Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-03-05

SECOND DAY OF GEN. rRAcY's PLEA.

the charge IN tnlS case was duuiterys onu
the burden of proof lay with the prosecu-
ton Ii was not for the defendant to prove
his innocence. but for the other side to
prove his guilt; and there was not the
slightest evidence to show that the defend
ant was guilty of the offence imputed to
him there was not the slightest evidence
either to connect this - white-souled wo-
man with the offence OF having criminal l.
tercourse with her pastor.
If he (Tracy) was asked whether he for
got the testimony of Kate Carey, or Nate
Smith, he should say that this was un@or-
thy of the slightest consideration. TIM
woman was brought here from hospital
suffering from disease which was the result
of a criminal life. She was q. servant who
had been discharged for drunkenness from
every place she lived The very nature OF
the testimony which she gave was proof
of its falsity. She said she saw Mrs. IIlton
sitting on Mr.. Beecher's knee. and heard
HIM say. " Elizabeth, how do you feel?'
and Mrs Tilton reply, " Dear father, feel
$685." The woman was Roman Catholic,
and she made Mrs. Tilton address her pas.
tor in the terms which she herself would
have used in addressing her priest.
The audience here burst into laughter, IN
which Mr.. Beecher and his wife joined.
Gen. Tracy then referred in severe terms
10 the testimony of Mrs. Tilton's brother
Mr. Richards, who could give no evidence
against his sister, but it was thought that II
he conld come here and make a speech
against her it would be to the injury OF de-
iendant If his testimony was t-ue-that
no found his sister and Mr.. Beecher sitting
near each other, in the parlor. in broad day
light, and the former making hasty move
mept as he entered the room, what does THIS
testimony amount to ? Ii had been testi-
fed on the stand by u woman whose virtue
was not called in question-Mrs. Mouiton-
that without exciting the suspicious of her
husband she had remained with Mr.. Beech
cr for four hours in bedroom, where he
lay down. and where she covered him up
with an afghan she had also testified that
she bad kissed Mr. Beecher. as Mrs. Tilton
was never shown TO have done.
Gen. Tracy then took up the character OF
MOulton They had seen him in the court
room for ten days, and were able to form
some opinion. lie was man cold. fearless
and calculating, one who was calculated to
deceive even the very elect. He admitted
that he was heather.
Gen. Tracy then referred to the acquaint-
enceship that TiltOn and N)ulton formed
with Mrs Victoria Woodruff. and OF the
latter's wife having kissed her on one occa-
sion. lie likeued MoultOn with his cold,
calculating lace to picture OF Judas Is
CARROT, which was exhibited IN cathedral
at Milan.
At tbs remark OF Gen Tracy the audi
once fairly roarod with laughter.
Moulton had been at some pains to ex-
plain to the public what his motives were
in taking the course he did. lie says he did
it to preserve the peace of the respective
families. He introduced this man, whom
he accuses Of adultery, to his wife. and
took him up 20 that wife bedroom. That
wife y mpathized with the adulterer, and
On one occasion even kissed him on the fore
head. But W hen the time came for his in
tere>ts not to be served, he left the peace OF
the families, the welfare of Plymouth
church, aud the danger y! Christian society
t. take care o. themselves On that stormy
night Of the interview in Mr.. Moulton's
house, ihcy brought Mr. Beecher there, to
make their charge against him. and that
charge was not Of adultery. There were no
charges OF adultery until Mrs. Tilton left
her home 1T the iustIgatIon OF Mrs. Morse,
aud Titan found that Mr. Beecher was in
consultation with her and he (rilton) was
threatened with dismissal from the Igde-
pendent Before that lhe charge Was OF I'M
proper edyarces-
IuE EXPLANATION uI MRS TILToN's COMES
sIoN.
Referring To Mrs. riitOns confession. Gen.
Tracy said Mr. Elton tells you in bis
- frue Story. shat after he told Mr.. Beech
or Of his wiie's accusation, he (Beecher)
asked permission to 20 and see her, bat We
Will show You said counsel. that Nr. Beech
lr denied the allegation that Mrs. Iiltou
had made any such accusation. Mrs. Til
ton had forgotten the wording OF her letter
vt accusation. which she was forced by I'll
ton - write, but when She met Mr. Beecher
and knew the Use being made OF her letter,
-he ha>teued 10 write the letter of retrac
ton.
Mr. Hilton Ma in bel aud asleep. when
fi.t1n returned, That night. Her nurse was
Sleeping si;h heI She THE nursel awoke.
hearing Hilton talking, AMI was ordered 70
cave the room She s,ait in the next room.
and heard Hilton IN angry tones forcing hia !
vile O. Si-u the explanation OF her letter Of /
-etractIou. saving that Mr. Beccher had ex-
JItcd the rctractilu from her. Mr. Beech !
r had lIiton "a h.s power, when be obtain |
thar letter 81 roiractie and could have |
rushed Llm with u, and tI!ton, hndIng /
mat he Was .n Beechlr power. obtained /
he letter IRON Mrs. Iulton - M1ul,on ask /
ne him to GET the letter Of rotr.cti0a from /
'lr. Becchcr. Is she wished - burn 1t.
N0altun. armed with this letter, went to
}eechcr for the letter Of re;racti0n. Mr.
ieecher asked what he should DO if the re-
"a ton was gwen up. Mr. Moulton pledged
~ vosl of honor that he would keep both
he letters Of confession and retraction or
estroy them Mr. Beeahe. said he did not
want the re;raction letter destroyed.
The reason these papers were destroyed.
vas because they lid not contain word
bout the charge OF adultery. but only in
roper proposals. He Tracy would show
hat this paper was not DESTROYED until this
onspiracy was matched between Theodore
'ilton and Victoria Wo0dhull for the de-
truction OF Henry Ward Beeoher- The de
,use .luli show By the testimony Of
IAN who's Elgi WAS not questioned that.
iter the publication ID ,ae Woodruff scan
al. 1ilton showed 10 hin, tho paper. which.
e said. wa, copy Of the document shown
lr Bsecher on the ght OF the 30th d. De
smher
THE LETTER Oh c0NTRlTIOS.
Gen Tracy proceeded to sketch the de-
is OF the interview between Moulton ami
eeohss at the latter house when the cele-
rated letter Oi Gontriiion was written, and
leir natural eject upon the already NOR
dly active mind Of 50 -enSitise nature
: Mr.. Bcechor's the sudden announce
ent to him that Mrs. Tilt0n had accused
In Of adultery; the subsequent retraction, I
I'D then IN turn IL recantatiOn. When We !
'nsider, says counsel, me swift succession
images thus presented to the man. who.
ID reason % apprehend plunge into pub
G conflict with q Jealous husband, and with
} other defense than his own simple word |
..acpr. rln we wonder that Mr. Beecher :
as a jeeris 49,. Ied and excited man? l. L
to be wondered at iha, 10: gnwari OF an t
'ur "a thst meuiura.le e.enlaE Henry J
1Ji Beechet walked iAat door giving ut /
T-n.-e - motions ~ intense in language, Il
oEtiassr-ai, that the self-posses>ed. :,
en-eyed gepJlenss watching him there :,
most forgot the delight oi hiamph N the =
ea>ure OF surprise? lie had como to this :
tcryiew comm ssiaued to obtain at all ha-- <
l. something 70 commit Beecher, and 7
re was Beecher himself furnishing u
ms in torrents intense enough. eOmpre- u
nsive enough, to cover all the sins for g
Zen in the decalogue. There Is 10 b.
not tGat re paper originally called 1.-THE Of
ter OF apology, 6s;, po?e recently, "
ne letter Of contrit.0n.' vas written by
} mutual friend at ih.s intsT5iey ii
3sRfy /. 1911. But. in regard to every
-. TACT e0aee:aipg its preparation, the p
ea =" sf0sf9a viii he in conflict. IN
, III ''"' =, It while Mqqlian be
: this conversation lasted 80. fr,
that Beeehor was greatly excited. vet
names but three topics Of conversation, sh
all he relates OF the interview would ag
occupy more than IL minutes. lie says
paper was prepared 1t the beginning of wa
conversation lie SAYS it was dictated OF,
beeeher deliberately sentence by SEN no,
e, hat that he wrote it down as dictat- la la
and that the paper was not only in -.
cher 5 words, but the very sentences of II. .ui
construction, while Mr. Beecher will no
you. gentlemen, that this paper was ne
Jared toward the close of Il long and he
ted conversation. embracing many more Ill
- than those referred to by Moulton. All
remarked that rilton was under the to