The Portland daily press., 1875-01-21
NEW YORK.
THE SCANDAL.


Confirmation Of Moulton's Cross e xam-
inati0n.
New YORK, Jan. 20-Judge Nelson was on
the bench early this morning, but even then
the hall and gallery were comfortably filled.
Mr.. and Mrs. Beecher were absent when the
court opened, but we're represented by their two
sons. Mr.. Tilton and Mrs; Field were IN their
accustomed seats All the counsel except ex-
Judge Porter were on time. The defendant
and his wife came in court about a quarter af-
ter the hour, the proceeding not then having
began. Moulton resumed his seat on the wit
ness stand. Mr.. Evarts said that ex Judge
Porter was i'll and unable to be present, as he
was suffering from severe attack of influenza.
After considerable discussion among the coun-
sci on proposition to deferring the cross sex
animation, etc., Judge Nelson remarked that
it would be better to 60 on with it, and the wit
ness was then cross examined by General
Tracy
1 never saw the Bacon letters referred to in
any publication as the letters OF contrItion; L
do not remember if l had any interview with
Tilton prior to the 26th of December, 1870; !
his valedictory in the Independent, but when
it was published read it; | think read 1T on
the first day it was issued; 1 had been informed
that Mr.. Bowen had made Two contracts with
Mr. Tilton-One in the Independent and the
other in the Union; think was told this on
u
to Mr.. Tilton's house; don't remember that
saw him there or Mrs. Tilten; L went there as
usually went there; this was about 3 o'clock
in the afternoon; don't think went there very
frequently at o'clock in the AFTERNOON; and
don't remember if / waited for Mr.. Tilton
there; l had an interview on that occasion,
lasting an hour; there was something said
about the interview which he had with Mr..
Bowen; he did not tell me that an interview
was brought about by Oliver johnson on &C
of fLo OH Mr. TiIfop he did
did not say that he offered to join Mr.. Bowen
in war against Mr.. Beecher; saw Mr. Til
ton next between that time and the 30th of De-
cember; on the 18th Mr.. Tilton said that he
had written a letter to Mr.. Beecher, asking
him to explain charges; at the interview after
the one on the 25th learned that the letter
was sent to Mr.. Beecher on this occasion;
saw Mr.. Tilton about six o'clock in the eve
ing, when had tea with him; at my inter-
view with Beecher shortly after, told him OF
against him, 1 said to him that thought Mr..
Bowen was treacherous to both; am certain
as to the truth of the stories; do not think
I said anything as to their truth or falsehOod.
Mr. Beecher replied that he thought Bowen
treacherous; my house IN Clinton street was
between Livingston street and the street be-
low; on the occasion of this interview Beecher
and went up to the second story; don't
think latched or locked the door; we then
went to Titon's house.
The witness was Cnon asked WneGueE IlllOu
told him the stories that were told to Tilton by
Bowen.
Judge Fullerton objected.
The court Overru!ed the objection, and the
witness answered that Tilton had told him
some of the stories he told Mr.. Bowen. He
said that he (Tlton) had gone to Winsted,
Conn, with lady, and acted improperly with
her. This was all Tilton told me about the
Winsted matter. TiltOn did not tell me how
his conduct was improper or the name of the
lady.
tour; he did not tell me any other story then;
think this was anterior to Dec 30th; do not
remember when and where he told me this;
he did not cell me his contracts with Bowen
were threatened unless he could explain this
story; when l told Beecher that Bowen was
treacherous man meant to convey to him that
Bowen's stories told to Tilton were not to be
believed when left my house on the Both of
December to visit Beecher, L was the friend OF
Tilton. / was not Beecher's enemy nor his
close intimate friend when Beecher came out
with me 1 proffered him my friendship; | did
this without TiltOn's consent or knowledge
had letter In my pocket that night; there was
no address upon it; l did not deliver this let
ter to Mr. Beecher, nor do I think he ever said
it; saw MIR. Tilton again on the morning of
the 31st at his house; / do not remember who
went with me; saw Mrs. Tilton there in her
room, think she was in bed; don't know wheth
er she was i'll or not, but think she was sick;
do not remember who was with me on that &C.
casiop; did not recOllect whetherI saw TiltOn
there on that day; visited Mr.. Beecher after
o'clock; he was not at home when called,
but he came in shortly after; had an interview
with him ia a room in the second story; / be-
gan the conversation by saying that he would
think this strange interview; told him he
had obtained Theodore's permission to have an
interview with his wife when he obtained the
letter of retraction and said his course was dis
honorable; told him I came for the letter of
retraction and he said that this recantation
would be the only defence for his family in
that he had loved Elizabeth Tilton very much
and that by love be had fallen and not through
lust; he avowed his intention of throwing him
self on my friendship as he was on the brink of
a moral Niagara.
A discussion was here caused among the
counsel by question put to witness during
which the counsel for prosecution reflected
strongly on the official reports printed in the
Tribune many inaccuracies in which were stat
ed to exist by the counsel. He also deprecated
the manner in which comments were made by
editors and interpreted in the reports. The
court then took recess
After the recess MOulton's cross-examination
was continued. The letter for the return OF
the retraction of Mrs. Tilton was directed to
me. have not got the envelope but suppose
the letter, which Mr.. Morris said was left in
his office and he had sent messenger for it.
Witness-I read the letter of Mrs. TltOn to
Beecher directing return of the retraction letter
after had read the letter of explanation from
Tlton. offered to destroy both letters if he
gave me the retraction letter, or keep them both
safe and not let them be made public. meant
to keep them safe. My idea was thai this
should not be made public against Beecher
without his having the recantatlon letter to
meet the charges. I meant they should both
be presented together or destroyed together. 1
had no authority from Tilton to destroy these
letters and would have done SO on my own re
sponsibility. showed the letter from Mrs.
Tlton to Mr.. Tilton asking Beecher for re-
turn of the letter of retraction. put this rep
resentation to Beecher without any authority.
1 knew from Tilton's expression to me the next
day he would not follow up the accusation
against Beecher. He said he would save his
family at all hazards.
Tracy read the letter asking for the letter of
retraction and confession, addressed to Moulton
and written by Mrs. TiltOu.
Beecner and /, continued the witness, had no
conversation on Dec. 31st with regard to charges
brought by Bowen AGAINST Tilton. On the
evening Of Dec. Both, Beecher told me be SYM
as against Tilton. 1t was on January I'd, at
etqer his or my house, Beecher showed me the
draft of letter he was preparing to send to
Bowen to correct the expression he had let drop
on that occasion. December 31st Beecher told
me Mrs. Beecher had heard some stories from
MISs mUISC, duu oynpuGuiLCu 80
ton, but Mrs Beecher said she did not believe
the stories of Mrs. Morse, as she was danger
Gus woman.
Mr.. Beecher asked me for the confession
which gave him at the time of the tripartlte
agreement, and he told me Mrs Beecher de-
stroyed it. locked up the retraction in the
tin box in my house till the time of my first
statement. 1 showed it to you at the time OF
the Woodruff stories and again locked it up
till it was handed to Morris when the suit be-
gan. L did not place the paper in Morris pos
session as the counsel of Tilton in suit. had
been subpenoed to produce the letter of recus-
alton and understand it is still in my posses
sion underline subpoena. l made two state
ments after the publication of Beecher. They
were prepared, the first at Bay View and the
other at Lowell gave the papers to General
Butler and he made out the statements. L
did not dicdate any oil the first statement to a
stsnographer, but did a portion of the second.
1 was present when Butler dictated the state
ment of the stenographer. case the facts to
Butler for the manufacture Of the statement.
4