Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-19
NEW YORK.
8eechersTiltOn .

| He testified:
At the meeting in October, when the Woodruff
scandal was discussed ell the members named in
the record were present There were also others
present. among them Mr.. Fitzgerald. / do not
think Mr.. Bell was present. participated in that
discussion. l never said that Mr.. Beecher did not
want the church to take any action nor. used any
language to that effect. l never uttered that SEN
| timent. may have said what could be construed
| in that way. told the meeting that when Mr..
Beecher examined the papers containing the
scandal he said he had made up his mind not to
| notice them. did not say this to influence the
meeting any way. My impression is that Capt
Duncan was present, and the records say that Mr.
West was present. (Witness was here handed
book. This is the record book OF the meetings
Of the deacons, containing all the minutes Of the
meetings of the board.
Mr.. Fullerton offered the book as evidence.
Witness continued -
l never said at the meeting that had called it
at Mr.. Beecher's request, but l said something
which might be construed that way. l did not
say anything in substance hk that.
The counsel for Bcecher objected to the plain
tiff examining the book of records, along with
his counsel.
The court sustained the objection.
Mr.. Fullerton said that there were portions Of
the book which he desired to offer 10 the evil
dence.
An argument here ensucd over the possession of
this book of record,
Mr.. Fullerton handed the book finally to the
witness and he was asked with regard to previ-
Gus meeting, but he did not answer the question
After little further argument under the courts
direction, witness was instructed to turn to the
meeting previous to that of October 80, 1872, and
when he had found it handed the book back to
Mr.. Fullerton.
A brief interval was then spent in an examina-
ton of the book of records by Mr.. Fullerton.
Witness continued:
At that meeting did not say tina. it was Mr..
Beecher's intention that we should try to live the
stories down. l was q member of the examining
committee then. The meeting of the board of
directors were separate from these. do not re-
member when the next meeting of the board was
held after this, nor do remember the meeting of
the examining committee after this. There was q
committee appointed from the examining commit
committee appointed do not know.
Mr.. Fullerton here read entry from the rec
ord book Of The examining committee, dated Dec.
6, 1872, at which a resolution was offered empow
ering the appointment of Mr.. Beecher, Mr.. West
and Mr.. Davenport as committee to wait upon
Mr.. Tilton, and Mr.. West was appointed chairman
of that committee.
The witness stated that he believed he was pres
ent at the meeting when this resolution was Of
fered.
Witness continued
l saw Mr.. Bell the previous evening at the
meeting of the deacons on Oct. 80, but did not say
a word to him about it. do not remember that
Mr.. Bell told me that Mr.. Beecher did not want a
do not think Mr.. Bell said one word to me about
Mr.. Beechers wishes in that respect. think Mr..
Hawkins and Mr.. Ropes were present at the meet
ing of deacons.
The first meeting with Moulton l had was in the
spring of 1872. think it was pastoral call, and
may have been in the house from fifteen minutes
to half an hour. l called again on the day of the
deacons' meeting. Mrs. Moulon met me at the
door and asked me into the parlor, where went.
/ said to her, "How is it that you are mixed up in
.ha mil ClaHi dol hQ fhat
she did not know what right Mrs. Woodruff had
to use her name, she had nothing to do with it.
l said something which do not remember, and
she replied that Beecher was her pastor, and 81
believe in him, and that nothing people could say
would affect her confidence in him one particle
No person called my attention to Mr.. Beecher 5
portrait at that time. NV attention was called to
it at one of my visits there-the first one, in the
spring of 1872. 1t was hanging on the east wall
of the house. Ny conversation with her ON that
occasion was very brief, not lasting more than ten
minutes.
| cannot tell if the committee of which Mr..
West was chairman, made report. When the
West charges were presented was clerk of the
committee and made the entry On the minutes.
The charges were presented at the meeting In
June, 1873, in the church papers. Mr.. West him.
self presented them, the action taken being to al
low him to make them. They were incomplete
and were referred back to MIR. West for compile
ton. After their being referred backto Mr.. w.
a third specification was added and they were pre-
sentcd in q complete form the following week.
Mr.. West, Capt. Duncan and myself were present
and there were others also present, but their
names l do not know. had several conversations
with Mr.. West about the charges before they
were presented the first time and endeavored to
dissuade him from their presentation. I did so
because l thought they were not being presented
properly. l think the documents of the West
charges are among the papers in my possession at
home, or else in the custody of the gentleman
who became clerk after me. (He was handed a
document.) This is in part copy of the West
| charges, but it is not the original paper. This
think is in the handwriting of the clerk of the ex-
| aiming committee.
| The witness corrected his previous testimony
about his objection to the presentation of the West
charges and said what he meant to say was that
his objection to the charges was grounded on the
fact that they were being presented in an irregu-
| lar manner
| Witness continued -
| In reference to Mr. Tilton's name l only advised
that it be dropped from the rolls of the church.
| | advised the examining committee not to lnvesti-
gate the charges against Tilton. Most Of the com
mittee were in favor of investigating these charg
es. The conclusion of this affair of the West
charges was in Oct. 1872. Mr.. West told me he
did not go to Tilton about these charges as he
ought to have done as church member. This
was one of the reasons thoughtthe charges were
irregular.
Adjourned.
Freshet Items.
|
| New York, March Is. A Port Jervis special to-
day says the Delaware river is now within it;
banks Large quantities Of ice continue to float
past, with lumber, fences and debris Of outhouses
No further danger is apprehended there
| Bnghampton March 10. The ice gorge in the
| Susquehanna river at Hooper remains the same as
last evening. The thermometer registers 10 above
zero. The water is falling slowly
nAbany, March Is. The change in the temper
ture has stopped the flow of water INTO the Hud-
son river and the flood in the latter has fallen 70
| inches.
| Sentenced.
Buffalo, March Is. J. H. Randall well known
eastern horse jockey and trainer, convicted of per-
jury was to-day sentenced to the State Prison at
| Auburn for two years. The counsel will move for
| n writ of error.
The Western FreShets.