The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-15
The New evidence an the Beecher

published in the HERALD and Sun, have ex-
cited much attention. 1t does not yet appear
what action counsel will feel it their duty to
take in relation TO these unexpected develop
ments for although Mr.. Beach called atten-
ton to them at the opening OF the Court yes
torday morning and intimated that he would
make some motion after the recess, the subject
was not brought up again during the day
The Brooklyn Eagle, which has steadily cham
pioned the cause of Mr.. Beecher with remark
able zeal and ability, devoted last evening the
longest editorial we recollect to have seen In
its columns on any subject to an attempt to
weaken the statement of Mr. Legs, the
druggist who sold q deadly poison to Mr.
Beecher in May, 1871. 1t points out discrep-
ancies between the testimony of Mr.. and Mrs.
Moulton on the subject of poison and the
statement of Mr. Legs; but among its infer
ences from these discrepancies it fails to
draw one which strikes us as important. The
discrepancies prove that the story OF Mr.
Legs was not invented to support the testi-
mony OF Mr.. Moulton and his wife. Had 1t
been fabricated for that purpose its inventor
would have made it tally with their state
ments. Prussic acid is o liquid, and the
poison spoken of by Mrs. Moulton was
powder. This is the main discrepancy; but
there are several minor ones, and, taken
together. they preclude the hypothesis that
the story Of Mr. Legs is On invention intended
to match with and corroborate the evidence on
the subject of poison given in court ltwears
the appearance of fact stated precisely as 1t
occurred, without any attempt to accommo-
date it to the exigencies of the case.
Besides this circumstantial confirmation Of
its genuineness there is another. more direct,
reporter 70 milestone where the druggist
! who sold the poison nov resides. and Mr..
Leys repeated his statement of the sale and
exhibited the ledger in which it was charged
with several other articles. Fhe HERALD,
therefore, anticipated the Eagle by an interval
Of only ten hours in publishing the main
features Of the story.
We can perceive no warrant for the tone OF
complaint and invective in certain quarters
at the publication Of such facts. If these
statements are true they ought not to be
suppressed; if they are false it is in the in
terest Of truth to put them forth, SO that they
can be met and exploded. As Hldreth the
historian, says, in his remarks on the old
Sedition law, it is better that such things as
sumo definite printed shape; especially If
printed in newspapers and pamphlets they
can hardly fail to come to the speedy notice
of the party concerned, whereas spoken
SANDERS circulate privately behind a mans
back and may do irretrievable injury before
their existence is known; and even when it is
known, the feeting and changing shape Of all
merely oral declarations may often occasion
great difficulty in grasping them for refuta-
ton" In accordance with this sound line
Of remark we took pains to sift this poison
story as soon as its secret circulation came
TO our knowledge, and we succeeded
in tracing il to its original source
and putting it on record, for easy refutation
if there was no good evidence to support it.
Our publication yesterday narrowed it down
to q single witness and enabled the friends Of
Mr.. Beecher to go directly to that witness and
verify our report. If there is Q macs Of con-
ceaed facts it is better that they be brought
to light aud weighed before the trial ends and
not DO held in reserve to destroy the moral
effect of the verdict after it shall be rendered.
If the counsel and Court deem the new facts
important we suppose the case can be
reopened for the admission Of further evil
dence but If on examination out of Court
they are thought to possess no weight they
will have no subsequent effect in unsettling
public confidence in the verdict. We can see
no sound moral objection TO the publication
of new facts in case which has been SO long
obtruded on public attention.
There Is one statement in the Edglss tele-
gram from WhitestoDe which will make an
unpleasant impression. Mr.. Legs, the drug
gist who sold Mr.. Beecher the poison, is rep
resented as saying to the Eagle reporter that
che never talked about it except to the physi-
clan Of the village, DR.. Blocker, and the
latter is too honorable to say anything
to the injury Of Mr. Beecher" The
purport Of this Is that it is an obligation Of
honor to suppress facts and stide evidence if
they make against the defendant. Without
discussing tnls CURIOUS polHt " nohOI Wo
may, perhaps, be perdoned for raising
question as to the extent to which it has been
applied by the friends and partisans Of Mr..
Beecher DO they make it point Of honor
to smother evidence against him2 Are there
more facts Of the same startling character as
this purchase Of poison, which the possessors
have felt it obligatory to suppress and hide
during the progress Of the trial2 Are Mr..
Beecher's adherents in a tacit league with
each other TO suffocate and conceal the truth,
and to pour out the walls Of their hot indigna-
ton upon everybody who ventures to state
what he knows? The temper they exhibit
at the disclosure Of Mr.. Beecher's purchase of
prussic acid proves that they would have sup
pressed this fact had il been in their power,
and rDakaa n ere iibla that they would s1ln-