her
self; but he could not, for all that, make her
change her story. II he tripped her she fell
back To a bit of fact, and reiterated that and
stuck to 1t, like boy to his prisoners base.
From this main fact she would skirmish a
little way out, but, If chased, returned TO the
line OF security again. There seemed no way
TO overturn her testimony but to do il by re-
putting evidence. Nevertheless Miss Turner
cid tell a different story in a number OF i'm
portant respects from that which she gave
before the church committee of investga-
ton. She admitted, without evasion, that
what she said on the night she was aues-
TONED at the house of Augustus Storrs, after
a preliminary examination by Gen. Tracy,
was wide OF the mark. AMI that oy refreshing
her memory at subsequent leisure, and COM
pairing dates and consulting diaries. she had
arrived with precision at the facts OF her pre-
sent narration. These differences are very
grave, however, and would appear to
Indicate that the young lady had q very
poor memory seven months ago upon the
details and order OF two such important
events as repeated attacks upon her chastity.
Before the church committee she reversed
the order of what occurred, gave the where
abOuts of Mrs. Tilton, and said enough to
enable the plaintiff in this action TO pursue
her out and prove possibly other wherea bouts
for himself or her at a fixed time. For in
stance, Miss Turner, before the church COM
mittee, said that Mrs. Tilton was absent at
the period when she became subject to Til
tons assault, and described where she was.
Yesterday she simply swore that the assaults
were in warm weather, in the years 1868 and
1863, and not in the year 1861, as she at first
said. Nor was she able 20 recall any other
circumstances. Consequently Bessie Tur-
ner's charges are now reduced to the charges
themselves, sworn to, but substantiated by
no testimony but her own. She testified yes
terday that Tilton dictated the letter where
she accused herself of telling lies against her
patron and patroneSs, under the malignant
then signed il. She undertook no eXplana-
ton of her feelings or motives in thus falsi-
tying herself. The other letter she wrote to
Mrs. Tilton, saying it was a wicked lie that
she was carried screaming from her bed TO
Tilton's, she accounted for by saying that
Mr.. Tilton demanded il Of her. Her present
testimony omitS the screaming.
Consequently, yesterdays cross-examina-
ton leaves Miss Turner's testimony in stain
quo. Those who espouse the plaintiffs cause
say that Bessie has annihilated what she SOL
emily related in the first place, and prepared
different story containing the same charges
against Tilton while under the tuition of
Mrs. Morse and others who have resided with
her at Brooklyn boarding house. These
partiZans of Tilton point TO the reckleSsness
of young girl relating two wholly different
stories under different kinds of necessity
about matter so important TO every mall
den's good name and modestY.
On the other hand, Mr.. Beecher's friends
are delighted with Bessie Turner's teSti-
mony. They say when she appeared before
the church committee she had little or no
notification of what she was to appear for,
and told her tale as il occurred TO her at the
moment, and that If she subsequently re-
freshed her memory, and has carefully
omitted her original mistakes, IL all goes TO
prove her righteousness. They also say that
The fact of her willingness TO appear for Mrs.
Tflton, her benefactress, at the risk to her
womans future which such an unwholesome
narrative may have, is proof of her sincere
intentions TO be grateful and just.
Bessie Turner's intelligence, promptnesS
and smartness had TO be admitted by both
sides. OF course there was nothing more re-
markable about her style and grade of mind
class generally. for ever since it became ap-
parent that there would be suit in court
Bessie Turner has had nothing TO do but TO
get ready for the stand.
FULLERTON AT BESSIE.
Bessie closed her testimony al ten minutes
of twelve, and took drink Of water with a
pallied face, using both hands to hold is.
There was long pause, some talk and merry
anticipation before Fullerton arose. He had
the perfect silence of a large audience as he
arose, with his famous eyeglass az the end of
undesigning voice, Miss Turner" Red
color, In spots and splashes, covered the girls
cheeks In q few minutes, although they had
been pale as If in a fainting spell few min
utes before. She nervously fingered her fan
with her olive colored kids, spread and shut
il, and peered out at the people in the ante
room standing on table and staring into the
court The manner OF Fullerton toward the
witness was gentlemanly, but not assuming.
His power does not much lie In badgering.
but IN incision and mastery OF the facts and
the mind of the witness.
THE FIRST INCISI0N.
After few minutes Fullerton got in the
first point on the witness by making her slip
The time of Tilton's visits to her bedroom
from 1861 to 1868 and 1859. She was for the
first time staggered, and before she re-
covered Fullerton put In a letter which COM
pleted the destruction Of her cseerfulness
and confidence.
BESSIE DENIES HER LETTERS.
Judge Fullerton then handed a letter to
witness and asked her I'm whose handwriting
IL was. She studied the letter pretty closely
and then said she could not recognize the
handwriting.
This letter from the secret archives of the
plaintiff, v as not considered by the witness
In the spirit of perfect candor. Shedenied at
first that IL was her handwriting, and said
She could not tell until She had read IL
through. Then she said she did not think IL
was hers. Fullerton and Beach, both smiling