The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-05-05
BEECHER TRIAL.

NEW York, May AIRS, Tilton was
asked II she had kept copy OF the doc
ument the presentation OF which to Judge
Nelson was the sensation yesterday, She
said; II have kept copy Of it, and it was
proposed to be made public, but until
Judge Nelson decides | do not think II
would be proper to let It be published.
1t related to the matter Of my not being
called as witness"
Judgs Nelson told reporter last night
he had concluded not 10 take action with
reference to Mrs. Tilton's communication.
In the present state OF the matter he
could not see that any action by the court
was called for. In case Mrs. TiltoR saw
iii to make further communications, he
might take SomestepS in the matter, He
would not either have Il read or pub
liShed, but II Mrs, TiltoH desired to pub
lish It he wOnld return 1t to her,
MRS, TILToN's LETTER TO JUDGE NELSON.
New York, May 4.-The Brooklyn
Eagle furnishes the following copy Of Ms,
TiltOnS letter:
JUDGE NEIIsoN:-I ask the privilege
from you for allow. words In my own be-
half, | feel deeply the injustice Of my
position In the law and before The court,
and while ] have understood and expect
ed from the beginning that Mr.. EyaFts
would move IN the matter, yet since your
last decision have been so sensible Of
tho power Of my enemies that my soul
cries out before yQll and the gentlemen Of
the jury, that they beware how by di.
vided verdict they consign to my children
n false and irrUVOCablO stain upon their
mother, For five years past | have been
the victim Of circumstances most cruel
and unfortunate, struggling from time to
time only for place to live hOnOrably
and truthiully. Released for some months
from tho will by whose power uncon-
sCiOusly | Criminated myself again and
again, declare solemnly before you,
without fear OF man and by faith in God,
that | nm innocent Of the crimes charged
against me. / would like to tell my
whole sad story truthfully, and acknow-
ledge the frequent falsehOOds wrung from
me by COmpulsion, though at the same
tlulc NHMllllHk w ICNehl lllC beCEct VI MY
married life, which only the vital impor-
tRnOe Of my position makes necessary.
, ] assume the entire responsibility Of
this request, unknown to my friends or
the counsel OF either side, and await your
honorable decision. .'' "
With Great Respect,
Signed ELIZABErH Il, TILTON,
hefOllowingis Nelson's reply
| am directed by Judge Nelson to re-
turn your letter, as IL cannot be read In
Court; also to state that In civil cases
tho 0Onnaal have tho right TO rUirAiH from
calling particular witnesses, however
competent, and that neither the Court
nor the client can interfere with the ex-
ercise Of that right. The question
whether you could be witness stands on
quite another ground from that COnsid.
cred when your husband was called and
sworn. lie was competent witness TO
testify on his behalf against third per.
son, and while the policy OF the law was
to some extent involved, there was no ex.
press statute In the way; but the statute
Of May 10, 1857, expressly declares the
wife to be incompetent as n witness for or
against the husband.
Yours, Respectfully,
Gro. W. KNABEL,
Clerk City Court