New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-24
SEkF-PoSSESsION A MATCH FOR LEGAL
ACUMEN.

70 the struggle with much zest for the contest She
had been ia during the previous night, and as she
~, Mrs Tilton for few minutes before taking
the stand she looked pale and nervous, but the
moment she sat down in the elevated chair reserved
for witnesses the blood mounted into her cheeks
aad as Mr.. Fullerton began she bent forward
from her previous reclining position, resoiuteIy
fortified for the work. The lawyer GER
tany looked IF he did not feel as
though be had relish for the task Close observ-
imagined that he had betrayed this dstase near
the close of the first day. when TO remark of Miss
Turner made while the two were comparing her
testimony before the Committee and that given on
this trial" Please excuse me minute; you have
got ahead of me"-Mr. Fullerton had replied, soto
roce Well it's the first time, guess" So yester
day the same confession made In reply to
Judge Porter, who had insisted 700 late that the
witness should not answer a question. when Mr..
Fullerton muttered grufiy. stop her, If you
cam 1t was very like a desparing cry of sur
render on the lawyers part. He had gone at
the work even at the start haltlnoly, and he pur-
sued IT hesitatingly, with many whispered cOnsuta-
tons with Mr. Beach indicating his distaste for the
uphill work before him. At last he betrayed his
annoyance at his i'll success by getting confused
once he was almost as much cOnfOunded as the wit
ness had been for n moment on the first day-and
finally he confessed discontinue by getting angry
and being severely taken to task by MI Porter for
insulting the witness
The tactics of Mr.. Fullerton not deeply laid
nor brilliantly executed but it is exaggeration
20 say that his failure this important feature Of
the campaign was due IN largest measure TO the
extraordinary self-possession, cearness, and delb-
GRAFTON of the witness whom he attempting TO
confOund. The printed reports of Miss Turner's
evidence really give false impression of the young
woman's manner. She appears by the mere
perusal of question and answer TO be quick,
impulsive, and vOluble to offensive de-
gree. On the contrary, she is deliberate,
and precise. and she is vOluble only when some
point affecting Mrs. Titon is brought up. The
most singular and noticeable personal character
istic betrayed by her evidence is her strong loyalty
10 Mrs TltOn. She does not appear To be a witness
for NJ Beeeher she to feel that this is case
between Mr. and Mrs. TiltOn and while never hest
tatDg to fly at him TO defend her. she seems ut
terly Indifferent to any construction of her test
mony which may iuiure or aid Mr.. Beecher. When
she is satisfied after reflection that her answer
will do Mrs. Iilton no harm-she seems indifferent
as to whom else it may affect. This feeling is be-
trayed by frequent references TO what " Mrs Tlton
sold her." as if all that lady said was to be unques
tioned, and by the positive manner in which she
sps,ks of Mrs. TiltOn d" very good authority"
With iSa deliberate witness testifyipg 10 many
different circumstances and dates. Mr.. Fullerton's
line OF examination night have been more success
full even though it was not elaborate. Inc
efforts of Mr. Fullerton were directed almost
wholly TO attempts TO disconcert the witness
by comparisons of her former testimony before the
Committed and the evidence on the present trlal'
and by confounding dates, and even to confuse Der
as to the number of beds which Mr.. Tilton exam
med to discover which was the softest But Miss
Turner answered the first efforts by declaring that
she did not know that her testimony before the
Committee had been fully printed, and by saying
that she had gone before the COMMITTEE
at 10 minutes notice unprepared, whereas IN TINS
suit she had turned all the details over IL
her mind knowing that she was 10 testify. Her
recollection of dates something ma vel6us, as
tested several times and yet she lad the good sense
OF honesty las may choose TO consider it, not TO
insist too much precision as TO exact days. This
gave Mr.. Fullerton great annoyance and increased
lis difficulties Miss Turner would also insist.
when Mr.. Fullerton put before her documents
which were evidently designed to entrap her, on
deliberately reading the whole OF letter or
piece of testimony before answering Several
times she snapped him up with the slightest
tinge Of asperity IN her voice and manner, on the
miscOnsgucton of sentences. An instance OF this
occurred after Judge Nelson had required Mr. Full
lerton TO modify his inquiry 10 Mr. lllton's ad-
vice to her on a proposal of marriage, when the
cross-examner asked if he tMr. TitOn) had advised
her relative 10 her marriage Quick as thought she
snswered But ] never married" At
another stage he asked her what it was she
had testified 70, as Mr.. TiltOns observations
20 his wife at the Woman's Rights meeting. Il
spoke of what observed" she replied. and what
he remarked" During the suppressed laughter
which followed this retOrt some one near the re-
porters' desk remarked, The TiltOns are family
Of critics. doubtless alluding To Mr IlltOns
criticism on Mr. Evarts's of the synonyms sure
and certain"
Previous 70 the recess the examination OF Miss
Turner conducted in the manner indicated, en-
bracod inquiries as TO the circumstances under
which She had lived at Mr.. Silas TltOn's house at
Newport and under which she had left there 1t
appeared not to have been pleasant experience. as
she admitted: but when she asked If she had
not. while angry with Mr.. 1itOn, threatened TO
make herself III by refusing food she answered neg
ativey, with an accompaniment of genuine
laughter which could have been heard outside the
courtroom and which was pleasantly reechoed from
various parts of the audience. The stories Of the
nocturnal hanging OF pictures and testing OF beds
were gone again. and told with some varla-
tons which seemed TO ada 70 the zest with which
the audience received them, TO such degree that
Judge Nelson had to reprOVo the spectators. After
recess attention was largely devoted to the nterro
CATION of the witness to the times when Mr..
Tlton Is alleged to have locked up his wife in
room TO give her seedlings. Mr. Fullerton asked
the witness whether it not Mr.. Tilton's habit
read to his wife articles and lectures that he had
written and to get her criticism. Miss Turner
repIed in the affirmative, Butt she added,
apurebeading his purpose with her usual Quickness
Whenever Mrs Tilton is involved. If he read
ing her lectures at those times they were scOldng
\ he tUitu N