New-York tribune., 1875-02-03
MIR. TILTON'S SECOND DAY.


THE SCANDAL INCIDENTS OF 1879 AND 1878
fxPIANAroN OF THE PLAINTIFFS RELSI1oNs TO
MRS Woodruff THE BOWEN ARBITRATION
PRocEEplNGs-TnE sTRIPARTIrE coYENANT-MR
TIIHoN's NARRATIVE PROLONGED - ATTENTIVE
LISTENERS TO THE TESTIMONY.
Mr. Tilton occupied the witness char all day yes
terday in the trial of his against Mr.. Beecher
He testified regarding his connection with MRS
woodruff; also to his relations with plymouth
Church. and about the tripartite covenant. All the
events of 1872 and those % part of 1873 were fully
narrated The examination of Mr. Tiitoo will be
continued to-day.
TILTON'S VERSION OF SCANDAL INCIDENTS
The trial dragged yesterday. Mr.. TiltOn ascended
the witness stand at exactly II O'clock and took up
the thread of the story where 1t had been dropped
the night before. he began with the narration oI
On interview in February. 1872 when MT beecner'
according 10 the witness went to Mr.. Tlltons house.
and couversed in relation to the supposed snado"
over the life of the boy Ralph. Mr.. Titon says that
Mr. Reacber nositiyely assured him that there was
no shadow. and the interview closed amlcably. The
nla,ntj escribed fully his relations to Mrs. Wood
buu from the beginning Of his acquaintance with
her soon after the publication Of The Hord article
uutil their friendship was broken through dlsa-
rreement. MoultOn's statement that the woman
was dangerous. and his advice that she be dealt
gently with, was explained. The full story of the
composition and revision of Mrs. WOOdhulPs
biography was made public for the first time. Mr.
Tilton says that the wOman's husband wrote It she
brought il TO him, and asked him 70 rewrite It He
did so, leaving out many extravagant statements,
but Mrs Woodruff was dissatisfied She wanted
him 10 put in the incident of her raising a child
from the dead. without that incident" she said
+l,o too ha tha nj of amlp with
let left OUT She also wanted it written that
Demosthenes communicated TO the world through
her The circumstances which led Mr. TiltOn TO
preside at the Steinway Hall meeting were narrated
and the witness stated that the direct Of hi
doing so was that Mrs. Woodruff going on the
stage alone, saying that there was no man brave
enough to 20 there with her. Mr.. Tilton evidently
does not now court the friendship of Mrs. Woodhul
for be incidentally referred TO her lecture on
Finance" as harmless and STUPID. Much ofthe testi-
mouy tended TO excuse Mr.. TiltOns connection with
Mrs Woodruff, and in concluding his evidence re-
garding her the witness turned sharply upon the
jury. and said Il say before God that Mr. Beecher
is as much TO blame for my connection. with Mrs.
Woodhull as 1 am myself"
The wearlsome story of the arbitration proceedings
between Mr. Bowen and Mr.. Tilton was repeated,
and Mr. Fullerton read effectively the article of Mr..
Beecher in The Christian onion published about that
time. in which Mr. TitOn referred to as bril-
liant young writer and orator. The reading Of the
note seemed to affect MI Tilton for lie closed his
eyes and the tears rolled down his cheeks Mr. Til
ton next explained the circumstances of his mem
bership in Plymouth Church, and why be severed
hecOnnectl0n.
After the recess the various interviews and com
plieatons of 1872 were described Letters and cards
published and not published, conversations. inter
4T-oC
ments, or merely referred TO- At the meeting held
late in 1872, at which Messrs. MoultOn, Woodruff,
Tracy, and Tilton and Mr. Beecher were present,
Mr Tracy was represented rs promising Mr. Tilton
as a gentleman and q lawyer that he would not
spDear for Mr.. Beecher in case litigation arose be-
tween the latter and Mr.. Tut0n. a new document
was added to tle scandal literature IL the form of
cara written by Mr.. Beecher DENYING in emphatic
terms the crime of which be had been accused. Mr..
1ilton said tnat the card satisfactory TO Mr..
Moulton, Mrs Tlton, and bins If, but Mr.. Beecber,
for some reason did not publish 1t. The time OF the
publication Of the trpartlte agreement on Decora-
ton Day, in 1873. was at lengtl reached, and MI
TOn said that he had nothing to do with having 1t
printed That publication was followed by the
rripting OF card by Mr. Beecher III
The Brooklyn EdgIe, mentioning Nr. IiltOn
in connection VITA his accusers Mr.. Tutou
then he says. wrote a card vindicatng himself, and
signed Mr.. Beecher's name DC sent II TO the
Plymouth pastor and it also published. About
this time. in June 1913, according to the witness,
there was a stormy interview between himself and
Mr Moulton after he had learned that Mr. Beecher
had expressed intention to resign from Plymouth
Church, Mr. Tlton said he very angry and
told Mr. Moulton that If Mr.. Beechcr resigned at
that time, thus rejecting on the children
of the witness, he CIiltOnl would shoot
Mr. Beecher The charges of Mr. West
against Mr. Tlton. as a member of Ply
mouth Church. tor sandering the pastor, were very
fully reviewed. and occupied nearly all of the last
hour of the days proceedings. In connection with
that subject letter written by Mr. Tllt0n TO Sam
uel T. Belcher. a member of the Examining Com
mittee Just before the meeting OF the Church was
held at which Mr.. IIltOn's name was dropped from
the rolls. was introduced and read. In this Mr..
qilton wrote that be had not accused 5lr Beecher
falsely" Immediately after this part Of the exam
iuauOu had been concluded, Mr. Fullerton laugh
ingly remarked that motion to adjourn was al
ways in order, and as 1t Was then several minutes
after four Judge Nelson ended the day proceed
Ugs.