Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-15
EVENING STAR.
NONDAY.............March rs, Is7a.
THE BEECHER CASE.
The Theory of q s~Con~pfrarv- Ms
proved by Even the Becchsr VIII.
Fio.ra he Csncismafi o,,,mr,,-i,,

Fioa the CtacSssadfi CbBsmersai
Mrs. OviDSton is claimed as a very i'm
por,ant witness Tor the defence in tie Beecher
ness-told her story Straightforward with a
precision of knowledge Of circumstances
language and dates rot surpassed by any
witness yet put upon the stand. III, how
ever. ii be part OF the theory of the defense
that the prosecution grows out of a delibe-
rate conspiracy 10 extort money from Mr.
Beecher, or 10 ruin him and drive him from
the pulpit, Mrs. 0yington, so far as that
branch of the case is concerned, is a damag-
ing witness. She testified with great clear
To the 7th of july last, Triton did not know
what he should do In the matter He writhed
under DR.. Bacon's condemnatory words. he
was simply resolved that he would not sub
nit longer 10 be characterized as a knaye
and dog, and he asked only that Beecher
should come forward and relieve him from
that fmputation. He distinctly told Mrs.
0vington that this was ali ne wanted. AMI
that II Beecher would give the world TO I'M
derstand that he, Tilton, was not the creature
OF his (Beecher'sl magnanimity. he would
proceed no further: but IL Beecher would not
do this he would smite him. The testimony
IL taken up and anal zed, goes clearly TO
prove that up to that late hour no conspi-
racy had been Matched, whatever may have
been done afterward, and that Tilton was in
a state of indecision as 10 the thing that
ought TO be done. So far the testimony OF
the theory OF conspiracy.
Tilton 90 be Found Guilty.
From the Chicago Tribune.
Now, where is all this going 20 bring UNI
What other result can IL have than that this
poor, patent, long-suffering. distracted jury
will eventually bring Mr.. Tiltoa in guilty?
That jury is no longer accountable for its
acts. 1t will be in a mood by the time the
trial closes 10 convict any body, and as Tilton
is now the only one on trial, and will be- the
only one TO the end, he will be brought in
guilty without much doubt, and Mr.. Beecher
and Elizabeth will go on their way rejoicing.
ana gently fade out OF remembrance as hav-
ing ever been i'm the stern clutches OF the law
on trial for adultery. The curious antigua
rian may possibly discover, in looking over
musty newspaper files, that they had a re-
mote connection with this case i'm its earlier
stages, but beyond this they will not figure
The great question OF their guilt will there
fore disappear from the public mind as mist
But Tilton, the wretch, will be branded as
guilty of amorous glances and dalliances
with Delilahs, and his memory will be con-
signed to execration therefor. All this re-
mar kable transposition of the parties liti-
CANT, as well as the enormous consumption
of time in the trial, grows out of the Anglo
Saxon forms OF trial adopted and prac-
ticed in America. In France they do these
things better-not scandals, but trials.
There the judge summons the witnesses,
and all the witnesses. In this case he would
have Immediately summoned Beecher and
Mrs. Beecher, Tilton and Mrs. Tilton, Bowen,
Bessie, the Woodruff, Susan Il. Anthony,
Mrs. Cady Stanton, and every one else cog
infant of any facts in the case, aud would
have first questioned them himself, sharply
and severely, and then turned them over to
counsel for further examination. All rele-
want questions would have been allowed. No
technical objections would have been allow
| ed. Thus witness after witness would have
been rapidly sifted down to the very roots of
| his or her knowledge, and every fact i'm the
case, big and little, would have been brought
| to light. Had this case been in a French
| court, it would have been decided and judg-
ment entered up month ago. The Anglo
| Saxon form of trial is conducted upon the
basis OF excluding, concealing and covering
up testimony; the French brings every fact,
| pro and con, to the light 1t is a good thing
| for Beecher, however, because il gives "the
| old man a chance" How can he be guilty OF
| dangerous Indiscretion with Elizabeth if
| Theodore was guilty of an indiscretioa with
| Victoria and an embarrassment with a q
| year-old schoolgirl? or course he couldn't
| The case is dismissed. 'In the case OF Til
| with adultery with Elizabeth II. Tilton, we
| the jury, find Tilton guilty of casting amor
| Gus chances at Victoria Woodruff"