The Portland daily press., 1875-04-03
He Advises Bowen to Discharge Tilton.
How MOulton Worked Up the Case.
scene in the Court Room.

Scene in the Court Room.
New YORK, April 2.-The anxiety to see and
hear Beecher as witness on his own behalf
was manifested by the crowds of respectable
people who hastened to the Brooklyn court
house this morning and obtained places in the
city court. Never before was such spectacle
witnessed in Brooklyn court, every place
allotted to the audience being filled fully an
hour before the jury came in, and when the
court was filed there still remained crowds
outside waiting until they found it hopeless to
wait longer. There was no excitement in the
court. The audience was nearly all of better
class than the average attendance of trials.
Mr.. Beecher's three sons and his daughter in
law were in court before 10 o'clock DIR. e.
Beecher and his sisters, Miss Beecher and Mrs
Perkins, and Beechers brother-in-aw, O. G.
Bullard, were among the early arrivals as
were also Mrs. Field aud some eight or ten
other ladies of the Plymouth congregation.
Murray, usher in Plymouth church, and Cald-
well, Deacon wearing flowers in their button
holes, attended to the seating of Beecher's
friends. The counsel were all in their places
at tive minutes to IL, and just then Mr.. and
Mrs. Beecher, and two lady friends entered the
court.
MIR. Beecher Makes a Correction.
The defendant Immediately mounted the
witness stand without being called. He carried
a sprig of lavender in his left hand and a
memorandum book in his right and on taking
his seat nodded to some of the stenographers
near him. Then he placed his fingers to ms
forehead, and closed his eyes in an attitude OF
deep thought, and so remained until twelve
minutes after IL, when Evarts called ont MT
Beecher." The witness commenced by making
a slight correction in his testimony of yester-
day, by giving Prof. Conants family as an
other of those he was intimate with.
Bessie Turner Tells of TiIton's Brutality
In reply to questions the witness said:
l remember Bessie Turner calling upon me
in December, 1870, l profess TO give only the
substance of what occurred. She called in the
forenoon and said she was sent to ask that
should go and see Mrs. Tilton, who had left her
husband and did not intend to return ana was
at her mothers. | asked the occasion. and she
said Mrs Tilton was worn out with ill-treat-
ment and that to her personal knowledge Til
ton had long treated his wife with great severn
ty. depressed amazemeDt and she said she
was coenlzant of his violence, and on two occa
sions he sought her [Bessies) company in her
own bed, and had told her that such expressions
! of love were natural as kissing or caresslng..
had not heard of these matters from any other
source than Bessie Turner.
Joined Hanover street church in 1925 in
Boston, my fathers church. was then fifteen
years old and from that time onward have con-
tinued in connection with the Presbyterian or
Congregational denomination ever since.
Calls on Mrs. TiItOn-DeniaI of Kate
Carey's story.
The summer when the birth of Titon's child
Ralph took place. | very likely called there, but
recall no special visits or presents of flowers;
but very likely did, as the sending of flowers
10 their season was usual in summer. L have
brought from my farm bushel baskets of flow
ers for distribution, and in winter l have
bought them. L do not remember a visit to
Tiltons while the wet nurse Carey was there,
and nothing occurred between Mrs. Tilton and
me like her sitting on my knee or calling me
''dear father or father dear" Her form of
address to me always was "Mr. Beecher," or
Sir or in conversation sometimes, WELL
my friend" L do not remember any converse.
ton with her at any time, at which her brother,
Mr. Richards, witnessed or came on us. have
no recollection of being on Tilton's stoop at
a. m. one day. There might have been some
errand. but none that remember, but as the
gentleman says he saw me as he passed
by, very likelr L was. From 1866 to 1870 L
should say saw the Tiltons once in ten days
to once in three weeks. My visits were not
more than thirteen year. L speak of the
time was in town. When visited them my
manner was very much the same as in my
family-very simple They kept hospitable
house. The children were almost always pres
ent. Sometimes my visits were altogether de-
voted TO the children. The conversation was
varied-of books, literature, the Bethel church,
and above all of Theodore Titon (laughter).
Mrs. Tilton'sl Character.
Mrs Tlton's habitua speaking of her hus-
band was so eulogistic that when she disclosed
serious differences on religious points was
surprised. | call only say that she consulted
me as to her duty and her duty to her children
on account of her husbands growing DETECTION
from orthodox views, and she asked for advice
in regard to the supervision of her children in
that respect whether thought it right tor her
to bring up children under parent who had
lost faith in the divinity of Christ, and was
losing faith in the Bible: told her not to
make any difficulty on that point that time,
patience and God would make all right This
was about 1867, think l came to have knowl-
edge of her character l thought at first she
was woman of great sympathy, and purity,
and fair intelligence. 1 admired her domestic
traits, but after considerable acquaintance
found out a very deep and religious nature de-
veloping itself Some develop themselves in
yeueration; others in enthusiasm. Her char.
acter developed itself in the double form OF
ecstatic devotion and serenity in trial. Hardly
a visit she was not talking of the case of some
poor man or sick person she had on hand No
abatement of affection for her husband was
divulged to me- but on the contrary he was the
being she seemed to love above all others.
thought her affection leaned to me as her pas
tor and friend, but had no idea of her affections
being toward me in any other form. L formed
for her lifelong sentiments OF respect and
affection for her as Christian woman, mother
and wife, surrounded by lovely family, and
felt proud of her confidence. had no senti-
ment of affection for her otherwise than in
these relations.
| think | was in Brooklyn in October, 1868,
at the Academy of Music, at reception gwen
Mr.. Tilton on the night before, at the Friday
night prayer meeting. Ispent portion of the
week in Peekskill, and came down to the Fri
day night prayer meeting It's probable was
IN Brooklyn also on the 18th of October. as
spend my Saturdays as vacation day of the
week, rambling in New York or going to the
Park. look at the stores and print shops, and
ramble up and down New York, or at the parks.
AS general thing made no calls on Satur-
day. Nothing had occurred between me and
Mrs. Tton on the 10th or 18th that impressed
itself on my mind at all.
Emphatic Denial of the Charges of
Adultery.
Question-During your acquaintance and
up to december, 1870, was there ever any
undue familiarity between Mrs. Tilton and
you?
Answer-Never, sir.
Odd you ever solicit or receive any undue
favor from her as woman?
A-Never, sir; and it would be impossible to
her Loud applause.)
The Judge ordered the officers to look after
those making the disturbance.
Odd you ever in the course of your
acquaintance have carnal Intercourse or sexual
connection with Mrs. Tilton?
A.-(With great energy) No. sir; never sir.
The witness gave all these negative answers
with much feeling, and once or twice stamped
his foot
TiIton's Letter Demanding His Resigua-
IheSe preliminary questions having been
answered, the witness was handed letter of
Tilton's which Bowen carried to him.. and
witness said Bowen said he had letter for
me, and did not know its contents. L opened
it and read it, and said substantially, ''Sure,
this man is crazy" Bowen said he did not
know what was in it, and handed it to him.
| made use of some expression of surprise that
Tilton should write such letter. Then Bowen,
in consequence of my strong expressions, fell
in with me. He told me he had dismissed
Tilton from the Independent, and did so from
business reasons, that Tilton's views were not
acceptable, and the paper was suffering from
it, that when Tilton was reduced to a sub
ordinate character on the paper crowds came in
to tell stories tabout Tilton, that he (Bowen)
was amazed. There was one story about lady
in Winsted, another about one in the North
west, and another about lady employed in
the office, who told Bowen that Tilton locked
the door on her and said, CHOW is the oppor
tunity have SO long wanted" and made i'm
proper advances to her,. l told Bowen Bessie
Turner'S stories, and told him, Il wish you
would talk to my wife. she knows more about
these things" think he spoke to my wife.
He told me that he had made up his mind
Tilton couldn't remain in any capacity on the
Independent, and he had grave doubts whether
he would retain him on the Union. L said l
doubted if man tainted as Tilton was should
remain on the Independent, which l loved, and
as to the Union, he was an impractlcable man
and would get the Republican organ of Brook