Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-02
TIE BEECHER TRIAL-THE STKKING
UP
SECOND DAY OF Mr.. EvARl

SECOND DAY OF Mr.. EvARrs.
| Mr.. Eyarts arose to continue his speech at
| IL 49,
Resuming his consideration Of the require
ments of the law TO insure conviction, counsel
claimed that no proof had been presented of
wicked purposes in the breasts Of Mr.. Bcecher and
Mrs. Tilton, of opportunity for the commission of
| the alleged crime, or of conduct on the part of
either that could be regarded as suspicious. The
attention of the jury was called to the fact that
the charge rested almost entirely upon the testi-
mony of the plaintiff. The visits of Mr. Beecher
| to Mrs. Tilton all occurred in the day time.
OF visits of Mrs. Tilton to Mr.. Beecher there is
testimony at all. The seductive arts and corrupt
| ing influences used narrow down to the presenta-
ton of certain octave volumes of lectures on the
divinity of Christ, q religious novel, Gin all of
which the givers name was inscribed,) and some
| flowers sent to the room Of a woman in coniine-
ment by the owner of farm and garden The
speaker said that there was an entire want Of at-
frmative proof, when during all these years there
had been hostile. jealous, and even malignant OBJ
servers of both the lady and the clergyman. In
stancing the testimony of Mr.. Judson, the speaker
drew vivid picture of Tilton in the character
OF cOwardly tale-bearer, seeking by mean H.
situations for years to create suspicious in the
mind Of the public against Mr.. Beecher Tilton,
he said, has introduced no new character in the
world. Men Of pretentious goodness and wicked
hearts have lived long before he and Moulton did
OF such stuff have all conspirators been made.
Speaking Of the motives which influenced the
conspiracy, Mr.. Evarts first named envy, which
he said fattened on the ruin of its object and the
overthrow Of the envied superiority. But it does
not stop here. 1t grows with its feeding, and is
satisfied, not with the leaves merely but with the
body of the laurel. The ancients had saying
that Envy keeps no holidays" and Tilton spent
Christmas in forging a weapon "to strike Beecher
to the heart" and New Years in preparing New
Years present for Henry C. Bowen" No wise
man will measure the depths to which such a man
as Iiton, according to his own description, will
CO. more than he will calculate the depth TO which
a vuture will dip his beak into the heart Of the
carriop, or the force with which serpent will
crush the prey in its coils. Mr.. Evarts read Mr..
Tilton's celebrated letter Of affection to Mr.
Beecher, written three days after the nsinuations
to Judson. NOW, said the speaker, "you know
what words are worth" Turning TO Iilton he
said ooh, serpent heart hid in howery field
A parapbrase on portion Of the letter TO the eff
feet that Tilton wished his preensions of Affection
| to be put on record "lest he should die suddenly
or take poison" elected much meniment. Mr.
Evarts then ridiculed the point" made seyera
times by the plaintiffs counsel in demonstrating
that an account Of an interview cannot be told il
| exactly the same words in succeeding repctions
The jury had seen repeatedly the inability o
counsel after ten minutes discussion to rcpea
the question that had given rise to it.
1t is a maxim Of the law that the man who i
false in one thing is to be adjudged false in al
things. These men cannot come and ask the iur'
TO believe that being false in everything else the,
tell the truth in this on the pretext that il
not in nature not to sometimes tell the truth
Laughter. Either Tilton believed did no
believe the stories he says Bowen told him in 1856
about Beecher. If he believed them, mus, he no
have kept pretty sharp watch on Mr.. Beeche
and his wife Yet he says he had no notion o
wrong doing until that July day. Tilton say
the crime had been going on for two years with
out his knowledge. On his own oath, probabilit
proves him a liar There is not single word i
the English language descriptive of the HUSBAND
Of an unfalthful wife that is not full of contume
Of the husband. Mr.. Eyarts here read from die
tionaiy the definition Of the words cuekold an