Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-05-27

inc that it had long been rorcse"n by her
intimates; that it was postponed as long
as ail'ectionatc regard could do so with
safety to herself and that the result will
satisfactorily explain TO all many things
in the past which were rs painful and dis
trcssing to friends and the friends OF her
husband as they were surprising to those
uninformed vi the peculiar circumstances
-Nicago 7rib"n".
YHK HEECHER TRIAL-1HE STNuING
LP
TIE FOURTH DAY
Judge Porter resumed his speech at II :0s. He
took up the letter of contriton, and, pc hitting out
its bad English and incopg CRAFTY of STYLE. claimed
that Henry Ward Beecher could never have die
ta,ed such a letter. Moulton was characterized
as q "scoundrel who had betrayed his trust, an
Iago, a "sham from the beginning" who had
given himself out as a man OF boundless wealth
and who had gained "a cheap reputation by tell
ing how liberal he would be" "pretender, a
braggart, and liar" Tilton, the speaker said,
was Moulton's master from the beginning. 1t was
in Tilton's 'dabolic brain" that all these devices
were forged Judge Porter then argued the ex-
pressions "paroxysm, "paroxysmal kiss" "mor-
al Niagara" &c, were absolute nonsense, and
could not, therefore, have been used by Mr.. Beech
er. They were Tiltonian, though, he said, and
bore the stamp of that sham man who looked only
to the sound of words. lie charged that Tilton
subsequently crossed out ST where Moulton had
had two negatives in sentence, and that he add.
| ed "for myself after the words II don't plead,
and the sentence II humbly pray Godto put 1t in
to the heart of her husband to forgive me.
Judge Porter then passed on to the "Dest-hid-
ing" letter of MIS-. Tllton. Mrs. 1llton's letter,
Judge Porter said was only an appeal for iorgiv-
ness for the wrong she had done her Pastor. Mr.
Beecher had written books and books. but never
had he used the term "nest-hldlng. a casual eX-
presssion about robin and its nest in Norwood,
had been tortured into compound word, said to
be SYNONYMOUS with dcbauchery. In Shakespeare's
and even in Lord Bacons works, smiles of this
kind constantly occur. 1t is the province of men
Of genius to and these familiar illustrations
The meaning of the word was dishonest device
of Theodore Tilton, seized upon and elaborated
by Benjamin F. Butler. Mr. Beechers letter to
Mrs. Titon telling her that his wife was going to
Florida, was then read and pronounced to be in
nocent of aay designation. Iiltons card TO the
Eagle ''inicnded for black mail purposes was
then gone into Judge Porter made point ofthe
fact that quotation in it from the letter of con-
triton has Mr.. Beecher's signature above the
words 81 have trusted this to Monitor in conf
dence, instead of below them.
The speaker then began a consideration of the
character of 1ilton and his witnesses. Judas Is
CARROT was spoken of as the mutual friend of old,
and the speaker said if Frank Moulon had been
one of the twelve apostles Judes lscariot might
have received the thirty pieces of silver. Speak
ing of an expression attributed by MIR. Storrs to
to Mr.. Tilton, the speaker turned to the plaintiff
and shaking his fist furiously in his face, shouted
"These women smashers come into court and ask
twelve men to help them smash this woman. This
elected the first outburst of applause that has
greeted the speech. 1t was promptly suppressed
Mrs. Moulton, Samuel Wikeson, and Jackson ;.
Schultzs estimats of 'Tilons character were free
ly quoted from.
The charge of black-mai was then discussed.
Turning to Mr.. 1ilton and shaking his fist in his
face Judge Porter said, ''1 OH have the impudence
to complain that you called black mailer
What have you been doing but black-maimg for
years You have been living on black mail, in
dugng your lust upon it. You have been ever
ready to take aims, as a medicant, as beggar'
Then, amid laughter, he described Moulton doing
out sum, of = 800, $780, and $500 TO Tilton, and
the latter shutting his eyes and putting his hands
in his pocket. 1T was only when money ceased to
assuage T,ltons grief he said, that he resorted to
other means. Tilton's statement according to
Mrs. Ovington, that "Beecher ought to contribute
to Mrs. Tlltons expenses" was characterized as
the lowest depth of possible degradation. OF the
negro Gray council said that he did not believe
that there was single man on the jury who would
not rather sleep under the same roof with him
than with Theodore TiltOn.
One of the uses to which Tton would put
woman, Judge Porter said, was to lie for her
husband. Counsel hoped that he had not made
Mrs. Moulton disciple in that school. This was
the strongest language used thus far toward the
latter lady. Her husband, however, here received
more denunciation. lie had broken faith with
every one who had ever trusted him" he was
"such coward that he needed pistol to face Mrs.
Tilton and Mr. Beecher;" he was ga murderer in
spirit, only his neck did not like the noose;" a
dishonest man" At this point the court took
recess.
full quarter of an houi had been lost when
Judge Porter resumed his argument Mrs. Moul-
ton, he said, forced by her husband TO testify
as she did. God would never have permitted such
calamity to fall upon her unless she had been
united in this fc-counsel hoped she would not be
in the life beyond-to Frank Moulton. Franklin
Woodruff would have occasion to regret all his life
the mistake he had made of allving himself to
Moulton. lie was a well-meaning man, and had
been drawn into the plot unconsciously. MIR.
Southwck, jackson ;. Schuzs betting partner,
was characterized as man Of unmpeached honor
one of the first of the noble band of merchants
who have given US co commercial prosperity.
lie then passed to Tilton's letter to complain
ing friend and subj eeted it to thorough sitting.
Tilton was he said, a man so addicted to lying that
he had to lie in private. Frank Moulton entered
at this moments IL o'clock-smiling and bow
ing, and took a seat near Mr.. Tilton. lie had
been informed that Judge Porter was to deal with
his wife, and hurried home from Maine, it is said,
for the purpose of seeing that counsel did not
overstcp the bounds of his license in speaking of
that lady. Mr.. Beecher watched him earnestly
for some minutes. 1ilton, Judge Porter claimed,
had been working all summer to get Mrs. Wood
hull to publish her scandal. When she libeled his
wife he adopted the agreeable solace of King
love to her laughter but when she began to
libel other mems wives with whom he had had re-
lations he suddenly found her 10 be an angel of
darkness. lie permitted a stain to rest upon his
wife and children for a week, when he had state
ment in his drawer which would clear them, lest
it should give Beecher an opportunity to blast
Bowen. Not that he loved her less, but that he
loved Bowen more.
Judge Porter then analysed the two reports pre-
pared by Tilton for the adoption of the investigat
ing committee. and argued from them that Tilton's
only charge at that time improper solicitations
He did not think that they believed either report
would be adopted. Their design was to entrap
Mr.. Beecher into the admission of an oiense which
they could define as they pleased subsequently,
and aided by his goodness of heart they succeeded.
Turning to Tilton and third time shaking his fist
in his face, Judge Porter said "This pretended
cuckold comes into court wearing pair of antlers
that don't belong TO him, and asks you to tip them
with gold" Sensation In another place he
said al was going to say (alluding to some of
the findings Of the long report that it was rather
in bad taste for 1on to thus glorify himself, but
perhaps he right, for Ben amin +. Batter,
over the signature of Frank Moulton, sets him
the eNample nv making himself out a peacemak ken