The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-05-01
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Characterization of MIR. Beecher.

10th at which time the defendant
was continued and
related to efforts to prevent the publica-
ton of the scandal The witness said
T had thoughts of taking my HE.
Thought there was great danger OF Mrs.
T;Iton being dishonored in the public
mind if the story of this difficulty was
made known. / then thought Mrs.
Tilton had gradually come into feel
inc of affection for me, and the out
break of it in the family and its becom-
ing known, had shattered her mind. l
Judged her to be very guilty person
and I looked on her with indignation.
In Nav Beecher had an interview
with Tilton which seemed to be a
healing of all difficulties, and 1t was in
q way to fair settlement which L be-
lieved time would effect. So far as he was
concerned, l did not think it was proper
that nv intercourse with the family
should be renewed. The May inter
view was a briefer one, to which / re-
ceived summons FROM Tilton. When
l went there something seemed to have
disturbed him. We talked for fifteen
or twenty minutes, and in some remark
made to him | came over and sat on
his knee. Mrs. Tilton came in and
laughed and came over and kissed me.
/ offered no objection, nor did / make
any reply to any of these charges. AT
the interview of the middle of February
1871, | kissed them all round as a sigr
of amity and amnesty. Isuppose these
kisses were inspirational and no cove
nant was entered into. Tilton said t.
his wife that 1 had acted honestly il
taking all the blame on myself. Tilton
also said that his wife had also taken al
the blame of what had occurred"
After the recess Mr.. Beecher's loss
examination was continued. hr. ful-
lerton read the letter writteh Dy Mrs.
Tilton, in which she spoke OF the bird
singing in her heart, pad OF being her
self again. Witness said he could not
remcm ber receiving it, but presumed he
read 1T, and gave it to Moulton. Mr.
Fullerton piso read the nest-hiding let
ter, abop3 which the witness made the
same statement as in regard to the
other.
Mr.. Fullerton then read extracts from
Mr.. Beechers book Norwood" and
asked the witness if Mrs. Tilton did not
get the figures of speech in her letter
from perusal of that book. The wit
ness replied that he thought not, at one
time creating a general laugh by say
ing, "Bless your heart, no, sir. y
The counsel then endeavored to get
the interpretations which witness
placed upon the letter, but Mr.. Beecher
had forgotten how he interpreted it at
that time Nothing material was elected
during the day, and the large crowd in
attendance on the court were lily re-
paid for time lost III listening.
On Thursday Mr.. Beecher testified as
follows: 1t was not an uncommon
thing for me to lie down on sofa while
waiting for Moulton, and | would cover
my feet with newspaper or something
else to prevent them from becoming
cold Mrs Moulton saw this, and then
her custom was to cover me with a
shawl, or some covering. [ heard but
part of Mrs. Moulton's testimony. Dc
not recollect hearing her say that she
kissed me on one occasion. 1t may
have been that / suggested to my coun-
sci the asking of this, and my impress
sion is that did suggest it. | never
said to her that she seemed to me like q
section of the day of Judgment. I will
swear that [ used no such expression
that would or could be construed in that
way. [ will say that / never used that
expression on my part. There was
nothing passed between her and me
about a confession to the church.
@. Mr.. Beecher, did you walk with
Mrs. Tilton In the city of New York in
the autumn of 1871 at any time? A.
Not that l recollect, sir.
Q. Were you In a house of refresh
ment, an oyster saloon, with her in the
year 1872 A. Not that l recollect sir.
Q. Do you thir k it could have taken
place and you not recollect it, A |
don't think it could.
q. Well, are you III condition to
swear positively that it did not take
place A. According to the best of my
recollection, no such thing ever took
place.
Q. That's as far as you go? A. AS far
as go.
q. In those walks with Mrs. Tilton of
which you hav g spoken, or in these con-
versations with Mrs. Tilton, of which
you have spoken, did you admonish her
against permitting her affections to be
enlisted to any further extent than they
hal already been enlisted? A. ! did
not sir
@. Was there anything upon that
subject said2 A. Not a word
q. And you at the same time, as ]
understand you, was laboring under the
strong conviction that she had given her
affections to you. A. Twas, sir.
@. Well, were you not in fear that
they would be still to a greater extent
interested in you than they had been d?
A. No, SIR, not to a greater extent.
Q. You thought no difficulty would
result from this communication with
her A. I thought that some good
might.
Q. Although you did not warn her
against going any further in that direc-
ticnl A. By warning her, by bring
ing to bear upon her mind several inhu-
ences that would set her mind above it.
The remainder of the questioning wa
IN relationto Beecher'spaying for Bessie
Turner's schooling, and the payment of
81, 900 to Moulton for Tilton, both of
which Mr.. Beecher admitted, and was
new satisfied that the Obtaining of this
money was species of moral black mail
On Wednesday, the defendant cross
examination was concluded by re-
statement of the efforts of the Wood
hull to induce him to preside at the
Steinway Hall meeting, and accounts of
interviews with Mrs. Woodruff at
Moulton's house. Witness made a
statement of the condition of his
health, and related the circumstance of
al application for insurance on his life.