The Portland daily press., 1875-02-19
THE SCANDAL.
Conclusion of Tilton,s Testimopy.y

Conclusion of TIItOn's Testim
NEW YORK. Feb. 1S-On the assembling of
the court this morning all of the parties to the
suit were observed to be present.
Mr.. Tilton, IN answer to Mr.. Sherman, re-
piled that he knew Katie Mcdonald and that
she was an old servant in his house.
He directed her to send two or three trunks
of her things to Mrs. Tilton's after she left.
Witness recognized photograph of the Rev.
Dr. Storrs, Rev. DR.. Taylor, DR.. Joshua Leav-
lit of the Independent, now dead and Horace
Greeley Witness couldn't say if be had given
these photographs to his wife. Witness also
recognized the portraits of Judge Morse aud
Frederick Douglass.
To MI. Beach-This is photograph of Mr..
Beecher when he was younger man than he
is now.
To Mr.. Fullerton@These portraits of DR..
Storrs did not find in the closet that L know
of. They are fresh and clean and may have
been bought in Fulton street yesterday for all l
know told Kate Mcdonald that when Mrs.
Tilton wanted anything in the house she could
have it by sending for 1t. She packed the
trunks that were sent to Mrs. Tilton
To Mr. Shearman-l made careful search
through the house after Mrs. Tltoa left but do
not remember finding these photographs there.
found the plaster cast of my dead child's face
on the box in the closet She sent for it, and 1
not only sent that but also all the little SouVe-
Eirs that were attached
Geo. A. BELLS Testimony. q
Mr.. Tilton then resumed his scat, and Mr.
Fullerton called Geo. A Bell who testified:
[ live on Columbia Heights in this city; have
lived in Brooklyn about q years. have been
a member of Plymouth Church since 1S47. /
was at Mr.. Kalliday's house when Mr.. Tilton
came there for an interview. l think this was
on the day of the fire in Woodruff & Robin
sons store. This so called scandal was SUBJ
ject of conversation at that interview. We al
talked about it. The interview lasted for over
four hours 1t began by Mr.. Tilton urging me
t,,r poain in tho parlnr Mr. Halli1au
in the request and 1 remained Mr.. Tilton be-
gan by stating his reasons for calling ON Mr..
Halliday. He said he had called there at the
request of Mr.. Moulton who had been told that
action would be taken by Plymouth church in
the scandal matter, and that Mr.. Moulton had
thought it best that the deacons of Plymouth
church should not hold their meetings. He
then went on to tell of his troubles with MI.
Bowen and the Independent. l urged him to
make denial of these stories against hisl wife
and his pastor. He replied that he could not
make the denial, for he thought there was
something in this story on underlying truth
which might make it bad for Mr.. Baecher. l
asked hin what proof there was OF this. He
said the proof existed in writing above the sig
nature OF Mr.. Beecher. He said ut is not in
my possession, but will let you see it." He
told us that letters were in Mr.. Moulton's pos
session. and that il we went in our ttcial ca
pacity to Mr. Moulton we might see the letters.
The last two hours of the interview were spent
III irving MI llGOll W itI US sec tutSo IctIClos
Mr.. Tilton went at length into his acquaint-
ance with Mrs. Woodruff, which he said was
for the purpose of REFRESHING this scandal
which she threatened to publish. | had an in
terview before this with Mr. Beecher early in
the morning, when he said he had sent for me
on hearing that meeting of the deacons was
about to take place that night and he was anx-
ious that the meeting should not take place, as
he was going to Boston. He desired that it be
postponed. He asked me to see Mr.. Halliday
I 81
with his wish that l went to Mr.. Halliday's
house on that occasion when met Mr.. Tilton.
1 think Mr.. Hawkins was one of the deacons
at that time. Mr.. Halliday was deacon ex;
officio. When Mr.. Il. left Mr.. Haliiday's /
told him Halliday why l came there. He
said that Mr.. Beecher was mistaken and that
the deacons would not meet. l still retain my
membership in Plymouth church and was fire.
quently member of the examing committee
and deacon.
Mr.. Fullerton said this was all and the de-
fence might go on.
Mr.. Evarts moved that all the testimony of
this witness should be stricken out with the
exception Of that portion relating to the inter-
view with Mr.. 7.
The motion was denied and an exception
taken,
The witness was cross-examined by MI.
Sherman and replied:
was well acquainted with the sentiment of
Plymouth church at this time. think the
rumor about the deacons meeting arose from
erroneous ideas of conversation among the
committee Cd the previous Friday evening" 1t
was the opinion generally of the Plymouth peo-
pie after the publication of the Woodruff
scandal that no notice should be taken of it by
Mr. Beecher or the church. 1t was the pre-
Yailing opinion that Mr.. or Mrs. Tilton wonld
contradict these storieS but when they didn't
do so their feeling changed against silence to
action, and it was thought that the church and
Mr. Beeeher should deny the stories. None OF us
at that time had the remotest shadow of
thought that Mr. Beecher was guilty. l
think the whole scandal was the stain on the
church and not Mr.. Tilton's presence there.
Witness was asked if at the close of the year
1870 he became aware of any difficulties &C.
curing in the Tilton family and if MIR. Beecher
was consulted in the matter This was also
objected to and was the cause of another argu-
ment between counsel
Judge Nelson decided in disallowing this
question. Several other questions of the same
nature varying but little in their significance.
and relating to the same subject were put to,
Mr.. Bell by Mr. Sherman, but they were OBJ
jected to by the defense and ruled out. Wit
ness was also asked if he had conversation
with Mr.. Beecher in the latter part of 1870
with regard to Mr.. Tilton's dismissal from the
Independent by Mr.. Bowen on account of some
immoral stories that were being circulated
about him (Tilton), and whether a separation
between Mr.. and Mrs Tilton was not talked.
This was also objected to followed by another
argument but was finally ruled out by the
court.
After the recess Mr.. Bell resumed his seat in
the witness chair, and Mr.. Sherman ANNOUNCE
ed that he was through with the cross examin-
ton.
Witness said that two or three points had
come to him during the recess, and one of them
was that during the interview TiltOn had said
that Beecher had committed an offence against
his family which he would not designate. He
also said that Mrs. L. was pure, using strong
expression to convey his meaning He also
said if the deacons sheld a meeting they should
go to Beecher for information and not come to
him.
Joseph Richards Testimony.
The next witness called was Joseph Rich
ards In answer to Mr. Fullerton he said, Il
reside at Mont Clair, N. j., but lived ten years
ago in New York am a brother of Mrs. T.
sidered Mr.. Tilton's home model one in every
respect. I think this was the condition OF the
family prior to July. 1871. Mr.. Titon's con-
duct towards his sfamily was generous, kind
and loving L have known Henry Ward
Beecher when was publisher of the Indepen-
dent. L saw him very frequently, probably for
eight years. 1 probably met Beecher first at
the residence of Tilton when they lived in Ok
ford street. but often saw him at the house in
Livingston street. | do not know how often L
saw Beecher there during the day. saw him
in the parlor of the house on one occasion. L
went to the house at IL o'clock and found him
there when called. Witness explained to the
court that he was here from dire necessity and
not of his own seeking, and that he was placed
in what will be observed as very cruel posi-
ton. NA "a
Witness continued: On one occasion l called
in the morning at the house and opened the
parlor door, and L saw Beecher in front room
and Mrs. L. making hasty motion with a
flushed face and leaving her position beside
him which left an impression on my Iuind |
cannot fix the date of this definitely. j.! do not
know if it was as early as 1868, but il was a
number of years ago, but was probably prior to
1870. 1 went to the upper part of the house
before going into the parlor. Beecher was sit
ting about opposite the front entrance beside
the door, Mrs T. was moving towards the
front window. 1 did not remain long in the