Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-23
The MisapprehensiOns Of JarOrs-Jadge
Nelson's Charge In Process OF Pre-
Paration-Beach Continues
his Speech.
The Nest-Hldiag " Letter-The Tesii-
mOny Of the Brother Against The
Sister-Red paths Testimony
What TiIiOn Said.
Beeeher as a Son Of Hgs. EOrse-The
Charge Of Blackmail-BeSsy Tur.
Ber's EVldeBce-Beeeher and
the Need Of AtOnement.

NEW YORK, June pa dense crowd
filed the Brooklyn courtroom this morn
iug, the ladies in attendance being on
the increase, and all the parties 20 the
suit were present. Judge Nelson stated
that some of the jury were in his room
this morning, and from conversations
with them in regard to the occurrences
OF last evening, he believed that they
were labOring under misapprehensiOns.
Fullerton and Evarts made few re-
marks on the same subject, and said that
all the issues Beecher had to meet were
those presc by the witnesses on the
stand, and not those advanced against
him in the newspapers, containing an
outside Issue. Judge Nelson then sRid
that he had observed in some Of the
evening papers q paragraph to the effect
that his charge had been prepared two
months ago, aud that he had sometime
since received requests to charge from
some OF the counsel; but, in justice to
himS elf and the counsel, he felt COM
PEELED to state that his charge was not
yet finished, but was now in process of
preparation, and that he had not re-
ceived any requests to charge. He was
of the opinion that il he was allowed to
deliver his charge first, he could do it in
such a manner as that the counsel would
have but fewrequests to make, and these
they could advance after the charge had
been given. Fullerton and EvsTts ac-
quiesced in this matter.
Mr.. Beach then arose and continued
his summing up to the jury, and read
the letter from Beecher to Mrs. Tilton
in which he speaks OF the "bird singing
in his heart" and in which he men
toned "true inwaTdnessn The "nest-
hiding" letter was also read by the
counsel, who took this opportunity of
disclaimiDg they took the meaning OF
the word to be adultery; that was not so,
as 1t means cOnceRlmeDt. In Beecher's
novel, N0TWOOI, he likens a delicate
woman concealing her love to bird
covering its nest with vines and leaves.
In the letter OF June l, 1873, Beecher
said he was spending his last Sunday,
and preaching his last sermon; and in
TiltOn's testimony it appears that
Beechar asked him TO give him notice il
he was going to publish the documents,
so that he might either take his life by
suicide or take voyage to some foreign
land, and the jury remembered the evil
dence given by Mrs. MoultOn. Counsel
would trouble them with few remarks
on the testimony OF Richards, in which
he stated that he saw Beecher in the
front room and Mrs. TiltOn moving
away with flushed cheeks. The jury
might not give plaintiffs counsel any
credit for thus bringing 8 brother to tes-
tify against his sister, and that horror Of
the situation did not strike them.
Counsel had not pressed the witness
very closely, az they had got enough
from him TO serve all of their purposes.
We are told that Mrs. TiltOn loved
Beecher, and that he had feeling for
her; remember this condition Of things
in that light; Beecher on a chair and
the door opened suddenly, and this
woman springing away from him with
burning cheeks, was not this q situation
which would cause a suspicion to enter
the heart of brother? We are told
that Beecher visited Mrs. Tilton to pray
with and advise her, but this was not
the attitude of prayer they were
in when the door was opened. It
was suggested that in the impulse
and embarrassment Of the mo-.
ment, she did not advance to her
brother to greet him, but went to the
window, thus showing that she was cog
infant of the nature Of her improperly.
And WAS this witness therefore not to be
believed? Counsel then passed into the
consideration of Redp&th's testimony,
and read the interview which Redpath
had with TiltOn at home when he got the
true story from him, also an interview
which Redpath had with TiltOn when
Moulton was present, on which occasion
Redpsth mentioned the fact that he was
going to see Beecher, and TiltOn said:
"Tell him that charge him with adul-
tery.u Counsel then read the letter from
Mrs. Morse to Beecher, in which she
SAYS whea she thinks of the misery he
had caused the family, and heard him
cracking his jokes, she thought with the
psalmist-there was no GCd, Baecner
made no inquiries OF her as TO why she
charged her daughters misery to him
and the troubles in this family house
hold. What would Beecher do if he had
been innocent Of the charge? Instead of
writing he would have gone to her and
demanded an explanation Of this lam
guage used about him. Pure and innO-
cent as he said he was, and never utter
ing an improper word to her, could this
man, il he was innocent, submit to these
charges without remOnstrance? II he
was not guilty, if he could, he did not
the Jury. In another letter Mira. Morse
depicts the straits and circumstances her
daughter was in, and iLaplores him to
come, and the secret Of her daughters
life would not be mentioned. She knew
il was hard TO bring it up, and that she
must have suffered intensely, and he
thought it strange that he (Beecher J
should ask her to call him son. And yet,
said counsel, Beecher, according to his
view Of his conduct, never done
anything which should induce Mrs.
Morse to recognize him as her son; be
had never done anything to that
daughter which justified Mrs. Morse ia
calling him son. 1t was entirely cOmpe-
tent that Mrs. Morse should have taken
the stand and explained every word Of
these remarkable letters. Why was it
that Tilton, Moulton and Beecher called
Mrs. Morse q dangerous woman? And
why were these letters read here without
any explanation from BeecheT? These
letters were sensible and intelligent.
There were no signs in them of wander
ing intellect. Mr.. Porter had suggested
that these were but the wandsrings Of a
mind overturned through the family
troubles, but there was not the slight
est foundation for this suggestion. Some
Significance was to be attached to the
interview on the twenty-siX.h OF De-
Cember at Mr.. Freeland's house be.
tween Beecher and Bowen. a bold de-
mRnd WAS made on Beecher. 1t was in
solent, and had no foundation. How
did BeecheT meet il? He put the letter
of demand in his pocket ana said moth
ing until Bowen inquired OF him what
had he to say about it. He did not ask
Bowen for gu explanation OF his con.
nectiOn with this message, but asked
him IL he was friend Of
his. At that time Beecher had
no knowledge OF the love borne him
by Mrs. Tiltou. What was it that made
this man, il he was innocent, request Of
Bowen statement Of whether his feel
ings were friendly to him or not?
Beecher then saw the nece ssity Of dis
tTaoung BOwen's attention from TiltOn
aud securing him as an ally for himself.
de took the right course, though OF his
motives we are ignorant; yet, tc this
hour, said the counsel, the man who
made this demand upon Bowen was still
a member Of Beecher's church, and par
took Of his ministrstiOns. And did it
not throw q light on the matter when
the jury considered Beecher's appeal to
Bowen, which came from his trembling