New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-23
BESSIE TURNER.

Mr.. Beach-Well, gentlemen, suppose You
accept the whole relation Of Bessie Turner as true what
does it affect far the main and material issue In
this case Is concernedi Why nothing at all 1t does not
tend to contradict the idea OF improperly as between Mr.
Beeoher and Mrs Tilton On the contrary If her story
il to be believed why, Mr.. Tilton vociferously
charging adultery with everybody. According to Bessie
Turner Mrs TltOn eulogzed she has been by Henry
Ward Beecher, and by the oath Of her husband-why,
Mrs Titon was infamous In her debauchery. All this
goes the question Of damages, and nothing else II
does not tend contradict the main allegation, but 1t
shows-if tue-t shows this man, the plaintiff to be OF
q character not commenting him to the favor OF a
court and Jury for o reward for injured scnsibil
ities Well as have asked damages, and have
always waived and dlscaimed them, and refused TO re-
ceive any, is very important that evidence directed
to that point should be severely contested or considered
by u.s. 1t is only important with reference to the gen
eral impression, opinion in regard to the character OF
Mr. Tton, which may be made by proof OF this kind
and therefore it would have been desirable, II had me
without wearyng the patience of the Court and Jury for
the defense and vindcaon OF Mr. Ton, to have exam
the testimony OF these witnesses submit TO you
however that evidence OF Bessie Turner Is intrns
cally incredible will not go through 1t and read 1t,
but consider for a moment the relation she gives
OF the conduct Of Mr.. Tilton in connection with
all the manifestations OF respect, intimacy, or
reverence as well love, that gentleman has given
not only before the alleged confession OF his wife, but
after that confession suppose 1t to be true Tor one mo-
ment that Tton the brute he ia represented to be-
that he did make atrOcous charges against his wife
in the presence Of Turner and committed all these
atrocities imputed him. In the name OF all that
wonderful what this holding this woman to his
heart for and protecting her by every Device ana every
publication and every effort within his poweri 1t Is
utterly impossible that this could in the OF
Bessie Turner charge that his wife, upon the sofa upon
which she sat- had again and again, in his sight, been
,urifl Avon tx
then after that taking this young girl into room upon
the second story of his dwelling, and rehearsng the
same story again. and not satisfied with that soon
after again calling her to an Interview where he repeated
over and over again the infamous vugarity Why what
motive could Theodore Titon have hadf IL were true
IL 1t were at all consistent with his general conduct
about which there be no dispute, why what motive
cou,d he have had first in making the charge In the
presence Of this girl whom he had treated as she says,
as child one Of his children and then taking her
ND TO the long, double interview to repeat into the ears
of this child the story OF his wife's inhdelities,
and then that this great tall and salwart man, when
this young girl nterfered between his violence and abuse
and his wife, striking this girl until she fell to the floor or
against the side Of the house, and then, as she repre-
sents it, tripping UP her saying "Why, Bessy, my
dear you stumbled did mt you ~ and she Strengthening
I'D her little form front OF this and threatening
dire slaughter he did not his abuse OF his wife,
exclaming him, Theodore Tlton, are you crazy or
Well gentlemen, not called upon to believe ridc-
uos ravesties OF that character Because Bessie Tur
ner testiHes to 1t We not bound to accrodt IT.
disposed say that that young lady has deliberately
falsHed. That there may be some foundation for
this l can very well believe, In view Of the
evidence Of Mrs. Moulton. because you remember
what Mrs Tlton said to her. that Theodore would not
let this matter Sleep that he continually harping
upon IT, and IL disturbed her. and she could not live with
him. have no doubt about that, gentlemen However,
much he may have loved this however tenderly
he may generally have treated her. yet have doubt
that there times, and many times, when the mem
DRY that oense up and rtaed and festered his
feeling have doubt OF 1t at ALL But that he
guilty the vulgar baseness OF charging IT, any other
ofense OF like character. upon the woman to-day thow
ever mistakenly he pronounces pure Is OF those In
credible ideas which common sense cannot accept And
then story this girl tells Of being taken from her bed
In the nlghttme and carried TO another the
hail. sleeping uncOnscousby Theodore Tlton and Horace
Greeley sleeping the door tO her. the next
her! Why you ask at once, What did Theodore TlOn
run this risk fort" II he had any impure design would
he chosen the time when this young and viruous
girl was sleeping within earshot Of Horace Greeleyi-
when single cry from her lip would have revealed his
base design and called champion TO the side OF out
RACED innocence and grhOodi Well II he had any such
purpose what was the necessity Of carrying the girl
awayf Why didn't he pursue his design therei Why
create all the fuss and disturbance of movement OF this
girl from the bed In which she lay where far she
could be under these circumstances, she was
helplessly at his mercyi Whether he designed
mere solicitation and fondng. whether he contem
plated an unmany outrage attributed to him, whatever
the design you please how can you account nationally
for the story that she sleeping carried from one
ROOM one bed to another corrected by my learned
associate In the fact that whore she was originally she