Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-04-16
Wr. Heechers Testimony.

The most important portion Of Mr..
Heecher's testimony in his own behalf, in
addition to that which we gave a summary
of last week, is that given on Monday,
when he cohtradicted the evidence Of Mrs.
Moulton. Mrs. Moullon's testimony, it
will be remembered, has been considered
rs being among the most damaging and
convincing yet given against Mr.. Beecher.
In his examination on Monday Mr.. Beechor
was first questioned as to his visits TO
Mrs. MOultOn, and he described them as
irregular. lie recalled two conversations
with Mrs. Moulion concerning Mrs. Wood
hull On one Of these occasions she made
some spicy remarks about the exaggerated
enthusiasm which her husband and MIR.
Itlton were in the habit of expressing in
reference TO that lady. ON the other occa-
sion she said that she did not like Mrs.
Woodruff, but that she received her into
her house because il was her husbands
wish. Witness denied that there was ever
any mention of Mrs. Woodruff having
been received into her house on his (Mr.
Beecher's) account The process of contra
dieting Mrs. Moulton's testimony was
then continued in detail. -Four times out
of five, he said, their conversation had ref
erence to Mrs. Tilton. Sometimes she
spoke with severity of Mr.. Tilton, and left
witness under the impression that she did
he said, on one occasion on the subject Of
his having alienated from her husband.
and won for himself. the affections of Mrs.
| Tilton. lie distinctly said TO her that he
had never tried to win Mrs. Tilton's aflec-
| tons. All that time, he said, he was un-
der the impression that be had aroused
smouldering fire in that quiet little WOO
man, (Mrs. Tilton) which had suddenly
| burst out into such infinite mischief He
| was asked if there was ever any conversa-
| ton concerning his adultery or crime with
| Mrs. Tilton, and he said that Mrs Moulton
was incapable Of saying anything of the
| kind, and never, in fact, did say it. She
! was lady, thoroughbred to his apprehen
| sion, and never said anything trespassing
| on delicacy. 81 never thought so, never
| felt so, never said So said Mr.. Beecher
| contradicting one of the statements depos-
| cd to by Mrs. Moulton. He denied that
| Mrs. Moulton ever advised him 10 confess
| 10 the church, and stated that she never en-
| tered with him into any diplomatic CONVEX
| satiOn. The statement that he spoke to her
| Of committing suicide he characterized as
! preposterous and false, and his denial of
| other portions of Mrs. Moulton's testimo-
| ny was equally emphatic. She never he said
| made any alluson to adultery in his pres
| ence or spoke of such foul sin. lie gave
an emphatic denial TO the statement that
he bad expressed his regret at the calling
| of the committee but that he had nothing
that he was mainly instrumental in the as
| semhling of the committee, for no sooner
had he seen the Bacon letter than he let fly
| at it as man might shoot at a partridge
| which had suddenly risen. Mr.. Beecher,
all through this portion Of the testimony
| gave emphatic deuials to Mrs. Moulton' s
statements on all material points, and in
| In lesser matters offered such explanations
as gave an entirely different complex ion to
the conversations referred to. The inter-
| view on May 81, when, according to Mrs.
Moulton, Nj: Beecher lay upon the sofa
and was covered by her with an afghan,
was then inquired into. Mr.. Bcecher de-
MED that he was so disposed Of by Mrs.
Moulton on that occasion, and gave an
equally unequivocal denial TO the subse-
quent conversation testified to by Mrs.
Moulton. In reference to his having de-
scribed Mrs. Moulton az like "a section of
the day of Judgment" he said that was the
last figure which he should think Of apply
ing to Emma MoLton. "She was more TO
me- he said, "likea bank of spring flow
ers." In another instance he described
one of her statements as a "mnst mclan-
chOlv falsehood," and all through his testi-
mony was only varied by the different
forms which contradictions took. lie was
then examined generally, and testified that
| the fact of sexual Intercourse between the
defendant and Mrs. Tilton was never spok-
en- Of or imputed.
| Mr.. Bcecher's direct examination was
begun on Tuesday, and his cross-cxamina-
ton by Mr.. Fullerton was commenced.