The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-05-06
4 Sad Picture.

On Monday last q sad episode Of no ordinary
character occurred in the Iilton-Beecher trial.
Immediately on the assembling Of the Court.
Mrs. Tilton arose, and addressing the Judge,
asked that a paper which she had passed to
him, be read aloud in open court. The re-
spouse to it was that it would be 'considered."
I It is believed that the paper contains either a
statemenC of the case from her standpoint, or
an appeal to be allowed to testify with view
to vindieating herself. On the one side she has
been accused by her husband of being guilty Of
adultery with Beecher. On the other. Beecher
tcstifies that he was satisfied that he had the
affections Of Mrs. Titon. and after the incl
dents that lead him to this conclusion, he ac-
knewledged that he had frequently visited her.
and in no instance is it represented that he
avoided her company with view to discount
tcnaneing the alleged infatnation.
We have studiously avoided alluson to this
anomalous and unprecedented trial We have
thought, and still think, that the least the pa
pers published of if, the better for the good Of
society. But here is a delicate female, appar-
emily turned upon by her husband and also by
the man who is implicated in the charge Of her
ruin, each for the purpose Of maintaining his
side OF the question, without q consideration
FOR the unhappy woman who is to be crushed
by the upper eand the neither milestone. TO
say that the conduct Of both of them is coward
y is too mild 1t is brutal and barbarorls and
it is the duty the press Of the country owes to
the weak and helpless and to justice that heart
less scoun(rels who are thus pilng agolies up
Oh the crushed and bleeding heart Of this
woman, to stigmalize the conduct Of these two
tiends as it deserves. There is an imperative
necessity for Mrs. Tilton now to testify Both
OF these men have declared her pure wo-
man, get when driven to the wall by the fierce
threats Of counsel, in order to screen them
selves, they make a defenceless woman the
scape- goat> and sacrifice her in order to palliate
the peIfidy OF their own characters. We be-
live the chivalrous impulses of the country are
ready to come to Mrs. Titon's defence, against
the assaults of these demons in human shape,
and demand that she shall be allowed to make
her own statement in defence Of her assaulted
honor. 1t would be a burning shame, should
she not have the privilege OF speaking in court
in her own yindcation when she asks it. The
perjury aud falsehood that have been perpetra-
ted in the progress of the trial either by one or
the other OF the principal parties to it, should
not be left to crush into infamy poor woman,
without allowing her to raise her Voice in her
own protection. The manly hearts of the ell
tire country are ready to believe what she will
say in the present attitude of the disgraceful
affair." and to throw around the weak and help
less victim of these human Monsters its SYM
pathy and protection
1t is truly sad picture to see ills delicate,
trembling, confiding woman set upon and des-
troyed by her own husband whom she had al
most idolized, on the one side, and her pastor,
whom she had almost worshipped as deity,
OH the other. 1t presents scene Of human de-
pravity and brutality shocking to nobler sensi-
bilities of our race, and should be characteri-
zed in language as fierce and severe as the
English vocabulary can comprehend.
APPOINTMENTS.-Ce John w. Weltz has
ho0., toI X,