Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-01-23
THE BEECHER TRIAL-SO.HE OF ITS
INCIDENTS.
THE CRoss-IxAM1NAr1oS OF MoULToS.

HE I VI -AoILAO->'
Mr.. Moulton was according to the Tribune
used as q witness to prepare the way for the pre-
sentaton of the defendants case and the cross
examination was conducted, therefore, after the
manner of direct examination. This Will readl-
" be illustrated. Mr.. MoultOn, hitherto In this
care, has appeared in the light of Mr.. Beecher's
friend. deyeting himself with untiring zeal to his
service from December 80, 1870, to midsummer,
1874. He has been introduced to the jury as Mr.
Beecher's confidential friend, who remained true
to him until the charges Of blackmal were made.
The defence, on the other hand, introduced Mr..
Moulton as the schoolmate and lifelong friend OF
Mr. Tilton, going fishing with him in the summer,
taking him to Narragansett Pier during several
seasons, visiting him frequently, dining with him,
acting as his banker, helping him when the Gold
en- Age was started, lending him money conduct
ing the negotiations for the award of $1,000 to him
for the abrogation OF the Bowen contracts, sym
pathizing with his views regarding woman suffrage,
and joining him in his attentions to Mrs Wood
hull. Again, Mr.. Tilton has appeared as man
who could have crushed Mr.. Beecher but who was
unwilling to expose him. The letter of Mr.. Ill
ton to friend In the West was called out by the
defence to show that he had denounced Mr.. Bow
en- as drawing an assassinating dagger upon Mr..
Beecher, and that he had regarded the Woodruff
publication as wrong and an insult to his wife.
The reply which Mr.. Titon wrote to Mr.. Bowen's
notice of dismissal, it was shown, was put in type
in the office Of the Golden Age, and sent to Mr.
Bowen and Mr.. Beecher. Again, the prosecution
have introduced Mr. Moulton as the advocate of
the policy of silence at every stage OF the contlo-
versy. The defence questioned him closely In
regard to his intimacy with Ms. Woodruff, in or
der that the jury might infer that the first
public accuser Of Mr.. Beecher had derived hints
from him. lie admitted that he had talked with
her upon the subject of the scandal but denied
that he had described the pistol scene to her as
she subsequently represented. The meeting be-
tween Mr.. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher on December
had hoo 1asc hal 10 tba inv rnl lot n
wholly to the main cause of this action. The
dismissal Of Mr. Tilton from the Independent and
the Brooklyn Union had nothing whatever to do
with this meeting. Ex-Judge Porter elected the
fact that prior to that meeting MIR. Iilon had in-
formed him that Mr.. Bowen had threatened to
dismiss him, and described an angry interview be-
tween them in relation to Mr. Bowen's charges
against Mr. Beecher. Mr.. Tilton had then told
him that he had no doubt that Mr.. Bowen's
charges against Mr.. Beecher were true. Mr.
Beecher, according to the plaintiffs side, invaria-
bly, shrank from making public denial Of the
truth of the charges. The defence intimated that
Mr.. Beecher had favored the public reply to the
Woodruff publication, but that Mr.. Moulton had
counselled silence. Mr.. Beecher's letter chaleng-
ing Mr.. Moulton to produce the letters which had
been intrusted to him was read in evidence, al
though it had been excluded on the previous day.
Mr.. Moulton admitted that Mr.. Tilton had assist
ed him in preparing reply to this letter In these
and other respects, the cross-examination was an
indirect opening OF the defence.
CONDUCT OF THE Defendant.
Mr.. Beecher, like all the dramats persona, has
changed conduct during the trial. He began it
under the excitement of its novelty and publicity,
with an eXuberancc of confidence and a certain
amount of enjoyment its drollness. He has for
several days past been conspicuous for his sobrety
and negatveness, and his coarsest adversary could
not observe anything in his conduct TO criticise.
Yesterday he moved forward among his lawyers,
tl,n.n &c
showed that he designed to be saved by works as
well as by faith. A high idea of his intellect is
held by his adversaries at the bar, and they say
that they see the very finest touches of the de-
fence in his personal suggestions.
AN IMPORTANT PARSONAGE IN THE COURT
Room
Very few who enter in the morning leave the
room before the hour of adjournment arrives
Many of the spectators come provided with lunch
es, notably those who occupy seats in the gallery.
Between and o'clock in the afternoon, ham
sandwiches and mince pies are in great demand,
and when the supply of these articles of indiges-
tlon fails the hungry spectator is obliged to satisfy
his appetite with measure of roasted peanuts
After the principal characters in the great suit the
ancient vender OF pcs, who haunts the Court
House, ranks next in importance. He, too, ap-
precaies his power, and bestows his iavors accord
ingly. And his demeanor has grown cold naughty
and stately. This high-strung pieman has become
par OF the trial now, and he brooks familiar
ity. lie administered, yesterday to prominent
member of Plymouth Church a crushing rebuke
"These mince pies are very bad" remarked the
church member in question. "Werry bad, sir"
replied the pieman; "but they're not half as bad
as the langwidge as you've been listunin' to all
day." The pieman, on the first day Of the trial.
was the meekest man in the court room.
MouLToN AND HIS PARTNER.
Mr.. Moulton smiled when he took his seat
smiled all the way through, and when he rose to
get his overcoai, smiled again as he whispered to
friend that ii was easy to tell the truth. lie was
not disconnected at any stage of the proceedings,
but played with his handkerchief with an express
sion of amusement on his face, enterely at his
ease, and, as many of Mr.. Titons friends claimed,
was 'the best witness ever seen in couit" A
very suggestive thing was the appearance Of
Moulton's senior partner, Woodruff, who is not IA
relative Of his, but, on the contrary, Il very con-
seryaiiye and unntrusive man. lie entered with
Moulton and sat by his side, and in this act dissi-
pated the rumor that he was malcontent or dissat-
isfed with Moulton behavior. Woodruff is one
of the great merchants OF the period-a square,
solid, unopinionated, gfay-bearded man. lie is
the head Of the Reform party OF Brooklyn, which
Opposes what is called the Ring.
LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY.