Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-05

view would be something like this: ~ know that
this man has debauched my wife. and has put a
stain upon my family. know that he loves my
wife. What am anxious to find out is whether
he is friendly to me 7" The idea of Beecher an
swering Tilton's subsequent mild accusation in
regard to his wife by asking what Bowen had
been saying about him, was ridiculous as the most
ludicrous thing imaginable. Was not Bowen, as
reported by Tton to Beecher, an accessory before
the fact Of Mr.. Beechers twenty five years Of
running of families of Indianapolis and Brooklyn I?
This "wolf in sleeps clothing" in sleeps cloth
ing no longer, for it has been stripped from him,
with dissolution from Bowen for the past, but also
with indulgence for the future from that great
ecclesiastical authority.
Mr. Evarts warmly asked the jury whether they
believed that a woman whose "eyes flashed fire
whenever thew lighted upon Mrs. Woodruff, F."
could have made confession of guilt in the cool,
Unconditional manner which Tilton describes. And
when a living witness and credible man tells a
perfectly consistent story OF this interview, Is 1t
not to be preferred
Mr.. Tltons remark upon Mr.. Beechers over
coming his wifes "scruples, was treated in a
scathing manner 1t being five minutes past the
hour, recess was here taken.
At2 l6 Mr.. Evarts bowed to the Judge and
proceeded. Quoting Mrs. Iilton,s alleged saying
that Mr.. Beecher represented to her that his own
wife had been unsatisfactory, and that he was
compelled to look to her for consolation and help
for his mind, Mr.. Evarts said that Beecher was
then ftysix years of age, had been faithful to his
wife from the age of seventeen. had had nine
children, and had numerous children-n-law and
grandchildren about him. What revelation II
must have been to him that his married lie had
heretofore been penance, and that to support
his mind in its devotion to Gods service he needed
such aid as that from Mrs. Tilton. This woman
who was so easily persuaded in the end, was, &C
cording to her husbands story alive to the falslty
of those arguments at first, and had for years re-
fused to submit.
But for Bowen's threatened attack upon Tilton's
fortunes, Mr. Evarts said, no use would ever have
been made of Mrs Tilton's confession. Six
months were allowed to pass by, and although
Mr.. Beechcr frequently visited Mrs. Tilton in the
meantime, it never brought to his notice un-
til after Bowen told Tilton that he intended to
discharge him. The idea Of woman caught IN
crime telling her husband to 90 to her par amour
and in her presence inform him that his participa
ton in her guilt should not bring him harm, and
to do it quick that he should not be worried by
suspense, was past credibility Yet this Is the ex-
PLANTATION Tilton gives OF how the letter CT accusa
ton was written-that it was to be the basis OF
such An interview. And the excuse for the inter.
view Is, that Mrs. Tilton did nct wish her husband
to assist Bowen in his fight against MIR. Beecher,
vet Mr.. Beecher had shown no fear of Bowen.
Ttens narrative is the veiiest trash that ever was
written or printed. The merest drivel of yellow
covered literature hasn't anything as base and
vulgar and pointless this. The reason for II
was that there could be no consistency between
the character Oh tne aleSeu CulPllts anu VIC
alleged crime, except on such an absurd theory.
Mr. Evarts told a good story about the meaning
Of the word transcendentslism, which had been
defined by pointing to bluff along river pierced
by swallows holes and saying that if the bluff
should be taken away and nothing but the swal'
lows holes left, that would be transcendentalism
That was Tilton's idea of his wifes adultery. The
low DESIRES the pollution and everything else was
taken away, and nothing was left but the swal-
lows holes. From indianapolis down, Mr.. Evarts
said, Mr.. Beecher's life had been open for criti-
cism, and Mr.. Morris, although not defective in
invectve, could find no mputation strong enough
without the addition of hong extract from one of
Mr. Beechers sermons on the necessity of con-
tinence," which has "done more to save young
men than the utterarce of any other mouth "lf
you prove Mr.. Beecher guilty." said Mr.. Evaits,
in burst OF eloquence that threw hush upon
the audience, land ask US to 90 a mile with you in
invectives against him, we will 60 twain. If you
prove him guilty and ask us to remove the cloak
Of hypocrisy from him, will tear his coat to
tatters but you will have 10 bring other proof
than this"
Mr.. Evarts then took up Mr. Beechers version
of the interview of Dec. 30.
Beecher's version of the interview then
compared with Tilton's, to the detriment Of the
latters credibility grounds Of probability. The
court here adjourned