The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-03-04
TRBCY ON THE SCANDAL.

TRBCY ON THE SCANDAL.
Reading from His 600 Pages of Man.
uscript.
The following report contains the most
interesting points in Gen. Tracy's open.
ing argument for Beecher, up to noon on
the 26.h uit
This plaintiff, resumed Gen. Tracey.
was conspirator with Henry Bowen
against the character Of Henry Ward
Beecher. If Henry c. Bowen should
deny his ignorance of the letter demand
ing that Beecher should leave his pulpit,
then | could not ask you to believe the
plaintiff against himself. But Bowen had
backed out early. He did not want to 90
on further in that, and Tilton was forced
to seek another friend. After the letter of
Dec. 20, 1870, Beecher saw Bowen and
convinced him Of his innocence and the
falsity of Tllton' S stories, and Bowen re-
tracted his utterances, and during the
Goth. 9th, 2Sth and Doth of that month
the defendant had no interview with Til.
ton or wife in regard to how much the
husband knew of the intimacy; and the
counsel submitted this was not the action
of guilty man. Beecher did not know.
contended counsel, what the charge was
on which he was asked to qnit the pulpit
when he read the letter. nor was he
aware of it until the stormy hight on
which the interview was held at Moul.
tons house.
MoULTON TO THE RESCUE.
On the Goth Francis D. Moulton frs.
learned of the foolish act of his friend in
sending a letter to Beecher, and said that
would leave him alone to support the
charge which he (Tilton) had made against
Beecher. appeal TO the True Story. as
written by Tilton, said counsel. to refute
the evidence Of Moulton and Tilton. Coun.
sci briefly glanced over the various Incl
dents contained in the True Story. He
said that Tilton, after he was deserted by
Bowen, was placed in position of great
embarrassment. He had issued cha,.
lenge to ore of the foremost men Of the
age, and he had nothing to support it but
his own word. If he had told Beecher
that he had been deceived the latter
would ask him how he came to write sc
iusolent a letter. If he said his wife had
told him the story, the wife would deny
it.
WHY MRS. TILToN Confessed.
The cool and calculating villainy Of
Moulton he resisted till the Mephisto-
pheles at Tltons elbow suggested that
as Mrs. Tilton was then lying sick that
was a good opportunity to secure sigma
ture to a writing duplicating Beecher
Mr.. Tilton acted upon the suggestion
He turned away the nurse and companion
shut himself up with his sick wife, and
finally persuaded her..to sign paper. the
import of which she dimly if at all compre
hended. It She had an idea that she in
any way did 4 wrong to Beechcr She be.
lieved it would in the end be the best for
him and all concerned.
NouLroN 5 NorIvts.
Mr.. Tracy then asked who and what
was Francis ID. Moultonl He went on 10
say he was man eminently qualified to
sustain the part he had taken in this con
spiracy. The jury had seen him upor
the stand and known his GOODNESS anG
plausib;i.ty. AS he himself had confessed
he was heather. hut could present h m
self as an angel of light. and he had so ap
peared TO Beecher. Mouton and Tracy
said. at the same time when he became
known to Beecher, was member Of the
firm of Woodruff L Robinson. one of tn G
prominent and respectable firms in Brook
lyn. This firm. like others which had
4 = ha Ii
man who could secure favorable legisla.
ton. and could serve the house to advan
tage in cases ef difficulty with the gov.
eminent. Moulton was the member Of
this firm who occupied this position
To succeed in his work it was necess ary
for him TO have friends in high
places who could influence the newspaper
press. Tilton. whom he knew from boy
hood. was such friend. Tilton was ther
not only an editor of the Independent. a
journal which was originally religious
but Tilton made it largely secular. but h,
was also friend of Horace Greeley. and
the latter was supposed to look with favor
on any one whom Tilton recommended
If Tilton was menaced with loss of hi:
position, Moulton was therefore menacec
with loss of the all-important source O
his influence in business.
NOT ADULTERY.
There were no charges of adultery IN
til Mrs. Tilton left her house at the lnsti
CATION of Morse. and it was found tina
Beecher was in consultation with her. ant
he was threatened with dismissa, from
the Independent; and this plot he hatch
ed with Fl. c. Bowen. He formed thi
conspiracy to drive Beecher on. of Brook
lyn. and this was the only question whe1
F. D. Moulton entered it. If Theodor,
Tilton Was . man of flesh and blood h.
could Lot have carried thu