The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-20
THE RAGGED EDGE TRIAL
Close of the Seventh Week in the
Scandal Case.
THE PIVOTAL DAY.
Appearance Of Mrs. Frank
MOultOn as a Witness.
MR.. BEECHER'S CONFESSIONS.
HIS Expressed Determine ton
to Commit Suicide.
THE ADVICE GIVEN BY WITNESS.
Confess Your Sin and Save
Your Soul"
HIS Expressed Determination
to Commit Suicide.
THE ADVICE GIVEN BY WITNESS.
Confess Your Sin and Saw
Your Soul"
Mr. BEECHER DENIES THE STORY

yesterday the Cierk OF Cne court passed GOWN TO
the HERALD writer q memorandum.
"Figure up" he said, "the cost OF the trial per
diem. as folows:-
Judges salary, $4,000 year; Deputy Clerk,
So, 500 year; six officers OF the Court, 81 a day
each; twelve policemen, each $1,000 year; fifty
camp stools, at IS dozen a new carpet, probably
5000; twelve Jurymen, at 81 day."
The reporter declined. Figures win not stand
u2 as we set them. Ecclesiastical figures may.
Not 80 with lay figures, which stand at their peril.
Besides, the proceedings in the Brooklyn City
Court yesterday were TOO formidable. 1t was the
vortex day OF the trial. MIS-. Moulton testified.
The Mutual Friend. ner husband as such, much
derded was not present. There would have been
an Improperly in his sitting under her eye, as If
indicating the line OF her testimony. She came
into court just before the opening hour, on the
same errand which has brought Mrs. Beeeher day
alter day to Sit at Mr.. Beechers side to show that
the race OF women who, at any mental cost make
their husbands cause their own Is not extinct.
HER ENTRY.
She had come Into court with two elderly,
vigorous looking member uncle, Jeremiah p.
Robinson. and her iather-n-law, Severn d. Moul-
ton. The latter resembles FRANK Moulton, IN the
aggressive, incsive character OF his and ears;
he Is bald, and the hair around the back and sides
of his head Is gray and brown. His face has the
rudy look OF man used to exercise, and, II any
thing, he Is the superior in frame and physical
character of his son.
Mr.. Moulton accompanied his daughter in-law to
the witness chair and handed her up with the
tenderest respect.
Mrs. Moulton was dressed in dark silk, an EN-.
brodered black sacque covered with loose lace
and o bodice OF irilled white linen below. She
had num- small rufled collar, lace sleeves and
gray kids. gold chain was around her neck.
| She wore very pretty silk hat Of q dark purple
or violet brown, with leather OF the same tint
and velvet oand>of q darker hue. Her eardrops
were soio gold monogram within their rim.
This description should convey an idea Of eli
orateness OF toilet; 1t is only because of the
enumeration OF the articles. Mrs. Moulton's dress
was the street toilet of lady OF the day, the COL
ors adapted to ner figure and complexion.
She Is an agile and chirpy little woman, who
addresses her husband as 'fatner," and eschews
all literary pretension. She weighs about I2o
! pounds, mas small and pretty features, grace and
! gentleness, and is the only bouquet yet seen IN
/ court which could look pretty in such place.
she appeared to have soft blue or fawn eyes, with
! long lids and lashes; O somewhat small nose,
| light brown hair, forehead or the middle size,
little rppled with the wrinkles OF sensibility
Her chin was very delicate, the throat aud
ear likewise. She famed herself with O
dark red FAM and did not at any
time remove her gloves. While testifying
she was at nrst nuttered; her throat moved
and the Clerk OF the Court gave her glass OF
water. But, applying her mind directly to the
subject In hand, she presently gave a strain of
testimony spontaneous and clear, If timid. as the
song OF q bird. 1t was merely evidence with
lady behind it-not the lady advanced before the
evidence. In Short she did not insensibly char
actertze herself
HER REVELATIONS.
Her auditors saw under her story the sIbyl
speaking in the song OF the bird, the small lips
unsealing upon words whose meaning might have
been accentuated in thunder, and the sympathies
Of dispasslonate people ran from this tangle of
intrigue and secrecy TO the story. That
strange secret, whispered 70 her, made her
Its servitor. That terrible husband, tortured with
his doubts or his revenge was following up her
frank and joyous husband, his schoomate, as
Steerforth pursued David Copper1eld with his
friendshlp-as Abel Newt was the shadow of Hope
Wayne. And that great tower Of reputation on
Brooklyn Heights, near by she knew to be UNDER
mined, and the materials to blow 1t up were in
her new and elegant home, and she-terrible the
thought-was made, by the confidence OF the
principals an ingredient of the mine.
SUCH was the Impression conveyed by her testi-
mony. However unnnchingy she gave 1t the all
embracing dimensions OF such an offence as
alleged were family revealed, as her evidence
seemed TO lift the horizon. One small secret en-
tering household like friend carried devasta-
ton with It, There Is legend that whoever dis.
covered the secret paternity OF the prisoner In the
'Iron Mask" had to share his captivity. So 1t has
seemed with this secret crime or deluson, which
ever it may be, in Brooklyn. 1t has gone about
like secret contagion. touching people and
plaguing them forever aiterward.
HER MANNER.
Mrs. Moulton's manner had refinement so IN.
usual In the witness chair that she received the
unconscious consideration OF the cross-examin-
ing lawyer.
Her voice was sweet and spirited, without any
touch OF injection, so thatit was pleasant to hear
and In no degree qualified her meaning SAe
therefore kept up the equal character OF o dis.
passionate witness, obeying the law, sorry to tes
tIfy, but not weakening in any natural faculty
under the responsibility.
For lady In delicate health, OF rather small
and supple physique and OF gentle temperament
and sensibility, this little woman made witness
as perfect OF her kind as Frank Moulton. lie was,
however, real plaintiffs witness, positive alleg.
ing, relating and resolved to get the testimony In
MRS. Moulton was merely an asserting witness,
the saddened performer OF duty, else gladly
abandoned, bat noless conscientious, according to
her power. to DO 1t fully.
She had been the subject OF q thousand newspa-
per paragraphs, many OF them deprecating her
appearance at all Sne had been represented as
nylng, suffering, antagonizing, and threatening
divorce from her husband rather than appear.
Pew people had seen her; for she has none OF
Frank Moulton's weakness for literary people.
Her testimony was, therefore, the more re-
narkable, as 10 was copious without being de-
sirous; intelligent In light and shade, yet without
art. She often let the lawyer appear 10 make o
point rather than explain herself. She never
sought to run In any testimony.
Disentangled from all the coterie OF woman's
Suffrage people, the audience saw q house.