Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-04-30
TILTON vs.. BEECH
Traey's Cross TX Am na ton.

OF mouth cDurCn was a SUBJECT OF discus
sion between Tilton ami himself, but that
nothing had been said theTeat about his get
ting the committee to make a report or con
corning the character of the report. Mr..
| Tracy said There was a report presented
| to me by Tilton on the morning OF July 9th.
| THE witness was shown paper which he
| identified as the report shown him by TiIton
| he read the report to me, and asked me il
| they would be likely TO make this report, and
i told him they could not without having
| evidence that would justify them in giving
| this report. never said that represented
| Beecher i'm the sense that acted for him, nor
| in any other sense~than as friend. never
| said for them To make report that would
not compromise Beecher's standing a
| clergyman, and that would see that it was
| passed. There was something said 10 me that
| If report was made that did not cOmpro-
| mise his moral character would see that it
! did not fail. On the day after Mrs. Tilton's
| appearance before the committee, Tilton
came into a saloon where / was and
| THREW HIS ARMS AROUND MY NECK
| and said that if he had said anything harsh
| against me he asked my forgiveness. On the
| 18th OF August, 1874, had an interview with
| General Butler at the Fifth Avenue hotel,
| but do not know whether MoultOn was
| present; MoultOn went there with me, but
| General Butler requested HIM to retire. Gen
| cral Butler and / had a conversation, and
| when MOultOn came back General Butler
| THE CRoss-ExAM1NArIoN
| was then commenced by Mr. Beach. Wit
ness testified: / swear L was never present at
| any consultation when the form of the an
consultation with Beecher until after the
| cat sc was on the calendar for trial. When 1
! pledged Mr.. Tilton that L would not appear
against him il court on certain conditions,
| o not know if | referred to an ordinary
! law suit in the courts or any collision which
| might occur afterward between Beecher and
| Tllton. now suppose then understood INV
| promise to refer to any collision in court.
| A { the close OF the interview in MOuIton's
81 udy understood that the charge was thai
| Ieecher had made
| IMPROPER PROPOSALS TO MRS. Triton,
| which had been refused by her. When I'll
| ton stated bis case against Heecher. as a law
! yer i knew that no litigation could grow out
| of such a charge, and after this above / my
pledge to stand. | stated this as general
! rule, applicable TO the case stated 10 me b
IiltOn. / gave this pledge a the time know
| ing no litigation could grow out of these
| charges agar st Beecher. / would not say
| cid not understand TiltOn IN he serious when
lie desired the pledge but assumed that he
was. | never diSabuset his mind on Tn" sub
| iect until July, 1914. l made up my mind to
! become n witness when this evidence hal
! been given, and that matter referred TO my
associates. | have never dissolved my con-
! ncctiOn WITH this case. and am still a counsel
| i'm il. ! h?Ne been in consultation all along
! with my associates in some degree, and have
! been So up 10 the present | do not cOntem-
plate W thdTaw!nS from the case. 4 opened
the case for the defense, and delivered the
| opening TO the jury. To some extent was
! the author of the opening. / composed the
| most OF that opening, bnt not all of il. There
are some things in TiltOn'S true story as
! published which were not IN the one read TO
me by 1iltOn. At the interview at the Fifth
! avenue hotel the question of the production
| OF the papers in Mouton'S possession before
! The committee was discussed. I went there
| at MOultOn'S request, and as a friend of
Beecher, and as one trying To prevent an
! open scandal in the publication of the mat
| ter. did not in substance state 10
| BENJAMIN F. BUTLER
mat l appeared as the representative OF
Reecher. conferred with Butler once in
Boston, in July, think, in the year
| 1874. | went to see him on this subject,
and confer with him about it. ] went
| because of a message received by Beecher
| from Butler Mr. Beecher did not ielI me TO
| go, but there was suggestion that should
| 90. l made the suggestion, but Beecher did
| that Bsecher withdrew his objection on ac
| count OF conversation he had Mr.. Shear
| man. When went to Boston cannot sup
! pose whether Beecher desired to 60 there or
| not. / will swear that went to Boston on
| account of what Sherman told me after his
| conversation with Beecher, but did not sup
| wishes. | saw Butler in Boston. and this
| was about the list of July. The investigating
! committee had substa ltially been called.
| We conferred about the message he sent to
| BeecheT and the scandal. Tie latter part of
| the conversation may have taken some turn
THE REST MEANS OF SURPRISING THE
SCANDAL.
| do not remember that he stated TO me what
| the charges were, or that he understood they
| were improper connection. / had an inter
| view with Gen. Butler at Moulton's house on
| the 10Th OlJuly. Moulton sent for me. did
| not telegraph for Gen. Butler on this Occa
| sion. but / did on another. This interview
was about Moulton's proposed statement. 1t
! was at that interview suggested to delay the
| meeting of The investigating committee on
| the Goth of July to give Moulton and Gen.
! Butler time. 1t was proposed that / should
| not be present when the committee met. IL
! was expected that Tiltoa would make his
statement that evening-that was the long
| statement; the sworn one. | was with the
, committee that evening, and Tilton made his
! statement. ! saw Gei Butter g MOultons
| mouse on the evening OF August 10. "a. me
next morning at my house. Beecher was not
| IN the house on August IL. Gen. Butler and !
! were not preparing any paper for Beecher
nor were we preparing a statement for him.
GENERAL BUTLBR DICTATED SOMETHING
10 his stenographer, but stopped aftera short
lime, when be had "a conversation with me.
This partial statement was designed for my
use and not for Reecher. 1t was a statement
for what General Butler thought Beecher's
statement should be- Gen. Butler sent me
afterwards package. which never read. /
90 not think any letter accompanied this
package ofpapers. II there was one have
forgotten. If General Butler wrote me a let
ter he would assume in il that Mr. Beecher
was guilty OF adultery or improper inter
course, from what / have heard him saw
Inc papers, think. We're General Buffers
views Of what Mr.. Beecher's case was, anu
think II began in the form of a statement. I
cld request MIN to finish this paper after he
offered 1t. The reason l did not look at it
when II ca ME was because it arrived too late
as Beechers statement had been prepared
and published. II was discussed by General
Butler whether this paper should not be real
by Beecher TO his church. 1t was not ar
ranged that Monlton should give up the pa
per he held TO Butler, nor can L say that
understood so. Did not understand Moulton
passed ali the papers to General Batter, in
compliance with this arrangement Handed
a !etter.J cannot say whether I ever saw
this letter, nor Will swear that it was writ
teii IN my presence, l recollect a converse
ton with Mrs. Moulton on the evening OF
August 10, after Moulton had made his short
statement in place OF the long one.
Mr.. EvartS objected to this interview being
given, and after a brief argument it was al
lowed in the evidence but the hour of adj
journment having arrived, the court ad-
journed for the day.
Suicide OF q VirxiniRn.