Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-01-22
From the Chicago Tribune.
The Reeeher Trial.

The BEEcHER trial, so far as its acces
sories and surroundings are concerned
begins to look very much like hollow
mockery, if not very silly farce. The
public, after having been dosed for over 9
| wear with Exposures" of all sorts, Letters
! ofall sorts, affidaYits ofall sorts, and state
ments and counter-statements from inter
ested and disinterested parties, entertain
ed the hope when it was announced thai
| the case would be taken into the courts
| that at last the exact truth would be dis
| closed, and the guilt or innocence of Mr.
| Beecher would be definitely established
and forever settled. People had grown
so weary of the case and its profitless and,
| in some cases, harmful discussions, and
the public morals were suffering so much
from its indelicate details which wormed
their way into every household and left
their impure tracks, that they looked for
ward 10 the trial, in which all rumors
and "they says" would be cut of, with a
sigh of reliet.
But now that the case has come to tri
al, what prospect is there that the jury
will bring in an impartial and unbiased
yerdicts Mr. Tilton is fighting his case
alone and single-handed IN the court, as
he fought it out of the court That same
powerful church organization of Brook
lyn Heights, which during the last year
turned the whole New York press against
him, and sought to ostracize him morally
and socially, has followed him into the
court and interposes itself between him
and justice, so far as it can, without bring
ing itself into contempt. Mrs. Tilton,
whose presence in the court room during
this trial is a matter of extreme indelicacY
and bad taste, is brought in daily for ef-
feet, and is shown off TO the best possible
advantage by the Plymouth Church man
ayers. It is only a little remarkable thai
none of them have suggested that she pre-.
sent herself to the jury IN the attitude so
vividly described by Mr.. Beecher himself,
with folded hands and closed eyes, "like
some forms carved in marble have seen
upon monuments in Europe" Daily Mrs.
Beecher rushes forward and embraces
Mrs. Tilton-for effect. Plymouth Church
occupies the whole court floor-for effect,
smiles at the sallies of Beecher's counsel,
turns up its eyes in holy horror at the
points made by Mr. Tilton's counsel,
shoots glances of defiance at Mr.. Tilton,
regards the jury in patronizing manner,
receives Mr.. Beecher IN its Friday evening
prayer-meeting style, and loads his table
with bouquets. Mr. Beecher himself, for
effect, pays no attention to the proceed
ings, but spends his time in reading ''good
books" and after adjournment seeks 10
hob-nob with Mr.. Tilton's counsel, and
delivers himself of certain pleasantries
and jokes TO show the jury he IS not in "a
cave of gloom" When Mr.. Beecher and
his counsel depart, Plymouth Church
makes rush 10 see them of and give
them triumphant exit of cheers.
All this may be very good stroke of
policy for Mr.. Beecher and his counsel.
but it amounts to an attempt TO influence
the jury, and should be treated as a con.
tempt of the court. 1t shows that Plv-
mouth Church is determined TO force a |
verdict Will a verdict obtained under
such circumstances settle the merits of
this case? Mr.. Beecher may be acquitted
by the outside pressure brought TO bear
by Plymouth Church, but such an acquit
tai will leave him in the public estimation
precisely where he was before the trial.
A decent regard for public opinion and for
the proprieties of this trial should have
induced him to establish his innocence
in such manner that no appeal could be
taken from il. Unseemly merriment,
brow beating of Mr. Tilton, and infuenc-
ing of the jury by force of numbers and
social influence. will not clear up his rep
utation. The people of this country want
to believe Mr.. Beecher innocent and 10 !
see this terrible scandal removed from the
church and society, and Mr.. Beecher
claims 10 desire the same thing, but he
has commenced in very curious way to |
accomplish this much desired result.
To all this maneuvering in the court
Dom and before the jury, may be added
hose other put up jobs of recent occur
ence--ihe correspondence between Beech
T and Miss Proctor, the sale of seats in
be Plymouth Church, and last, the New
FEARS Day exhibition. These are only
art and parcel of the programme arrang-
by the Plymouth Church to throw
ust into the eyes of The public 10 screen
nd protect the man who is seeking for
Ie vindication OF truth and morality by a
ir trial and verdict. II