Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-21

After our telegraphic report of the Tilton-
Beecher trial closed yesterday, Mr.. MOulton
was further crOSS-eXanihed by Mr.. Tracy.
Witness said On the afternoon of the 18th
OF December. is1i, went to Tilton's house.
had al interview on that occasion lasting AN
hour; There was something sand about sul
interview which he had with Bowen he did
not say that he offered To join Bowen in
WAR AGAINST BEECHER:
on the 26th Tilton said he had written a letter
to Beechcr, asking him TO explain these
charges at the interview; after the one on the
36th, / learned that the letter was sent Ia
Beechcr- at my interview with BeechcT
shortly alter Told him OF the charges pre-
ferrcd by Bowen TO Titon against him: / said
To him that thought Bowen was tTeacheTous
Ia bothf am certain | never expressed aHv
opinion 10 Beecher aS - me truth of the
stories; Beechor replied that he thought
JUwen was trcachcrOuS. Witness was asked
whether Tilion told him the stories that were
told 10 Tilton by Bowen; witness answered
that TiitOn had told him some OF The stories;
he told me thai Eowen said he (Tilton) hal
gone 10 Hartford. CT, with lady and acted
improperly with hes: TiltOn did not tell me
now his conduct WAS improper or the name
OF the lady: hc said Bowen stated This was OH
lecturin% tour; he did not tell me that the
contract with Bowen was thrc3tHDps unless
he could explain this story: When | told
Bcecher that
BOWEN WAS \ TREACHER0rS MAN.
i wanted to convey TO lin that Roweu'>
stories told to Tilto1 were not to ba belieI Ell.
when ] left my house on the 3ath OF Decem-
Der to visit BeecherI l was a fiiend Of Tiltnn;
\.
intimate friend; when Beecher came out with
me proficred him my friendship; / did this
| without Tilton's consent or knowledge; / had
a letter in NY pocket that night: there was
no ;ttdTeS> upon il; did not deli yer this let
tea io Bcechor, nor do think he ever saw il.
| saw Illtpn again pu the morning of the SISt
ri his house; | saw Mrs. TiitOn i'm her room:
think She was IN bel. hut | do not know
whether she WAS III or not. bur think She was
SICK: did not recDiicct whether I saw TiIfon
there on that day: | visited Beechcr after
o'clock a IN -i.K- Mi Ia.
room on the second StorS: began a converse
: tOn by saving he would think this a strange
: interview, told him lac had obtained Theo-
| dOreS permission to have an Interview with
hl> wife when he obtained the letter OF re-
| traction. and said his course was diShonOr:t-
| ble; told him | came Tor the letter OF re
traction. and hc said this rccantation would
| be the only defence for his family in ca - of
ms attack. lie >ald. with great SORROW. that
He HAD LOVED ELIZABETH TGLroN
very much, and through that love he had
| lallen. and not through lust. He aNOwed his
| Intention To throw himself On my friendship
| is he was on the brink of moral Niagara.
AMER recess. the cross examination con
| tlnued. MOultOn said the letter from Mrs
| lIltOn for The return Of her retraction was
addressed 10 himself: the envelope was lost;
| he read This letter 10 Mr.. Beecher: after read
| ing hlm the letter of Mrs. IiltOn To her huS-
band III regard to the retraction he told Mr.
Beeciler that If so desired he would destroy IL
MS presence the retr9ction and the conteS-
sion, and that otherwise ne would preserve.
both; Beecher said that this Fetraction would
De Ilc only defence OF his memory ca - rh,5
cntrge should be renewed after his death tht.
witness by his promise about keeping these
papers meant that the confession should
never he made The basis of charge against
MI. Beecher without his having the retrac-
tion 10 meet II with; when he Offered to
destroy The confession il was on his own re-
sponslbilIty without any authority from Til
Ton 10 pursue such course; the latter's eN-
preston OF his determination 10 shield his
family was understood by witness as "A
declaration that he would not make a puhlic
charge RApatapr- "A NyaS
evening of December 80 that Beecher first
spoke to him in regard to his having sym-
pathiZed with
THE STORIES IN REGARD TO TILroN
which were. communicated TO Mrs. Beecher
by Mrs. Morse. Witness and Beecher had
another conversation on the same subject on
the evening of January I. AT the first inter
view the witness said TO Mr.. Beecher that
these stories ought TO he stopped, without AS
signing, so far rs he remembered, any reason
for stopping them; he said nothing as TO his
opinion of this truth.
Mr.. Tracy asked il the import of what he
said was such as 10 leave on Mr.. Beecher's
mind any impression OF his (the Witness
opinion as to the truth OF these stories.
The question was objected TO, but after ar
gument permitted Witness replied the pur-
port of what he said was such as To leave the
impression that he believed the stories to be
untrue. After his interview with Mr.. Beech
er he kept the two papers in his safe in New
York. until after the publication of the tri-
partite agreement. when he gave the confess
sioh 10 Tilton. The latter subsequently told
him that IL had been destroyed by his wife.
He kept the fetraction in his tin box. He
showed it once TO Tracy, (the cross-examiIf-
er,) at an interview after the Woodruff pub
Hcation. Since the present suit was begun.
he had delivered the paper TO Mr.. Morris
The published statements OF the witness
were prepared by General Butler, at Bay
View and at Lowell. He gave the papers In
the case to General Butter as his friend AMI
also communicated the facts tohim verbally.
Tilton was informed OF The contents of both
statements before published. Witness made
them on account of Beechers attacks on
him.
sS-The people of Santiago de Cuba held