New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-25
THE TILToN-BEECHER TRIAL.
BnssrE TURNER'S CRoss-ExAMINATIoN
ENDED.

NAA'~"
-. vpo,s roUN ON AN IMPORTANT coca. |
RroN-aRoRGE g. sEDGwICK AND CECIL, CAMP |
AR1I, SWEAR TO HAVING SEEN Mr.. T1IfoN WALK |
WITH MRS Woodruff DURING the RossEL |
PARADE - JOHN G soUTHwIoK TEsrrIEs THAT
TuToN DENIED THE STORY OF Mr. BEEcHERs
ADULTERY WITH MRS. TtLIoN>
The oross-examfhation of Bessie Turner was con-
elodeA Yesterday and no redirect examination was
made. George L. Perkins testified to the fact that
he saw Mr. and Mrs. Beecher leave train at
Worcester, Mass, on June 4, 1873; George s. Sedg-
wick and Cecil Campbell contradicted Mr.. I1ltons
statement that he did not walk with Mrs Woodruff
on the day of tho ROssel parade and John c. South
wick related a conversation between him and Mr.
Tilton in which the latter denied the truth Of the
story that Mr. Beecher had committed adultery with
his wife.
MISS TURNER RUNS TIE GAUNTLET SAFELY
The rout of Mr. Fullerton in his contest with Miss
Turner was complete before the recess was taken
yesterday. After an hours rest he declined to re-
new the attack, and Immediately on resumIng the
session at half past 2, he signifed that be was done
with tho witness. II any in the audience had
anticipated that the witness or the counsel for the
defense would pursue the advantage they were dis
appointed. The conquerOrs were magnanimous
Unlike the bear IN the frontier fable, they dad not
refuse TO let 20, and permitted Mr.. Fullerton TO
make his retreat as graceful possible under the
circumstances by declining to enter into an elaborate
redirect examination.
The manner of Miss Turner on the stand differed
in no sense from her demeanor on preceding days.
already fully described in THE TRIBUNE. She APP
peared TO less advantage in the early part of yester
days crOss-examination in consequence OF mlsap-
prehension of the questions put to her. She was
compelled to admit two OF three discrepancies be-
4 r TtNAa nnhnT
the present trial; but explained, as she had
done before. that she had gone before
the Committee unexpectedly, without prepa
ration and had testified at random as
TO matters she had seen aud heard and had been
told chiefly by Mrs. Tlton. Now, she had testified
after preparation and thought, and had been re-
stricted to what she knew of her own knowledge.
Once OF twice during yesterdays proceedings the
witness was afforded opportunity again to initiate
Mr.. Tilton and Mrs. Morse, and she did so In the
same language aud with the same gestures as on
former OCCASIONS and with equal effect on the audi
enee
Toward the close of the cross-examination Mr..
Fullerton made faint attack upon the witnesses
character, evidently with the design of showing
that some of her associations had been bad and that
she lied in the fabrication of documents which had
been produced in evidence. The first of these in
quiries brought out noteworthy fact still further
illustrating the singular domestic affairs OF Mr. Til
toms household; and the second finally led to the
introduction on the crOss-examinatiOn of evidence
which for weeks past the defense have vainly tried
TO get into the case. The first incident alluded
to was the introduction of the fact that
Miss Turner had been employed several years ago
at a place called the Dollar Store, which did not
at that time bear very enviable reputation, and
that she had been discharged from that employ
ment Mr.. Tilton during this part Of the examina-
ton was handing written questions to Mr., Fuller
ton, and the witness, probably suppOsiug that he
was suggesting these unpleasant questions took her
little revenge by telling promptly that she was en-
ployed at the Dollar Store and discharged, and
then adding Immediately that at the time she was
boarder in Mr.. Tiltons house The effect of
this retOrt can only be appreciated by those who
were present for it cannot be described. The second
incident occurred at the close Of Miss Turner's test
monY, and was its fitting climax. Her two letters
to Mrs. Tilton exculpatinG Mr.. HltOn-denying in
guarded and equivocal terms the stories of insults
and outrages he had offered the witness-were
shown to hers and she was finally asked if the
letters thus signed stated truth falsehoOd. The
purpose, Of course, was TO commit her to an I'M
eduivucal admission that they were falsehoods
and that she had deliberately signed
falsehoods. She gave qualified answer, but the
plaintiffs counsefAlsisted on striking out the qual
cation and letting the POSITIVE les bJaDu Us DeT
answer, Mr.. Porter and Mr. Tracy sprang TO the
rescue, and nearly half bOur spent in an
earnest and at times acrimonious debate, in which
Judge Nelson finally took part, and suggested
another form of question, which acted like oil
upon the troubled waters 1t was adopted
and put by Mr.. Fullerton 1t was in effect
an inquiry "Why, if her letter not true, she
had signed itfn The witness instantly
and unhesitatingly cried out Because loved Mrs
TiltOn and wanted to do it, because she said
il would put my name to that paper l would get
Mr. TltOn out of all his difficulties with Henry c.
Bowen that that story had got to Mr.. Bowen's ears
and that all that was needed my signature, and
my retractiOn of that" The counsel for the plaintiff
made no attempt TO stop her. and thus she injected
into the case very evidence of the purpose with
which the letters were manufactured which the de-
tense have been using their best arts to develop
The counsel for the plaintiff seemed utterly dumb
founded, and made no attempt to stop her, and
finally adjourned. forgetting to to strike out
fheimproper answer. Loud applause followed the
reply of the witness, in which there mingled a
great deal of laughter; and for ten minutes after
adjournment at recess the friends of Mr.. Beecher
were gathered around the Young woman congratu-
lating her.
CONTRADICTIONS OF Mr.. TILTON'S ASSER-