The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-19
THE SCANDAL TRIAL.


THE SCANDAL TRIAL.
THE CLOSING OF THE OPENING SPEECH OF |
JUDGE MoRRIS-THE CONDUCT OF THE /
PLAINTIFF AND DEFENDANT DURING THE |
sPEECH-THE NOTED MEN AND WOMEN /
PREsENT-A REMARKABLE REJoINDER BY |
EvARTs-MOULTON ON TIE sTAND-soMEl
EXCITING SCENES.
The Brooklyn special correspondent of |
the Cincinnati Commentator the 18th inst. /
gives very graphic account of that DAVIS |
proceedings in the Tilton- Beecher trial: |
This has been an exceedingly sensational |
day of the Bsecher trial. The peculiar |
figure now in the forefront is Mutual" /
Moulton. 1 reached the Brooklyn court |
house this morning shortly before the open |!
Ing hour; made my way through the crowds |
that Designed the doors, stairways and sor
ridoIs; entered the packed and sombre
court room, which had a certain feeling of
impresssiveness and awe about it, and even
then found all the leading characters in their
places, waiting for the announcement of the
opening of court. Here are Beecher and Til |
ton, and Mrs. TiltOn in
the position thew respectively
occupied yesterday, at the three points of
triangle. Beside Beecher is bis wife; beside
Tilton is MOulton, and Mrs. TiltOns its be-
tween her lady companion and her father,
looking now and then at Beecher, but often
fixing her gaze upon the face of her hus-
band. Beecher, seated in the middle of the
court, fronting the judge. is as ever the con
spicnous figure of the place, while
| his wife sits at his lett side.
His son has a chair at his right, and
noticed during the day that for a great part
of the time his sons hand and arm were
| laid caressingly on the shoulder of his
father. In the immediate vicinity of Beecher
were about score of the ancient and white
haired fathers in Israel, belonging to his
church. During the afternoon session, the
| Grandame Beecher sat with her bonnet Off
and for time held large bouquet in her
hand. Her face, which has always
had placid expression smid the trying
scenes of the past two days, was to-day be-
clouded in an angry way, and rather bag
gard. At the opening of court Judge Morris
u at once resumed the speech for the prosecu-
ton, which mad occupied the whole OF the
two previous days. BE continued in his
familiar vein of comment on the
published documents. His peculiar
treatment of them was for the pur-
could refer only to adultery, and be rung
, the charges on every phrase and word with
an emphasis not easily surpassed. Yester-
day afternoon, when winding up that part
of his speech, which occupied
he would close by offering some
novel and dumbtounding evidence of the de
81 fendant's guilt, but he must have meant this
for effect, nothing new was produced
Soon alter he had begun he spoke of Beecher
! as the -''seducer" and "paramour'' of Mrs
! Tilton, turning toward the defendant, while
r Beecher aud his wife and Mrs. TiltO2 looked
9 steadily into his face. There were
MANY STRONG PASSAGES
OF assault and denunciation. He closed with
q sympathetic appeal to the jury, describing
9 on one hand, Beecher's lofty genius, emf
o nent position, great power and boundless re
sources, and on the other hand, Tilton'
. | poverty and comparative helpiessness
: but demanding that they should. never
y theless, vindicate eternal justice IL
y the case. When Morris described
. Tilton1s domestic virtues Mrs. Beeche
a smiled, as she also did whel
- he launched his objurga.ions agsinst he
husband but during the closing pa sage
OF his speech it was evident that only he
re self command enabled her to suppress he
X feelings. at the damnatory passages, Mrs
TiltOn famed herself vigorously with larg
! fan, and it was interesting at such times Z
IN notice her retiring figure, shrinking almos
sd within itself under his vociferous We
40 hemeAce. When he read highly
AS colored and Picturesque extraC
g. from one of Beecher's old sermons
N giving lurid picture of the seducer and
ne narrowing sketch of the wretched victim o
of seduction, BeecheT smiled all over. perhap
1t at the roaring way it was delivered, so differ
v, ent from Beecher's own method of delivery
in When near the close Morris roared oui
ell death and destruction to the seducer.
ut Beecher's massive face confronted hin
ly Tilton looked excited, but Mrs. Tilto
of seemed unperturbed. The hourishes G
or Morris st the close were tumultuou:
is Now came as neat stroke of art as has eve
Id been witnessed. His tropical sentences ha
10 hardly ceased reverkerating, and the listen
m ers were in a tense condition OF feeiini
~ when up rose the dry and long Evarts, VIII
as at once became the eynosure of attention
IT. He said in the drswlingest tone possible
ch i"Your honor, now that the business
i'll che trial Is Sbout to begin, would it NJ
ir be as well to have the tables arrange
nd little better2" From "peroration"
Sc furniture was q transaction as long as il ws
adj abrubt. M. Morris speech was sprea
a over three days, occupied ten hours. an
ss was closed at 1890 O'Clock. The case again
or Beeehsr. as presented by him, consists, frs
g. OF Mrs. Tilton's confessions; second, OF Mou
el toms and Tilton's affirmations that
he BEEcHER ACKNOWLEDGED HIS GUILT
re to them; and third, Beecher's series of lie
yo tiers expressive of remorse for some unnoe
on toned wrong he had done. or imagined
ne had done, to Tilton. There will be evIden
=, of a secondary nature, but it is tacitly col
mt coded that If the letters can be explaine