New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-06

had never said that he Thought so too" Mr..
Moulton never told Mr.. Beecher that Mr..
Tilton considered Bessie Turner as dangerous from
her knowledge of Mr.. Beechers relations with Mrs.
Iilton. And finally Mr. Beecher swore that he
never knew anything about Miss Turner's going
away to school until called upon to pay the first IN
stallment for her schooling.
When the subject of Mrs. Morse's letter declaring
that Mr. TIton intended to publish his story as soon
as Mrs. TltOn was dead was introduced, MIR.
Beecher swOre that it was agreed among them that
her letter was merely the hallucinatiOn Of woman
laboring under monomania.
Mr.. Beecher also cOntradicted the testimony OF
Mr.. TiltOn and Mr. Moulton in regard to the exist
ence of any understanding among them at that time
that he was charged with having had criminal rela-
tons with Mrs. Tlton or with preaching to forty OF
his mistresses. He also denied that he told that
Joseph Richards had gone to Mr.. Tilton and asked
him IF Mr. Beecher's visits to Mrs. 1iltOn were Alto
gether of pastoral nature" Mr.. Beecher's manner
in making these denials was calm but emphatic
withal.
LETTER TO MRS TlLTON EXPLA INED
Mr.. Evarts now passed on to February T. 1871. the
day on which Mr.. Beecher wrote the letter to Mrs.
Tilton. beginning. when l last saw you
l did not expect ever to see you again
to be alive many days." Mr.. Beecher said that
Mr.. Moulton represented Mr.. TiltOn as toihng
hard to recover his lost position, but suffering from
great annoyance at home from the sullenness OF
Mrs. Tilton. Mr. Moulton urged Mr.. Beecher to
write a letter to each of them. He had seen Mrs.
Tilton last on Dec. 80 when she lay upon her SICK
bed. Mr.. Beecher explained the opening sentence
of the letter by saying: Il referred to the
shortness of our days. She looked like one
already spoken for by the angels, and
after the fiery ordeal to which had been bjected
did not expect to live long" Mr.. Beecher spoke
solemnly, with pauses between the words, and evi-
IDENTIFY his nature was stirred by the remembrance
Mr. Beecher accounted for the fact that he had not
sent the letter to Mrs. Tilton by her husband by
saying that Mr. MoultOn suggested that II TINS were
done Mrs. Tilton would have no faith IN It, ana the
effect of the letter peace offering would DC iost
The clause to the effect that 1t was written by MT
Tilton,s permission was also, Mr.. Beecher said,
suggestion of Mr.. Moulton. Mr. MoultOn was the
engineer of the whole proceeding" was Mr..
Beecher's emphatic summary of his explanation.
lie further denied that there was any arrange
ment by which he and Mrs. Tilton were hot to meet
or correspond but explained that there were TWO
reasons that prevented him from cooperating openly
with them to secure harmony in the Titon family.
His presence, as lie then thought, would increase
Mrs Tilton's regard for him, and he thought that
Mr. Tilton's pride would take ofense at becoming
reconciled with his wife through the instrument
tally of the man for whom sue had confessed an
affection as he then believed.
The PARENTAGE OF RALPH.
Mr. Beecher then gave an account of an interview
at Mr. Tiltons house about the middle of February.
1871 This it will be remembered was the date gwen
by Mr. Tlton of an alleged conversation concerning
the parentage of the boy Ralph. Mr. Beecher III his
account of the conversation made no mention OF
any such discussion. His talk with. Mr. Hilton,
he said was 10 reference to the stories about the
latter Mr. Tilton repeated to him the stories OF the
Winsted and other scandals denied them. ana as
severated that be had never violated his marriage
vows, but had always preserved an Immaculate
chastity" Mt Beecher again expressed his sorrow Tor
believing scandalous reports They had another
reconciliation and then went to Mrs. Tilton's bed
room. where Mr.. Tilton said to his wife, " Mr..
Beecher has acted the part of a man and has taken
all the blame :" and then turning TO the witness
had added and Elizabeth has done the same to you
Sir" Mr.. Evarts then read from Mr. litons testimony
passages from an alleged conversation on the sub
ject of Ralphs parentage Mr. Beecher seemed rest
less as the reading of this testimony continued He
seemed inpatient to speak and made several scs-
lures of remonstrancc. When at length the ques-
ton was put "Was there any conversation Oh
that subectg' he answered In tones not
soon to be forgotten by those who heard
them: Never, between me and Mr. 1ilton alone
nor in the presence of his wife. It is an absolute
and INDUSTRIOUS falsehood." There was complete
silence in the courtroom tor moment, and
then came burst of applause louder than
any former demonstration of approval. MIR. Hilton
became pale, but kept his gaze on the witness. Mr..
Fullerton was on his feet almost before the applause
had ceased, and pale with anger made some bitter
reflections Oh the conduct of the spectators generally
and the friends Ofthe defendant Mr. Evarts replied,
and Judge Nelson ended the discussion by ordering
a reinforcement of court officers for to-day and
threatening to punish the next offenders for con-