The Portland daily press., 1875-04-06
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.

but there Is nothing blind or unreasoning in
al 'neir homage and adulation. 1t is bestowed
on man whose power to charm is simply ire
slstlDle-ln whom there are combined such
| qualities OF wit, humor pathos. kindliuess.
| grace OF manner, wealth of imagery. sweetness
of speech, and humility of bearing. that IT is
not only impossible to avoid being eaptiyatea
by him, but 1t is equally out Of the question To
| believe for moment that he could do anv
thing seriously wrong. And that is why Mr..
Beechers parishioneIs are extremely impatienr
at any intimation of a doubt of his innocence.
They have none and they attribute the scepti-
| cism of others to weakness of mind or depravi-
| ty of heart. They are jubilant over the pro-
ceedngs of the last two days of the trial. They
certainly have a right to be- A more superb
witness never appeared in any court. To begin
with one cannot look into Mr.. Beecher's face
without getting impressed with the conviction
that he is telling the truth. There is a frank
ness and ingenuousness about him, quite in
consistent with the theory that he is uttering
falsehood. And then he has such happy
knack of putting things, that every sentence is
epigrammatical. The alterations from grave
natural and opposite. The story itself isssuf-
fciently startling to enlist the most wrapt at
tention, but told by such master of language
and description 1t naturally enough held the
auditors spell bound. Many of the points made
were wonderfully effective. Perhaps
the most intensely dramatic scene was
that in which he described Moulton's jotting
down Of few detached sentences from
soliloquy which lasted an hour, and persuading
Mr.. Beecher to sign it as a measure tending to
peace and reconciliation. That fatal paper it
will be remembered proved the key note to the
conspiracy. The possession Of it enabled Tilt1n
to hint and threaten by turns for the four suo-
ceeding years. 1t was used as an opening to
the negotiation which Carpenter initiated for
the establishment of newspaper of which he
should be manager and Tilton foreign cores
pondent, but which came to grief on the allega-
ton Of one of the parties approached that it was
piece of black-maiL. 1t Is the most dsmag-
ing witness that has yet appeared. 1t would
be no hard matter to break down the testimony
of Tilton and the Moutons-peeple who do
the things they admit having done are not en-
tiled to be- believed when contradioted. Bnt
this voiceless testifer has been represented as
emanating from source which is unassaiable
in point Of veracity, and therefore something
that it is essential to explain away. Mr.. Beecher
was very felicitous in his description of the cir
cumstances under which it was written, and
threw new light upon the scene. Moultou
was there representing how cruelty Tilton had
been wronged-to what desperation driven by
deprivation of position and income The pic
ture he drew worked upon Beecher's sensibili-
ties which are always acute and he began to
pour out a dirge of self reproaches and regrets.
Occasionally when he would give utterance to
some strong expression of lamentatien, Moul-
ton would make note of it, and in that way
those disiolnted sentences were inscribed on
three sheets of paper in scrawling letters some
very large and others comparatively small, q
part full and part faint, and In the twilight
while tea was waiting, Beecher hastily signed
the document noting that it was "given in con-
idence" to the mutual friend, who at once
turned it over to his confederate to be hawked
about for his pecunary profit or for the pur-
pose of revenge.
Counsel seem to have shared or at least to
have yielded to the popular impatiencs that Mr.,
Beecher should be called. They did not ex-
haust their other witnesses and those who were
were despatched somewhat rapidly.
expected one piece of evidence from Hor-
ace B. Clahin which was entirely omitted.
Some time ago, Mr. Bowen informed Mr.
Cahin that Mrs. Woodruff possessed proof of
Mr.. Beecher's immortality. He urged him to
go and see her and ascertain for himself that
it was SO. Mr.. Clsfln consented and accompa-
MED Mr.. Bowen to Mrs. Woodhulrs house,
whom they found in consultation with her
lawyers, stenographer being present. Mr..
Claflin stated to Mrs. Woodhull that he had
come there by appointment with Mr.. Bowen
to discover whether she was in possession of
any information affecting the character Of
Henry Ward Beecher. Mrs. Woodhull direct
ed her sister to go up stairs and get some
letters, which she did. She took two out OF
the parcel and showed Mr.. Claflin the sigma
ture of Mr. Beecher. ''That is his handwrit-
ing" said Mr.. Clafin "but it is not the sigma
ture that 1 care for, but what is over it." Mrs.
Woodruff declined TO show him the contents,
but she said that Mr.. Beecher was intimate
with her and had spent several days and nights
with her. Mr.. Cladin answered with strong
feeling MADAM, am glad there are Wit
nesses present. 1 shall give you chance to
prove that allegation in a court of justice as
soon as can bring the case there" At that
Mrs. Woodruff jumped up in good deal of
excitement, and exclaimed 81 was not In earn
est in that statement. Isaid 1t in q passion.
I have never had any intimacy with Mr..
Beecher. But am ready to go into court to-
morrow and swear that Theodore Tton has
pent his days and nights with me for three
months together" Mr.. Claflin rebuked her
for slsndering Mr.. Beecher in such q wanton
way and left her. The two notes of Mr.. Beech
er's which she had on exhibition were brief
answers to invitations to preside at her lee
lures and informed her that he respectfully
declined But that she had made them the
objects of exhibition was evident enough from
the fact that Mr.. Bowen knew of her having
them and urged Mr.. Claflin to 70 and see
them with his own eyes. Probably IL Mr..
Clafn had not given Mrs. Woodruff very
earnest notification of his purpose to srraign
her at the bar of justice, she would have ad-
hered to her original slsnder about her intima-
cy with him. That slander was uttered in tho
presence Of at least four persons, viz: the law
yer, stenographer, and Messrs. Clafin and
Bowen: and there may have been others in
the room 1t indicates the recklessness and
shamelessness with which Mrs. Woodruff
assailed persons when she had no acqusin-
tance with. Her only excuse for this shocking
imputation upon Mr.. Beecher was her anger
at his refusal to introduce her at some lecture
she delivered. 1t also goes to show that MIR.
Bowen was ready and willing to hunt up any
floating little tattle about Mr.. Beecher and
promote its circulation. YARMOUTH
News and Other Items.
The famous Orange cou nty, N. Y, mare,
Millnr,s Dannsel died last week at the aga of