The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-28

The Beecher trial has closed another week
dramatically The. testimony of the three
colored witnesses, which occupied the atten-
ton of the Court on Thursday, will, if not
contradicted, destroy Mr.. Tiltpn's case. If
this is to be believed then Mr.. Tilton in many
essential parts of his testimony deliberately
told what was not true. If his evidence is
believed in others especially where it con-
Germs the alleged confessions of his wife2 The
letter of Mrs Woodruff, which we printed
yesterday has made profound impression
This bold and peculiar woman denies sub
stantially and in detail all the statements
made by the colored witnesses, so far as she is
concerned. Whatever we may say of Mrs.
Woodruff as a prophecies or a seer, or the
"orator inspired by Demosthenes," Spir-
itualist or teacher of morals or religion,
she is certainly competent witness in this
trial The misfortune Of the letter to the
HERALD so far as justice is concerned, is that
it is not evidence. If her statements are true
it is very important that they should be made
evidence. The hesitation to call Mrs. Wood
hull to the stand which exists on the part Of
both plaintiff and defendant should no longer
exist. We can understand how her testimony
might damage both sides. MIR. Tilton must
see that no matter what injury may come to
him by her appearance upon the stand her
absence would be q calamity. 1t is not tor
Theodore Tilt on to dread Mrs. Woodruff. It
is rather o reflection upon the ingenuity of
Tilton's counsel that in the cross-examination
of the colored witnesses they did not estab-
fish what Mrs. Woodruff writes over her own
name We begin to doubt the usefulness of
cross-examination as q means of establishing
justice when we see a colored man, who has
been slave, triumpbantly leaving the stand,
bis testimony practically unchallenged by the
acute and brilliant gentlemen who manage
Mr.. Tiltons case.
We repeat that unless this evidence of the
colored witnesses, added to that of Bessie
Turner, is destroyed, Mr.. Tilton has virtually
no case for the people, or none even for the
jury This leads us to say, further, that JUS
whole truth Of this proceeding coming to light.
We take it that Mr.. Beecher will soon go upon
the stand. In addition to Mr.. Beecher we
should have the evidence of Mrs. Tllton, Mrs.
Woodruff and Mr. Bowen. These three per-
sons have played SO prominent part in the
scandal that without their evidence the truth
would hardly be known. Mrs. Tilton is now
in most cruel position, and, as an act of
Justice to her sex, she should be allowed to
tell her story.
Mr.. Bowen is supposed to know more about
the relations between Beecher and Tilton
than any person living. He was party to
the famous covenant He has been publicly
denounced by Beecher's lawyers as forming
one of the conspiracy to destroy him. He
has replied in q manner quite as public of his
willingness to go upon the stand and tell all
he knows Mrs. Woodruff, as the promul-
gator of the scandal and the propelling cause
of the disclosures that now excite the whole
world, as the friend OF Tilton and the CORE
spondent Of Beecher, should be permitted to
tell all she knows Since we are embarked
in this distasteful and painful business we
might as well 90 to the end. Let the sun
light fall upon the whole story and illumne
its darkest crevice. Justice demands that after
Beecher is heard we should hear from Mrs.
Triton, Mrs. Woodruff and Mr.. Bowen.