Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1875-04-04

permitted to take the oath with uplift
ed hand in the presence of the ever
living God.
The examination was conducted by
Evarts, and we saw the
MOST ELOQUENT AMERICAN PREACH
| Seated ON the witness chair, giving
| evidence to the most brilliant Ameri
can lawyer, who stands up few fee
away from him. Tilton and Monlton
sat near Beecher's feet, gazing up in
| tently into his face. The first question
related to his birth, parentage, and
such matters, and were answered as
concisely as possible. When Beech
er's voice was first heard, as he began
to testify from the witness chair, the
members of the Beecher family were
overcome with emotion. His old
| wife's face alone was firm, and her
features fixed, but his daughters eyes
were filled with tears; and so were
those of his two bearded sons and so
were those of his ancient sister, Cath
crime and so were those of his patri-
archal brother Edward; and so were
those of his son-in-law and his daugh-
ter-in-law and SO were those of many
Of his Plymouth Church friends, as
they gazed upon Henry Ward Beecher
in that place. There was really an ag-
oniZed expression in the faces of some
of them at the spectacle they then be-
held. Beecher's thorough prepara-
ton for the witness stand became ap-
parent at the very opening of his testi-
mony, which was delivered coolly,
clearly and precisely. Both he and
Evarts displayed the utm ost caution in
thnir rto oI
slowly and thoughtfully, while
Beecher answered with degree of de-
liberation that [ have never before
known him to display.
THE WITNESS GETTING LIVELY AND
CREATES SOME MERRIMENT.
Hesoon raised laugh by saying he
had never been able to tell how many
brothers and sisters he had without
counting them. In few moments the
second laugh took place at slight i'm
terruption of testimony. i've lost
your answer" said Evarts. And I've
lost your question:" replied Beecher.
[ Laughter. These were slight mat
ters, but they put everybody excepting
the Judge in good humor. " What is
the age of your daughter ?n 81 don't
know, sir; couldn't tell that part of
the domestic economy is remitted to
my wife," Hisyouthful looking daugh-
ter smiled as her father tried to make
her out nearly forty.
q. How long period before mar
riage had you been acquainted with
your affianced bride? A. Half as long
as the patriarch and his two. [ ha
1t was little bit of sentimentalism
in which Beecher once INDUCED when
asked "HOw many children have you
had by this marriage?" 81 have four
with me and / have five waiting for
me-" replied Beecher.
We soon learned that when Beecher
came from the West he took new
church, with a handful of members,
and it has now grown to $500 mem
bers, and congregation limited only
by the size of the building. He took
dred subscribers and it soon had sc, 900.
For his lectures he originally got twen-
ty-fve dollars night, but he did not
tell that of late years he has command
ed 81 900. ~ have averaged six full
grown addresses every week for thirty
years." said he in reply to a question
about his public labors. II have been
very voluminOus author. L think
there are some thirty-five volumes
standing in my name now"
Mr.. Beecher praised his old wife as
woman who had worked with the
strength of ten women. After he had
narrated his early life, family history,
marital and domestic relations, his
general career as a preacher, Journals
ist, and lecturer, and the part he play
ed in political and other movements,
he spoke of his acquaintance with
Bowen, with Moulton and wife, and
with Tilton and wife.
BEECHER'S FIRST ACQUAINTANCE
WITH TtLToN.
"When and how did you first form
the acquaintance of Mr.. Tilton ?' and
Beecher went on to tell of the forma-
ton of his friendship for the young
newspaper reporter, Tilton. 1T was
downright loving on my part" said
Beecher, who proceeded to narrate his
relations with Tilton, and the begin
ming of their trouble. ibid you feel
that Tilton rendered you a great ser
vice in the matter of your son ?'
did, and L do" replied Beecher, en-
phatically, as the clock indicated the
hour of recess, aud Beecher stepped
down from the witness chair, wiping
the tears from his overlooking eyes.
SOMETHING ABOUT MRS. TILToN.
After recess he resumed, telling OF
his acquaintance and interviews with
Mrs. Tilton, and her first marital sepa-
ration in 1870. He was next asked to
describe the interview in which he adj
vised her to separate. Hereupon heavy
argument sprang up between Evarts
and Beach, as to the admission of such
| testimony but at the close of it Mr.,
Beach suddenly and unexpectedly
withdrew his objection. Mr.. Beechel
thereupon described two interviews
with Elizabeth on the subject, both OF
which were mainly occupied with
prayer, but some other interesting facts
were given. It was satisfactory tC
have this evidence admitted, for there
will be a great deal more of it, anC
there could really be no fair trial o.
Beecher if it were excluded. AS al
ready mentioned, it is to furnish the
basis for the explanation of Beecher's
self-accusatory letters.
The hour of adjournment had arrived
when Beecher closed his account of the
first trOublous interview. He stepped
down from the stand smiling, shool
hands with some of the reporters, pass
ed over to his wife, and with her and &
score of other Beechers, walked out O
Court and thranrh the corridors, which
were filled with a ing crowd, an(
out into the street, where small mol
was watching for his appearance.
1t was noticeable that in the cours,
of Beecher's testimony, when Tilton'i
conduct and opinions were undergoing
investigation, Beecher often SPOKE
apologetically and at times very friend