Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-11
EtGnrH DAY OF Mn. ENAKTs.

THE EEECNER TRIfA-IHE SE-NHING
II.
E1GurH DAY or Mr.. EvARrs.
Mr.. Evarts resumed his argument at il 10,
starting off on the proposition that if Gen. Tracys
version of the January, 1872, interview be accep-
ted as true it ends all controversy. Hilton, he
SAID, had fashion of drawing distinction be-
tween the "ruC story in a complete and an in
complete form: and this was the sort of preyarl-
cation which enabled him TO ring such changes as
it was shown TO this and that man, as the purpose
served. so with the Woodruff story. Andrews
declaration that he gave head and tail TO it few
days before lis final publication had been used To
make il appear that the story not in existence
prior to October, 1872, although Andrews himself
acknowledges that the body of the story given
to him in the complete form in which ii was pub
li>hod. lie ended by calling Tracy "a leader, il
not the leader ofthe Brooklyn Bar. lie could see
nothing of moment in the interview between
Becehtr and Tilton in the cars. The ragged
edge" letter, instead Of being confession Of grilt,
shows the manner in which Tilton and Moulton
were playing upon Mr. Beecher's scnsibillties and
the completeness of the restoration Of good feel
ing that had taken place between all the parties.
Ilton wanted help, and did not think that Beech
er was helping enough. Here was the first ripple
of the stream that loosened the 81 900 boulder.
Rescryng the ragged edge part of the letter
for another time, Mr.. Evarts said that if Moulton
did not intend to extort money from Beecher he
would have answered the letter. Moulton's OBJ
iect, he charged, was TO get back his own and his
partners subscriptions, which they saw Ilton
would never have chance of repaylug That Is
why he worked so hard TO get the II, 1000 out of
Bowen. The moment the money was secured, he,
and Woodruff, and Robinson seized upon S. 900,
leaving poor Tilton only 81 900.
MIR. Evarts then took up the remainder of the
dragged edge" letter, saying that so far from be-
ing evidence against Mr.. Beecher, the very exs.
tcnce of the letter is complete dsploof of con-
sciousncss OF guilt on his part. 81 will step down
and OUT meant that il Titon not satisfied
with what Bcecher was doing for him, and wished
to terminate the policy of silence, Beechcr
willing also The ragged edge, remorse, fear
despair, part elected particular comment.
The letter, however, as q whole, was made the
subject OF long argument, to the effect that it is
principle of human nature that NO guilty man
ever voluntarily makes record of bis guilt, and
man ever makes full disclosure of crime, if it
be confession of infamy, even in the relation of
pentent to priest patient to physician, client to
lawyer, until the law forces it out of him.
Passing TO Mr.. Beechers next two letters MIR.
Evarts dismissed them in q few words. What
Mr. Beecher meant by "bottom facts" wheth-
Ell Bowen had any further scandals to detail about
him-whether there was a deep in Bowen that had
no lower depth of scandal. The speaker then en-
tered into a long discussion Of the situation
around the latter end of May, 1872, deducing
from it that Mr.. Beecher threatened to fight and
that frightened Tilton TO terms. At this point,
| %, recess was taken.
At - Mr.. Evarts took up the letters Of Beech
er and Moulton Of SUNDAY, June ,, 1872. They
preclude, he said, any idea that there was any
other occasion for reproach in Mr. Beecher's
mind than the damage he believed himself 10 have
caused Tiltons family. Mr. Beecher should be
Judged as man, not as brute. If he was about
to choose the alternative of publicity OF his guilt
rather than stand the constant pccking at him,
would he have written a fresh evidence Of guilt to
be used against himselfi The 'devices BY which
we saved ourselves" meant that Mr.. Beecher
thought that all the sacrifices that had been made
were constantly being rendered useless by Tiltons
caprices. ",Titon had condoned his wife's fault
simply meant that he had passed over Mrs. Til
tons undue affection for BeeCher. Quoting the
phrases that Beecher 'felt that he preaching
his last Sermon" and that that gave him peace"
Mr. Evarts asked if that was the way the seducer
felt at the approach of death. strong point was
made of the phrase in Moulton's answer, 'Iou
can stand if the whole was published to-mor-
row." Mouton says "lf | had listened to you
alone my hands would have dropped helpless
long ago" Eyes, they would" commented Mr..
Eyarts, land they would never have got into Mr..
Beecher's pockets" Getting at last to the suicide
interview, Mr.. Evarts said he would be very glad
charitably to leave Mrs. Moulton's testimony to
the situation of wife influenced by her husband,
but that was not permitted to him. He elabo-
rated theory that, if there was such an inter-
view, the probability was that Mr. Beecher spoke
TO Mrs. Moulton about bis sorrow at the supposed
damage he had done to Tilton and his family and
that the subsequent talk in her household had en-
larged and magnifed that conversation. But he
claimed that clear abb had been proved Neither
Mrs. Eddy nor Mr.. Jaynes could be certain about
the date they saw Mr.. Beecher in the vicinity Of
Mrs. Moulton's house.
Mr. Evarts ridiculed the proposed confession,
and the po on incidents. Then followed an ar
gument that Mrs. Moulton's expression that Mr..
Beecher implicated in adultery" could not
mean more than that he had attempted it; and an
ether to show that Mrs. Moulton had strongly
urged Mrs. Tilton, when the church talked about
investigating her husband, not to yield to the lat
teis influence, but to deny these base charges
against Mr.. Beecher." Some of the jurymen here
interrupted the speaker to know if he did not in
tend to stop it being long after four o'clock
Proceedings were resumed at AS The partic-
ular subject relating to 1872, of which Mr.. Evarts
was about to speak, turned out to be the "true
story" lie said that upon that and the letter Mr.
Beecher read 10 bis Church in July, 1874 the case
of the defense could rest with safety. He claimed
that the counsel 4or the prosecution did not want
Mrs. Til.on witness. Their exhibiting will
ingness to have her put upon the stand was only
trick. The honest, straightforward way for a law
yer would have been to call Mrs. Tilton them
selves. The law which says that wife may not
be called against her husband does not say that
she may not be called for her husband 1t only
involves general policy, the terms Of which may
be waived. At 6 % Mr.. Evarts closed his effort
in this remarkable case.