The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-08
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL THURSDAY APRIL 8 1875

triton. He sketched the circumstances IN.
der which that celebrated letter was written
| It took the form OF narrative and then of c
discourse, and when Beecher described bi:
state of mind his voice once more shivered
and he broke sgain into tears, but kent
on speaking. till after a few moments bis
voice rolled out in superb har.
monies. Once again he wept, and
held his head with his hands. Again and
again bis tremulous voice, wonderful lace
and streaming eyes indicated his over.
towering emotion. The score of women in
court were sgiiaed with weeping. The
jury, with few exceptions, were affected
and several OF them used their hapdker.
chiefs and fingers in their eyes. Even the
| judge wore subdued expression through
the day. There was general rustic of re-
| lief all over the court room when BeecheI
ended his loog explanation OF the letter
Mr.. Evarts thea
CLOSED THE DAY WITH CLIMAX
by asking Beecher question which again
brought from him another specific, direct
and emphatic denial of the charge of adul.
terry. Mr.. Beecher stepped down from the
chair, walked over to his wife and family,
and the court adjourned under cireumstan-
ces of solemnity which have never before
marked any part of the great trial. Mr..
Evarts displayed high order OF talent and
legal skill in the framing of his questions.
so Is to bring out the testimony effectively.
so as to keep within the rules OF evidence, so
as TO deal delicately with scenes of impro-
priety, so as TO show the utmost respect TO
the witness, and so as to give
Beecher full play in bis descriptive sketches.
Iilton's counsel, including Beach, Fullerton,
Pryor and Morris, sat nearly all day as
though under a spell. Beach hardly ever
objected to anything, and Fullerton did not,
as usual during the testimony OF other wit
nesses, make notes for the cross-examina-
ton. We have had bits of acting before in
this trial, but Beecher dwarfed everybody
who had occupied that witness chair into
contemptuous insigniticance. / have seen
all the great actors of the last 30 years, and /
have often seen Beecher himself in the pulpit
but never knew dramatic genius, or an
earnest man to do more perfect work
than Beecher did to-day. At times his deep
bass intonations resOunded over the court,
then the emphatic sounds OF indignation
struck our ear, now his voice quivered with
the pathos of Elizabeth, then il trembisd
and broke with emotion; again. he mimicked
the pompous theatricslity of Tilton. and 50
be reproduced all the varied styles of the
characters who appeared in their different
moods. The great Delsarie would have pro-
nounced Beecher master in his line. He
tore mp scrap 81 paper and lung it on the
floor to illustrase how Tilton had torn and
wife. He fumbled in bis pocket TO show
how Moulton once fumbled FOR a key. He
csCSSed his arms to.show
HOW MRS. TIhVoN LAY IHFDED,
AMI so on. An old diplomatist, who is fond
Of high art, said tome: 81 have got more
for my money to-day than / ever got before
N Fay hfe." The sane observer remarked,
when the days proceedings were ever: 1.-THE
Beeeiler trial is now ended" But leaned
u few moments from Tilton that he did
not coincide with this view of the case.
Again, to-day Beecher 5eld some small pink
lower sprigs in his LEFT hand all day, as he |
sat in the w:tness-stands There was remark- |
ably good order in court all dav, which was |
broken but once or twice by an atsempt at
applause. / am aware that the printed re- !
ports will not justify my language about
Beecher's testimony. 1t must be seen to be !
appreciated. / forgot to, say in the. proper
place that Evarts's grea5legsland neral feat |
Of the day in addressing series OF c1segoFi-
cal Questions 10 Beecher, was almost liter
ally copied from a similar feat of Charles
0'Conor twenty years ago in the famous
Forrest divorce case, when O'Conor ad-
dressed similar series Of questions 20 Mrs.
Forrest.
FIRST DAY..
Mr.. Beeeher took The stand, and was sx-
ar4ined by Mr.. Evsrts. After giving. BIZ
1graphy of the Beecher family in detail he
same down to the business in hand.
q. Well, Mr.. Beecher, when were you
nsrriedf A. The same year 1 was settled
IA 1887, think IL was, SIR. @. How long |
period before your marriage had you been |
acquainted with your affianced. A. Half as /
ong as the patriarch and his two; had |
been engaged to her seven years. Laugh
.erl @. And how old were you when you
we're married? A. think L was %; am
not good at figures. q. And what was your |
wifs,s age at that time? A. What is that? |
D. What was your wile's age at that time? i
a. / think she was %, also part osthe year I
she is a when / am %, and the rest of the
year we are OF the same age LRnghter.l |
,. So that your engagement oates dates from |
he early age CT l6 or thereabouts? A. |
was engaged, 1 think, when L was between |
he age of l6 and IL. @. You were in col |
ege then? A. was in college, sir; think |
was freshman. @. How many children, |
Mr.. Beecher, have you had of this mar
rage? A. L have four. L have
four with me and five wait
ing for me. @. And now how many grand |
,hildren have you? A. Eight. @. During |
The period of your marriage has there been |
anv intervals Of absence or separation be- \
tween yourself and your wife except those
you have named-except going to E1rops1
A. Except when 1 have been gone to Europe |
Or out on l6cIurlDB Tours. u. Auu Vi ldbe
years has your wife had occasion to visit the |
south with reference to her health? A. |
Yes, yes, sir; since. think,7 the winter
Of 1870 or'71. @. The winter of 7'-'7l? A.
70 or I'll don't remember exactly where
It began. O. Had she gone South every win
ter udtil now? A. Until this this winter,
yes. O. While you were at Indianapolis |
was there any occasion when your wife vert |
to Connecticut, in consequence of sickness?
A, Not to Connecticut; she went back to her
home. Q. In Massachusetts? A. In Sutton,
Mass. @. And with those exceptions there |
has been no interval? A. don't recall any. |
o. In regard to the conduct OF domestic af- |
fairs. Beecher, what was the habit OF your
life with respect to your wife or yourself |
having charge of thsm? A. FROM very early |
period | remettid to her almost entirely my |
secular affairs, so much so that I'M
i'll within two years since my son
,ame TO live with me, who was in business. |
I oaxar avian draw nv own salary. @. Your |