New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-22
THE DEGENERATION TRIAL
PROGRESS OF THE DEFENSE.

REDEMPTION OF VARIOUS PROMISES MADE By GEN
TRACY IN Ills OPENING sPEECH-MRs. WOOD
HUIL's SERVANTS TO DE CAILED-THE AFGHAN
scENEn AN NATURALIZATION or IT TO BIZ
SUBMITTED THIS WEEK.
In his opening speech for the defense IN the sun
of Theodore Tilton against Henry Ward Beecher.
Cen Tracy made several promises to supply extra
ordinary evidence in disproof of some OF the most
imDortapt of the allegations of the plaintiff. These
PROMISES were 80 profuse and emphatic that many
of Mr. Beeche's adhercnts feared that bis counse!
had promised more than could be performed. ana
somc of the plaintiffs counsel openly sneered at tho
prornises and declared they could not DO fulfilled
But "a il was evident from the fact that he read
from manuscript that Gen. Tracy had carefully pre-
pared his speech, and as it was subsequently, de-
vcOped that it had been considered by the associate
counsel confidence in the ability OF the de1enSe 10
show all that was promised was soon revived. mus
far the success Of tho defense has been stu more
encouraging and satisfactory. If the comments oil
friends and counsel of tho defendant can DC &C
copied as assurance.
II was promised among othcr things that it would
be shown that there existed a conspiracy OF when
Mrs. Woodruff was part, and that IL was by con-
niyanco with her that Tilton renewed ana Kept the
scandal In circulation. The testimony OF MT. Cook
bore chiefly on this point and was very positive III
character-some of Mr.. IilOns friends look upon IL
as the strongest evidence yet offered for the de-
Tense. Mr. Tiltons intimate relations with Mrs
Woodruff arc to be the subject OF further inquiry
this week. Two of Mrs. WOodhulPs former servants
are to take the stand as soon az Miss Turner has lin
ished and it il reported that their evidence VIII
be of the same saacious character. The charge oil
blackmail against Tilton and Moulton was repeated
by Mr. Tracy in stronger terms than by the COM
mittee in its report last year; and 1T was promised
that it would be shown that after Mr. Beechers
$500 contribution had been wasted in The Golden Age
an attempt to raise more money and TO start another
newspaper was made so boldly and so clumsiy as to
lead to denuncations of Mr.. TIlton as a black
mailer II. B. Clahin was named as witness on
this point but the only one testfyug to it thus far
has been Mr. Schultz Mr.. Mouton's character for
ycracity was also to be impeached Numerous wit
nesses have appeared who confirm Mr.. MOuton's adj
mission that he had persistcnuy prevaricated IN
order to suppress the scandal The promise was also
made TO show that the famous interview OF Jan =,
1871 between Mr. Beecher and Mr.. M0ulton, was an
absolute invention of the latter. and never took
place No evidence on this point has yet been pro-
duced and it is supposed that it will consist OF Slr
Beeclers statement that on the day in question he
received New Years calls, and was not moment
alone during the day Other promises to refute al
LEGATIONS of Importance will necessarily rely for re-
dcnption on Mr.. Beccher when he becomes
witness.
One of the most striking promises made, and one
which, if redeemed, will break down one OF the
most valuable witnesses for the plaintiff, was the
promise to show that the interview between Mrs.
Mouton and Mr.. Bcscher. known as " the afghan
scene" in which Mr.. Beecher confessed adultery
with Mrs TiltOn, never took place. Mrs. Mouton
with great particularly swore that this scene took
place on June g 1873. Mr. Tracy, in his opening adj
dress spoke in regard to this matter as follows:
You will observe that Mrs. Moulton fixes the principal
interview with Mr.. Beecher upon Monday, the al OF
June 1873 She has identified the day with great par
tcuary. and left room for Misrepresentation as to
date. She has also fixed the length Of that interview at
four hours b. references to circumstances which can
| not now be explained away. The motive for nam ne
this day obvious. There but Two days on which
even according to the plaintiffs theory the idea OF sui
eide could pc ,siLy have been talked about, namely
May 81 aud June q 1873 And Mrs. Moulton was required
70 confirm her husbands story Of Mr. Beechers c0nem'
plated suicide May 81 which was on Saturday The
testimony OF Mr. MOullon has left no room for four
hOuro' interview between his wife and Mr.. Beecher.
The next Monday therefore chosen as the .only
available day. and 1t has been specified, repeat. with
the utmost particularly. The subject or this pretended
conversation aud tho circumstances undsr which 1t was
had arc such to makei certain that it either took
2,
Gentonen in all iris the interpostOn OF Divine
Provldenceis most snguarly manifested. For, upon
that very morning OF june q 1873 Mr. Beecher was de-
tanned at his house in consultation with gentle
man we'll known to all: and, az the very time a:
which, according to Mrs Mouon, she was tucking him
up on her sofa ana encouraging him to confess he
seated by the side of his wife and speeding on his
way 20 Peekskil! Thls shall prove to you con-
cusveiy, gentlemen. that venture with confidence TO
predict tDat you Will SEQ Mrs Mouon again the wit
ness stand testfying that by Juno she meant May 81
that by Monday he meant Saturday that by four hours
she meant half au hour that there sofa and
afghan that O'clock in the morning was O'Clock in
the evening, and that Mr.. Beechers card in The Eogie
not spoken of or thought OF!
No evidence of this sort has thus fer been brought
forward aud the evident reluctance and expressed
regret with which the promise made led to the
belief on tine part OF many that the attempt to im-
peach Mrs. MOultOn had been abandoned Inquiries
of counsel in the case however, elected the fact
that this part of the defense will be developed some
time this week. probably just before Mr.. Beecher is
called The witnesses not known except to the
counsel but 1T has been whispered that the princi-
pal persons to be called are gentleman and wife
whose marriage ceremony Dir. Beecher pronounced
Oh the morning III question in a distant city.
UNEXPECTED TACTICS OF THE DEFENSE.
The testimony of Miss Bessie Turner was great
surprise to the plaintiffs counsel and to the public
in more respects than one. Naturally her positive
manner and astonishing disclosures made her the
most sensational witness yet advanced for the de-
Tense. Her command of language, not less than
her power of mimcry, surprised all who saw her on
the stand. "She has been taking lessons in elocu-
tion," was u remark INDUCED in by numbers of the
audience and the suggestion that she had been
trained by counsel was even more broadly put. One
of Mr.. Beechers counsel to whom this suggestion
was repeated, smiled when he heard it, and replied
that the great difficulty had been to repress the
actress in her" "Sho is natural actress" he