Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-27
Beechef.Tilton.

MIR. Tracy continued his address.
He said he would now review Mr.: Tiltons con.
nection with Victoria Woodruff. The other side
had conceded that Tilton had written the life OF
Mrs. Woodhull in Sept, 1871. He attributed to
bis acquaintance with her his ruin in the editor
| ship of the Independent. He attributed his con-
nection with her to be for the benefit of the de-
PENDANT. His relations with her, he claims have
been entirely proper, and that during his acqnan-
lance with her nothing improper in her conduct
was revealed to him.
If he presumed to set forth to the public that
his acquaintance with Mrs. Woodruff was begun
on account of Beecher and his statement was CON
tradicted, then the witness was contradicted in
very important point. He went to Coney Island
in carriage with her, but denied having bathed
with her. He would show that at that bath they
and returned with all The evidences that they had
been bathing. lie would show that they returned
to the house OF MIR. Moulton on tn ir return and
stayed until evening, when he took this woman in
| covered carriage to his own house.
Counsel would show that the slips Of her publi-
cation were circulated in the newsI aper offices be-
fore she published them, and that Tilson was be-
friending this woman to get her to publish this
story This publication of Mrs. Woodhulrs life
was the downfall OF Tilton as a ,urnalst. They
also had the evidence of his presiding at the Ster
way Hall meeting, when he introduce her as an
advocate of free love doctrines. lie was not con-
tcLt with this, but wanted Be- echtr to become &C
quaintcd with her. The Stcinway Hall meeting
WOman
and to take Oft from Tilton portion of the obloquy
which had fallen upon him for associating
with this woman. No alluson would ever have
been made to this matter only for this publication
1t was only when Tilton was in trouble that the
scandal became bruited abroad. 1t is well known
that Beecher condemned these relations of Triton
with Woodruff, and he was always urging that he
ehould repudiate her, and Nov. 1st 1871, he wrote
the poem of ''Sir Marmaduke's Musings" What
made him allude to his crown being torn from him
hut fpr 01t in xuh fhn hold
for the doctrine be was advocating through Mrs.
Woodruff. The second verse of that poem was
issued as menace to Mr.. Beeeher to alarm
him This poem was written before the Steinway
Hall meeting, in order, suppose to compel
Beecher to come up there and preside at it,
Beecher faced everything rather than endorse the
principles this woman advocated, and defed Titon
and Woodruff to do their worst At this time Triton
had ovcrdrawn his account in Woodruff & Robin
sons and had no money. The importance of this
would be obvious at another point of ease. Beech
ers refusal to preside at this meeti1g in Steinway
Hall, was regarded as sign of hostality by Til
ton on the following year when Tilton returned
from his lectaring tour in the west, the Golden
the money, which Tilton said he owed him.
lie makes personal statement-sets it in type
for publication in the Golden Age, and in it he in
corporates the letter Of January Let, 1871. He
took one of these copies to Mr.. Wilkeson and told
him he should publish that statement unless Mr..
Beecher did him justice from Bowen; but that
would not influence Wilkeson. Mr. Wikeson
said if that was published it would create scan
dial which wonld shake Christendom, and advised
him not to publish it. Tilton said that Beecher
never offered him help in being kept in his situa-
ton on the Independent.
If the counsel could show that this publication
was threatened by Tilton to compel recognition
from Beecher to the justice of his claims against
Bowen, then it would be shown that this pnblca-
was threatened for purposes of blackmail. He
never intended to publish this statement, but had
the two copies struck off only to compel the pay
ment of this claim.
Wilkeson promised to aid him in getting the
money from Bowen if it was Justly owed to him
as Wilkeson said that it would never do to havs
this published. And. gentlemen, on the 4th day
Of April Tilton had his 81 900 in his pocket, from
Bowen, but do not say, gentlemen, that the OBJ
tanning of this money was for blackm all, for it
might have been due to Tilton.
This money was claimed on account of the
breaking of the tripartite agreement. 1t was
agreed that when that agreement was made all
the papers relating to the scandal should be de-
stroyed and the parties live amiably. This was in
1872, when the letter was in the possession of
Moulton who was to give them up to destruction;
but these papers never were destroyed, and the
parties had violated their contract with Beecher
and were conspirators against him. They used
him so long as he was Of any service to them, and
the tripartite agreement was determined, upon it
was engrossed by Mr.. Wilkeson, and, counsel
would show them that it was agreed upon before
the arbitration. After April, 1872, Tilton went
into the political campaign, and having the money
there was no reason for him to stir up the scandal
About this time he dropped his relations with Mrs.
Woodruff, for had he continued them Mr.. Greeley
would not have sanctioned it, and he therefore,
for in his life, sacrificed his love for political
ambition. Tilton's hopes Of success in political
life ended with the defeat and death of Horace
Greeley. Then came Mrs. Woodhull's publica-
ton, and various parties were named as those who
had given her information in it. Mrs. Stanton
and the other parties denied giving it, and it only
remained for Tton and Moulton to deny it but
this Tilton refused to do.
Tracy said on approaching another part Ct his
subject that he desired to make personal ex-
PLANTATION.
To this Mr. Beach objected unless Tracy would
go on the witness stand and verify the explana-
ton.
Mr.. Tracy replied that he was quite willing t.
do so.
The argument was engaged in by Mr.. Evarts
and Ex-Judge Foster, the latter stating that
Beecher would choose what counsel he pleased to
defend him.
Mr.. Beach denied that he dictated what counsel
Beecher should employ, but he was of the opinion
that Gen. Tracy had already exceeded the bounds
of propriety laid down in counsers opening.
Judge Nelson said it was the duty of counsel
to speak only of facts he intended to prove.
Judge Porter said the facts which Gen. Tracy
proposed to show, were facts which they intended
to prove, and here the matter dropped.
Tracy continued. l am charged with preparing
the questions for the plaintiffs wife before she ap
pearcd before the committee. The plaintiff says
that told him so. Now gentlemen, we'will show
you that l met Mrs. Titon only thirty or forty
minutes before she appeared before the committee
and that l never told the plaintiff so. was intro.
duced to her by her step IA hcr, Judge Morse and
it was so dark that could hardly see her face.
| went to the committee then for Mrs. Tilton and
l said to her only the words; "Mrs. Tilton, do
not be offended at any questions that may be asked
you, as they are not Intended to give you offence"
No such conversation as reported by the plaintiff,
ever occurred between Mrs. Tilton and me, and it
is an unnecessary reflection cast by the plaintiff
On his wife. When was consulted about the
Woodruff publication by Mr. Woodruff, did not
then know Beecher or Moulton. then under
stood that my services were not to be professional
only to DO friendly consultation.
desired to examine certain papers in Mouton 5
possession, aud therefore had an interview with
him at his house. The Woodruff publication was
gone ouer, paragraph by paragraph, and Moulton
denied the pistol scene he did here also he de-
MED giving Mrs. Woodruff the information con-
tanned in the publication. In reply to my question
as to how the story of Mrs. Woodruff arose,
Moul,on came up there before left, with ma :
uscript which he began reading to me. This was