The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-04-22
THE SCANDAL.
MIR. REECHER'S TWELFTH
DAN.

The witness said he first saw Victoria
Woodruff in June 1872, at Tilton's. He
thinks it was after her card in the World;
couldn't say it was Immediately after. Very
likely that interview was brought about IN
consequence of that card, but not to his
knowledge. 1t was a ten minutes interview.
The next was in October.
The counsel read letter to Beecher from
Woodruff. November 18th, 1871, asking for
an interview the next day in reference to her
forthcoming lecture in Steinway Hall.
Witness said he did not answer that letter.
He handed it to Moulton and proposed to
write an answer, but Moulton dissuaded him,
and said he could manage that matter him.
SELF The witness told Moulton distinctly
that he did not want to see. Woodruff, and
Moulton took the matter off his hands. The
next morning the witness called on Moulton,
who then had changed his mind, and said
witness had better see her. She was then in
the house. or came in Immediately. He had
an interview with her up stairs. 1t lasted
about half an hour. and no one else was pres
ent After that interview he saw Moulton
and Tilton down stairs.
The letter of the 10Th of December, from
Woodruff to Beecher in 1871, was handed to
the witness and identified. The counsel here
read the letter, saying that Mrs. Stanton and
she wished him to preside and speak at the
woman suffrage meeting.
Witness said he has the impression that he
answered that. and communicated with Moul-
ton before doing so.
The letter of Beecher, of January, 1872,
from Beecher to Moulton, asking his opinion
about the reply he should make to Woodruff,
was read by Fullerton.
Witness said he did consult Moulton at
this period about other things besides Tilton's
domestic difficulty. He consulted him about
the Christian Union. He asked him to take
stock in it. He calls that consultation. 1t
is a play upon words to make a distinction
there between consultation and solicitation.
He wrote that letter to Moulton after the
publication of the Woodruff card, and
enclosed her letter. but not because in
his Judgment it referred to the scam
dial, and he was not specially
alarmed about it. He cannot recall that the
scandal was in his mind at the time. The
letter of Woodruff wes a matter for consid-
Grafton, as it asked him to promote special
idea got up by General Butler on woman
suffrage. Tie matter might have some re-
lation to the scandal. Moulton thought it
would be good thing for him to go. The
witness does not recall that Moulton said it
would be good thing. as he would have an
opportunity of gaining the good will of that
woman. When speaking to Mrs. Moulton
about Mrs. Woodruff he spoke of her
(WoodhulD as rough diamond, perhaps
extravagantly phrased by Moulton, and that
he did not think Woodhulrs association with
Mrs. Moulton would injure her. He told
Woodruff he was not appraised of all her
views, and as far as informed he was
not in accordance with her.
He did not remember saying he loathed and
abhorred them, but he possibly might He
did not tell Mrs. Moulton his opinion Of
Woodhulps theories, because that was not in
question. She only asked his opinion about
associating with Woodruff, as Moulton
wished her to do, and he said he thought
Woodruff could not injure her. Mrs. Moul-
ton didn't tell him her object in becoming &C.
quaiuted with Woodruff was to control her
and prevent her publishing the scandal.
A letter of Beecher, in reply to Woodhulps
last letter, was read by Fullerton. 1t was
dated January l, 1872, and states that he
was engaged for other meetings. generally ap-
proves of the woman's rights movement, and
predicts its ultimate success.
Witness-This was after the Steinway Hall
Getting. My impression is that the letter
was longer, but don't think Moulton elimi-
mated anything from it. In the summer of
1863 my general health was good did ex-
pect sudden death in certain sense, and
no. 1 couldn't answer the question directly,
yes or no. If spoke of anticipating death
in day or two, it was carelessly spoken, and
am not willing to stand by it.
Counsel then read from Beecher's statement
to the committee about the symptoms of
apoplexy or paralysis he felt in 1856, and how
he nearly fell in the street sometimes, and
that these symptoms were connected with his
letter to Mrs. Tilton, saying that when he last
saw her he didn't expect to be alive many
days.
Witness did not remember his letter to
Mrs. Tilton, of February, 1871, SO as to be
able to say that this was the letter referred
to. The letter was shown to the witness and
he thoughtit was the one referred to before
the committee. He had for a long time
symptoms which he misinterpreted, but are
elusive. Some are feelings that he is going
to die, or has come to the
end of his life. He did not, when writing
that statement for the committee, put forward
apoplexy as an excuse for writing, in his let
ter of February 7, 1871, to Mrs. Tilton, that
he thought he was boing to die in few days.
He could not fix the time when he found out
the symptoms were delusive and not those
of paralysis or ~apoplexy, but the
results of over exertion of mind. He spoke
to physicians about what the symptoms of
apoplexy were. He has no apprehensions of
apoplexy now. He might have gotten over
his fears of apoplexy ten years ago. The ap-
prehensions of death he wrote to Mrs. Tilton
about did not, as he recollects, refer to apo
plexy.
This letter to Tilton, of June, 1878, II feel
I am spending my lost Sunday, &c., was
sc 1,a,,,
released by the hand of God, but not by
he often did, and expressed it in the pulpit
that he was near his end, sometimes in sad
ness sometimes in gladness.
Here counsel read from Beecher's statement
to the committee that as to the apprehensions
of death expressed in his letter to Moulton
he need only refer to what he had previously
said of his bodily symptoms, which he some
times felt. Counsel then asked him what
other symptoms could he mean except those
engendered during the Fremont campaign,
and which led him to fear apoplexy or
paralysis.
The witness said it was that general state
of mind and health. His life has been in
sured for the benefit of others, but not since
1870.
Counsel here produced applications for life
insurance in March, 1874. The witness said
the application was not made by him, but by
Ford & Co. He does not recollect going
through an examination, but he recollects his
signature. He only recollects three insur-
ances on his life. One was very early, about
1860. When getting these assurances he did
not state his symptoms of apoplexy.
Evarts here remarked that these assurances
were by others on Beechers life, and not by
applications from Beecher. He attached no
Importance to the matter, but asked whether
he paper Duplication for policy was ad-
nissible.
The court decided the witness might be
as to his statements in that paper
The counsel read the questions and answers
IN the application for insurance, in which the
answer mo" is given to the question whether
he party is afflicted with any disease or dis
order, and that he ordinarily enjoys good
health. The notification from the company
was also read, that the agent should find out
whether there was anything in the party's past
ife why the New Jersey Mutual Company
should not insure. This closed the cross-ex-
animation at 1890.
Evarts than stated that the re- direct exam
nation would not last longer than half an
lour, and the next witness would be Cleve-
and who would only occupy five minutes.
On the re- direct examination Evarts took