New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-08
THE SOURCE OF MRS. wOODHCLLs IN
FORMATION


his house, and where there was al absolute wipng out
OF nl-feelng, OF evil opinion OF evil purpose, ap-
parenty, within week after that there was published
by Mrs Woodruff card in two OF the leading morning
papers Of the City OF NewYork in which what must be-
considered very reference "a the condition OF
adulterolH intimacy between Mrs. Tilton and M
Beecher continued for years, clearly made. The
evidence submit To you, gentlemen, clearly shows
that this publication promoted by Mr. rlton himself
On this evidence It IL impossible 70 doubt that tbs source
OF Mrs. W0Odhulps information WAS Mr.. Tlt0n The
scandal proper not published until November, 1872,
but this card published the 22d OF May, 1871 aud
at the very period when, apparently, II there were
any sincerity in Mr. Tllton, II there any pos
sible fidelity his part 70 the duties to bis
wife and family that he has suggested, any possible
honesty In his relations with Mr. Beecher and any pos
sble confidence put In the attitude and conduct OF
Mr. MOulton everything at an end when everything
had been explained and when It was perfectly under
stood that the extent which Mrs. TOn had gone
to which she unhappy had been brought in the way n
accusation-was OF that written slip which she had re-
traced the day after she gave 1t, there comes out
this direct mputation In Mrs. WOOdhuVs card and THIS
introduces certain episode % speak in the course ~
this direct narrative brought in by the plaintiff and
the turn, IN his mode OF showing IT, Of In
culpaton OF Mr. Beecher, requiring, at least de-
string at least acquescng in and approving, course
the part OF Mr. rlton and Mr. Monitor and
Mrs. Moulton OF association with MIS- WOodhull dis
II,
his wfe-llstasteful Them injuring their credit
with the community but submitted to by them
as the willing aids and helps Of Mr.. Beeeher In
OF concealment True. Mr. Tlton processes that
a ZEAL keep his wifes fame from exposure.
and disorders OF his family whatever they might be-
grave less serious, from publicity and commeA fur
nished motive also, his part, for this Odos ss-ocs-
ton that he maintained for than year. He In
PRODUCES upon oath in this way That he sent iof
by Mrs. Woodruff, with whom he had M previous
acquaintance though he admits he had her 10
some prOmiscuous company, and that she put into biz
that card and he read it with establishment and
kept he could and tried conceal any con
seriousness that related anybody that be con
cerned in that he knew anything about, and
that thereupOn Mrs. Woodruff informed him thai
it related to his wife and 70 MI Beecher
Now gentlemen, this the I'D Of May, 1871, and
as Mr. TOn played the role Of intimacy on his own show
ing and Of complete intimacy the evidence that We
have adduced with this lady for certainly period oi
twelve fifteen months, end think much longer AMI
at some time OthertO wit, in November lS72-thcre
came be a full publication however Wild and exag'
gerated and for the purpose OF cover that
was included only the facts, the original scan
dal az between Mrs Tton and Beecher, but OF all
the maneuvers between Mr. Moulton and Mr. Tlton the
interviews the condolences 90 which Mr Beechrr
Mr. TiltOn, and Mr.. MoulOn alone were parties during
the week December and the early part OF January A.
finally all those things out Mr. Tilt0n, by OF
those udicious fasfcatous that is 10 protect himself
against a necessary implication, begins by teiina
you that in that week, In May, l-7l, MS
Woodruff had in ner knowledge, and detailed
to him substantially all that she published IN December
1872 Cunning Mr.. Tilton! To get rid Of necessary
imputation that had been growth OF the womans
knowledge during her association with him. he tells you
that she had 1t at beginning OF that association All
Mr. Tilton where did she 1t thus earyf Well, you
may remember asked him II he thought Mr. Beecher
had told her. and he did not think he had II Dir houl
ton had told herI Oh, no. IL ast0unded mo when she
pointed her finger that paragraph inner card" Web
who do you think did tell heri" And then called his at
tenton that it question whether some Of the
notions scandal itself had transped through the
whispering galleries OF his malicious heart accusations
and insinuatiOns against Ir Beecher and his wife iuDs
the preceding year but that cared knowede OF the
| interview between him and Mrs. Tilton, and NJ
| Tilton and Mr. Beecher about the charge, the
| confession, the retraction, the wife's action
and abOut the pistol, and the resumption
OF the retractOR and all the narrative Of the private
councils which had for their sole object absolute secrecy
where did all that get into this womans head IN the
month Of May, 1871, at the tme A. you say when you
had your first interview with her Well IL little
troublesome no doubt doubt OF that. But he says,
well suppose it must have come through Mrs Morse
whenever any trouble the TiltOn family cannot De
imputed anybody else then poor Mrs Morse has 10
take It, Laughter Mrs. Morse, the mothcrinlaw
We'll TtOn, did you feel at liberty TO mention any
of these matters that occurred between and
yourself between Mr. MOulton and Mr.. Beecher dur
ing this period that you trying 10 arrange TO die
arm his ami get his add Was IL not your adj
duration MI Beecher that Tor your wife and chdrens
sake there should be collateral whisper get out
when he lighting Nr. Bowen and Mr. Bowen night
ing him, II they should have light agani Did You
then feel at liberty to speak 10 anybody about
any part OF those confidential coDndcncesi"
Well there was no choice between direct pouring Of
IL himself the Of Victoria Woodruff and his IN
venting some possible channel, however much he war
cornered the baseness OF the latter by questions
and his answers Well, I dbl SPEAK some persons
about IT, and said things" /" And yoI felt at lib
erty did you choose TO whom you would speak, and
TO say as much You pleased about those private
sells when you started with the proposition secresy
your wiie and fmlys sake lay at the bottom OF tho
whoIei" well did" And so you told Mrs. Morse,
did yout" Yes and out Of her open mouth -
IA his own expression" came, suppose, these
Of these confidential interviews that reached
Victoria Woodruff. " Now, nobody ever pretends
that Mrs. Morse ever saw Victoria woodhnll,
had any interviews with her. and said 70 him, Well,
when you told Mrs. Morse you knew her inrmlty didn't
youp Yes" said he, Il did" And there the poor
man was in the condition. for immediate purposes of
falsehood, OF representing himself you having dur
ing those months OF February aud March, 1871, made
couadant OF Mrs. Morse when " his most important
interviews a warning 10 Mr. Beecher "a be careful not
to allow Mrs. Morse TO take anroat her letters
being answered for fear she VIII. by mode
other in her Inventions and magnaons, mingc herself
with the matter Wen, II stood until the
ing and you had for half day possibse chance, on Mr.
Ttons evidence, that what Mrs. Morse knew might be-
come known 10 other people and might have reached
Victoria Woodruff. but the puzzle II Mrs. Morse
knew it, and the channel by which Ms.
| Woodruff knew IL, and only by Che open-mouthed
| circulation Of Mrs. Morse's IDEAS. how happened
II to have been private and secret communication be-
tween those two ladies' that sstounded you when you
read It That Is not easy got But the enormity