The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-18
Review Of the TiltOr- Beecher
Trial in Court.
MOULTON AS A WITNESS.
The Mutual Friends Time TO Be o.
cupied for Days To Come.
DEVOTION TO THE SHEPHERD.

ton OF Inc age, the trial OF the clvu SUIT orougns
by Theodore Tilton against henry Ward Beecher
for the alleged seduction OF the wife OF the plain
tin, claiming damages in a sum equal TO five pas
toral annual salaries OF the defendant-namely,
100000 1t Is hardly necessary here TO recount
the chief features OF this most remarkable or the
causes celebes VI Chrlstendom Tor the reason that
q thousand lightning presses throughout the
length ano breadth OF the Continent are daily
evolving the most minute details which come 70
light In the progress or the case and eniehtenlng
the masses upon all that concerns the trial ana
its merits pro and con. Nevertheless, IL may DC
found OF interest TO those who would bear Ia mind
the impress OF the case step BY step In ITS most
salient features to comprehend the situation be-
lore the bar OF ustice up TO the present. me
TRIAL WAS CALLED
pn the City Court calendar Part l, on last Mon
Day week, two weeks ago to-day, before Judge Nc.
Cue. Counsel on both sides responded "Ready,"
but Il was agreed that no progress should be made
on that day, owing to the inability OF one OF the
senior counsel for the paintr TO be present. On
the day following argument was heard before the
Judge named touching tie power OF said Court to
transfer The trial, afIeri had been called
In Part l, to Part ., where Judge Nelson, the
senior justice OF the City Court, presided. The
plaintiffs side won, and the was transferred,
the defendants lawyers noting exception thereto.
Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, Thursday aud
Friday OF the week before last were entirely con-
aumed IN obtalning twelve men "good aud true"
who having rea but little OF the controversy be-
tween Messrs. Titon and Beecher, "and having
formed no opinion,' were competent to sit IN the
Jury box. 1t was conceded upon all sides that an
excellent weeks WORK had been performed when,
shortly before four O'Clock on Friday of the week
before last, twelve jurors, cltHens oil unlmpeacha-
bic character, men who were satisfactory To both
had aa W. tnpn raQdr har
the hours OF trial should be daily from eleven
O'Clock A. M. until four O'CLOCK T. NJ. ON several
occasions since then, when the Court or counsel
for plaintiff have been deeply engaged in point
In hand, 1t has been proposed TO pro!ong the pro-
ceedings beyond the appointed time, but the ma
jority Of the counsel have always objected and
the trial SO far uas been paragon OF punctuality
Indeed four hours constant sitting and watching
In that always overcrowded court Is enough wear
and tear upon the respiratory and vital organs OF
any mortal. Last Monday morning the trial really
opened.
Ex.DIsTRICr ATTORNEY SAMUEL D. MORRIS,
who Tor nine years filed the ONCE OF prosecuting
attorney Of Kings county, and is remarkable Ior
the vigor, energy, zeal and tenaclty with which he
pursues whoever he may be pitted against
stepped into the legal arena armed with all the
weapons offensive which seven months close inti-
macy with the contents Of the TiltOnian armory
could give him TO do battle with the Plymouth
pastor. At eleven O'Clock In the forenoon OF that
day, when surrounded by select audience Of
prominent men III every walk or lie, and
TO the music OF sixty gliding reportorial pencils
the counsel opened MS ten hours arraign-
ment, upon documentary evidence, tnterpolateo
by remarkably able and, Until the other side can
be heard, convincing comments, forming terri
bly, formidable array Of circumstances damaging
to the defendant The counsel entertained ms
audience on Monday, Tuesday and for the lore
noon session Of Wednesday. During Gil this time
1t IL due to the ex.Districs Atrorney-a tact, too
which elected mucn favorable criticism among the
hGbisses or tue Court for years who know his pow
ers or invecnve-to state that be never for al In.
Stant permitted his zeal In the cause OF MS client
20 overcome bis respect for the high standing and
character OF the defendant. The latter evidently
lppreciI tnls iorbesrance when. upon the
recess which followed the close OF MIR. Morris
opening address to the jury, he approached him
and, taking his hand, warmly graspedtt INDUCING
IN lew pleasant WORDS touching his moderation.
SHORTLY after Two O'CLOCK the same cay
THE LION OF TIE OCCASION,
the much quoted mutual frlend.n stalked out
from the judges chamber, and, being called as q
witaess, Frank Moulton took tue stand IN q COOL
Calm, collected and quietly DEFIANT manner, as or
one VINO, beng fully CONSCIOUS OF the great re-
yponslbility when was pending the iates OF the
two itlgapts, who were so grapdly champiy ned
Issue OF events. he answered the preliminary
questions put 10 him by Mr. Fullerton with an
ease and rapidly wnicn elected comments com.
mandatory OF his spirit GU the one hand and
sneers on the other The Chief feature OF his tes-
hmony during the two hours which he occupied
the witness cDair was as to the alleged letter OF
eontIItlon written by Mr. Beecher. Inc sensation
which This created was intense, and great was the
Brraining OF necks among the spectators to obtain
a glimpse OF the features or the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, VINO, seated III the centre OF his
fAmily group, by the side OF his faithful vile,
quietly read a book containing history OF the
controversy and made notes on the margin OF tue
Bame. The TACT that at last Mouton had taken
the witness stand becoming known had the effect
Of whetting public curiosity IN the matter OF See
Ing the principals in the case. hence 1t was that
on Thursday morning. as early as ball-past nine
O'Clock, the CORRIDOR ol the County Court house,
leading to the City Court Dom. was crowded by a
miscellaneous assembaqe or morDidly curious
people, who long before the doors were opened,
gave exercise TO squad OF thirteen police officers
Ia showing them back aud forming line. When
the doors were finally opened cluDs had to he
drawn and brandlsoed, 50 excessive was the rude
ness displayed by well dressed men holding
ticKets oil admission TO che trial.
THE TRIAL TICKET ABUSE.
And here 1t Is well TO again call attention to the
TACT that The present system oil granting tickets OF
sdmissioa to this Court is defective and promo
tive oil discomlort and Inconvenience generally.
Every attorney and counsel on either side las The
right as the court order now exists, TO Issue as
many tickets OF admission as he may choose and
TO wn0msoeVer he peases. Inc consequence B
that there are very few persons who nave ever
transacted any business with tue lawyers IN the
THOR beecher case VINO are not provided with
passes TO the trial. The court room Will accom-
MEDIATE standing. gallery and all, not more than
900 or COZ persons. When every available space
Is nled and no more can crowd In, there stu
remains long, wrlggng line OF unfortunate
men, displaying "tickes TO the irial,n and
growing Ia the hallway because they cannot get
In. This Is daily occurrence; II remains with the
Judge TO reorganlze the present de ectlye ticket
system. Thursday was devoted by the witness
Noulton to Explaining the letters winch we're placed
In bis hand by Mr.. Beecner IRON time 10 time
during the controversy, and 10 the reCltal VI the
conversations aud explanations which he ngd had
with the de .endant. The letter OF resignation Of
tine pastoral charge OF Plymouth churcn by Mr.
BeeCuer
mony. Between Mr.. Fullerton and Mr. Evarts,
the rival counsel considerable amusement was
furnished the spectators by reason OF the warmth
pf the Arguments which sprong up az intervals
Turing Tie mutual lrleno'sp recital OF the mo-
uentuous events IN hicn he took SO conspicuous
part. on Friday the me OF direct evidence was
ItiIl continued, and Moulton came up fresh ana
rood humored, giving his evidence In O straight
brward, candid manner, and, with an apparent
relish at times, as though
GLoATTNG OVER THE HAVOC
his ordnance was doinR among the ranks or bis
pppoceuts, weose legal adversaries ne has no