The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-20
The TiltOn-B .echer Trial.

'ohi hcCoiil'auicu ny uct lutucT-ll.iaW,
Mr.. Severn, d. NJ. Mouton and her uncle,
J. p. Robinson occupied seats behind
the counsel for the plaintiff. After the
court was opened Mrs. Moulton was
called to the stand by Mr.. Fullerton. She
testified | am the wife Of Francis d.
Moulton, and reside in 80 Remsen street.
| have been in Plymouth church as a COM
municant since 1858. Mr.. Beecher visited
the house at all hours of the day, some
times as often as two or three times day,
to confer with Mr.. Mouton, and sometimes
with me. The first time he spoke to me
think was in the spring of 1871. In the
spring of 1871 had the first conversation
with Mr.. Beechcr about the difficulty. He
asked me If had heard of the great sorrow
in his life, and replied that Frank had
told me the story, and he said he was glad
that there was one woman with whom he
could talk on the subject, and who might
give him sympathy. He asked me the con-
dtion of Mr.. Tltons mind, and
If he was angry, or could he
TO kept quiet. In June, 1878, Mr..
Beecher had conversation with me, in
which he expressed his fear that the letter
of confession would he published. He
said that Theodore was a man not to he
trusted; / advised him to go to his church
for comfort, and to rely upon his congre-
Cation; he threatened to take his life, and
said there was no use of his living any
longer; / told him that Frank would al
always be a friend to him, and he said he
was always afraid of Tllton's breaking out
with the whole story; he left near the
lunch hour | saw him the following day
he was sill downcast, but more hopeful
he always spoke to me OF Mrs. Tilton and
his great love for her. He asked me to
have great respect for her, and speak
kindly to her. | had conversations with
Mrs. TiltOn, In which she asked me to be-
lieve in him and go back to The church, as
he was not responsible for the matter, but
that she, (Mrs. Tilton), was. said l
would never go back to the church las had
lost all faith in him. had another talk
with her, in which she said if matters came
out she would sacrifice her husband rather
than Beecher and her children. told Mr..
Beecher that Mrs. Tilton was saying she
could not live with Mr.. Tilton. and he told
me to tell her to live with Theodore and
make his home happy for him. Mrs. Til
ton told me that she could not live with
MIR. Tilton because he was continually re-
ferring to the sin she had committed. A
letter from Mr.. Bcecher to SIrs. Moalton
enclosing one to Mr.. Moulton, dated June
LIST, 1873, was read by Mr.. Fullerton and
placed in evidence. The witness then con-
tinued When | told Mr.. Beecher that
Mrs. Tilton sad she was to blame, he re-
piled that the sin was his, and not Eliza
beths. l was very much opposed to Mrs
woodruff coming to the house, but
all parties said that it was for the
best to keep the story quiet
Mrs. :Moulton could not say how often
Mrs Woodruff came to her house she al
lowed her to come because she knew all
the facts IN case and would have
published them if she had been affronted
in any way after the Bacon letter Beecher
came to our house and asked him why he
was angry with frankie he said he was
not, and when Frank read the statement he
proposed to read it to the investigating
committee; Beecher said it was perfectly
honorable told him he ought to have
confessed in tho first place, that the four
years perjury and lying had only made
things worse he replied that 1'lton would
not carry the case into court, having con-
doned the fault he could not do
it; but he said he would fight the
case in any shape it assumed Mr. Beech
or on one occasion expressed regret at the
sorrow and suffering he had brought in
Tilton's household, and replied that the
woman was as much to blame as man in
such case told Mr. Beecher that had
told Mr.. Lucius p. Robinson the story. as
he had expressed his doubts to me as to
something being wrong with Mr.. Beecher
in Plymouth church, that he had either
Incorporated the funds or had done
something else which was not right when
l told Mr.. Beecher of Mr. Robinson's sus.
picion, and that had told him the whole
story, he said that was right.
Cross-examined by the court -
l was married in $780, and have boy Ii
years old Moulton has not at any time
been regular attendant at Plymouth
church he had not attended any church
with frequency since our marriage was
introduced to Mrs. Woodruff either by
Mouton or Tilton knew that she enter.
tanned looseness and permitted her visits
only to the end of suppressing the scandals
first learned that | was to be a witness
in the case after the first statement had APP
peared learned it from my husband, but
it was not repeated by subject of converse.
ton between us do not know that was
ever requested to write out what | should
do or say as witness | never wrote Out
anything have given the conversations
here as they occurred on all occasions with
Beecher believe have given the sub
stance of these conversations have en-.
deavored to give them as they took
place, and in some instances / have
given you Mr.. Beecher's own words
remember Mr.. Beecher coming
to the house on one occasion before
his Friday night meeting, and said he
wanted to see the boy, meaning MI Moul
ton, for five minutes before he could face
his congregation, and he waited until he
saw Mr.. Moulton. | always saluted Mr.
Beecher in friendly manner but on one
occasion when he spoke OF his great suffer
ing and talked Of committing suicide, will