Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-04-30

Mr.. BEEcuER's cRoss-ExAMINArroN.

some OF these hundreds and thousands {
men.
| Q.-Well, suspicion of what? A.-Sa;
picion Of my moral conduct and character.
Dwell, sir, did you not want to clea
up that suspicion Al wanted to have
unquestioned.
Odd you speak to any of them at tina
time ? Al never did.
Q.-And yet you we're innocent and abb
to vindicate yourself? Al was perfect
innocent, and if the worst came to the wors
| intended to yindicate myself.
Q.-What could be worse than suspicion
Of your moral character. Any life coul
put that down if | was suffered to 90 RICH
on.
| Q.-Then by silence and going right OIL
you expected to let these mems suspicion
float away? A.-No, sir meant to max
it die.
Q.-Not by telling the truth ? A.-No
by telling lie but yet, at the same time
by not speaking the truth.
Mr.. Fullerton-I read still further
IF my destruction would place him all RICH
that shall not stand in the way. am willing I
step down and out; no one can offer more than that
| and that do offer.
| "" w 1Ou NtAC lbCAl ~ DN Ut
stroyed, were you ? A.-That was the feel
ingl had in my mind, extravagantly ex
pressed | admit but it was the feeling.
Q.-Yes but you were willing to be de
stroyed rather than meet this keen suspicion
felt in your congregation? A.-Not at all
These suspicious respected; the rumor-
pointed to BY Mr. Bowen.
Q.-It had no reference to Mr.. Tilton
then At might have drawn in that
but it was the principal trouble.
Q.-What was the trouble from Mr.
| Bowen? AIR Bowen's rumors propa-
gated by Mr.. Tilton.
Ono connection with these scandals
Alt might draw that in that was the
danger.
Didn't you refer to it here ? Al
do not think had that in my mind.
Dwell, reading.
Sacrifice me" you say, without hesitation If
you can clearly your way to his safety and hap
piness thereby.
Was that Mr. Bowen 5 happiness or Mr..
Tilton's? A.-No. Any action that would
bring the whole matter before the church
would bring out all that we had kept Sc
cret
o.-Well, what did YOU think you had
to do before the church except tell what you
have told here to vindicate yourself? A
| thought, sir, that | should have TO meet 4
divided church with a party on the side Of
Mr.. Bowen, with a large party Of young
men on the side Of Mr. Tlton, and with
another large class in the church, people
always very sensitiye-or of the congrega
tion-yery sensitive to all ill-rumors that re-
lated TO a minister Of the church | suppos-
ed if it came before the church it would
20 through the regular forms Of a church
trial, and | thought the poorest tribunal on
earth that could investigate the charges we
were going TO try, Was. Congregational
church, and felt at that time, and for a
long time, that there would be a conhagra-
ton that wolld destroy the church and me
too.
Q.-Now, jlst answer my question if you
please. Were you willing to be sacrificed
and rest under this suspicion rather than
defend yourself before the church? A.
That was not the point Of the sacrifice, the
point was | was opening that
Q-That i not an answer 10 my ques-
ton. " hat did you mean by the expression
you were willing to step down and out. Re
sign yoar Iastorate2 A-Nes, sir, eondi-
tionaliy.
Q.-Anl at that time, Mr. Beecher, the
only otense that You regarded yourself a.
having committed, If ofense it was, was that
YOU had unconsci0usly yourself won this
w0man's affections . A.-No, Sir; that
wasn't the way it presented itself to my
mind by uneonsciouSly winning her aifec
tons had destroyed her and the household,
and the man that was at the head Of it, and
! looked at it in IL whole
Oil m Y0a say Il an well nigh
discouraged: if you too cease to trust me
to love me, an al1ne; have not another
person in the world 10 whom | could 90"
Why couldn't You % to some relation, or
some friend, or some member Of the congre-
CATION and explain all this Al could
On the condition that it was to be exposed |
to the public, hut if it was not to be | could |
not maintaining my honor and pledge of keep |
Ing this silent and not speaking of it had /
10 one else to 20 10 but HIM, and did 20 I
to no one but him.
Q.-Coulln't you trust any member Of I
your congregation A.-No, sir
Q.-Not one? A-Not one in the con-
liiion Of things.
THE QUESTION OF ELAck-NAIL.
Having stated that he paid to Moulton,
.or Taton's benefit, in all some 5000. |
Mr. Beacher was asked
Odd you look at any Of these pay
nents in the light Of black mail? Al /
lid not, Sir.
Q-You felt entirely satisfied with the
money YOU had given? A-And rejoiced
% be able to give.
Q.-And did it willingly? Al did it
,heeriully.
Q.-And rejoieingIy2 A-Aud rejoicing
Q.-Without finding any fault with any
'ody A.-Without finding the slightest
ault
90 thinking that You had been
AIKEN advantage Of? Al did not dream
# it.
Or imposed upon ? A.-Or imposed
ipon. When say that. of course, YOU I'M
erstand me to say that this applies to my
thoughts about Mr.. Moulton.
OF never occurred to YOU, then, that
he payment of this money. which gave you
o much JOY in it, was black mail until you
ad lawyer tell You of it2 Al was
ought with and actually beaten into the use
f the term. defended Mr.. Moulton up
nd down. and said he had no thought Of
he kind ! would not believe it of him,
nd it vas in subsequent conferences that
nat they maize ne. was made ashamed
nv simplicitv-that j.. they told me
as green. Laughter
OFT was fought into You, was it2 A.
1t was beaten into me liz GOOD. sound ad
onitinps.
O-Do Won think il wa, beaten into Won
= sound ARGUMENT A.-Weu don't
ink it was by argument. exactly
-. -. -.
. ''', "'-''-'' VI ,'',o' " Inn M En- ,
Q--Dd You now believe 1t was black
all Nv ell, | tall from grace every l
ice IN while ana recover myself
" ell, recover yourself as best You l
~ ana tell me now whether You believe '
at francls u Moulton intended to black 1