The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-02-19
The Beccher-Tilton War.
(A'hrnoon procee iings of the Beecher .Tilto1
Trial Feb 10Y

(Afhrnoon procee iings of the Beecher .Tilton
Trial. Feb. 1917
The examination was resumed by Mr..
Eyarts. Witness said: l do not re-
member any charge being made against
me in an interview between Bowen and
myself, when Oliver johnson was pres
ent, about what occurred at Mortified,
MINI. l was there lecturing about six or
seven years ago, and never remember any
charges ever being made about my con-
duct while there. [ remember when
Beccher met me at the house of Moulton,
when Moulton was sick; Beecher saluted
me with kiss on the forehead. After
any period of estrangement Beecher and
| occasionally saluted one another with
a kiss, and it was a noticeable event when
it happened. ] DO not know when
the name of ''the letter of con-
triton was given to tn, letter Of Jan.
L, 1871. Beecher always characterized
it as my letter to MIR. Moulton,'' and in
my letter to DR.. Bacon called it the let
ter of apology. do not rcmberber ever
making any description of it except in
the Bacon letter, and then it was called
''thc apology When portion of the
letter was published in the Bacon docu-
mcnt the newspapers generally character
lied it as ''the letter Of contrition. !"
lShown the letter. This is in the hand
writing of Beecher. remember receiv.
ing this, and showing it to my wife. l
got it from Moulton. The only recollec-
ton have about the time Of its being
written was that it was sometime in the
spring Of 1873.
Evarts read the letter written to Mrs.
Tilton by Beecher, telling her he was
glad that Theodore had seen the danger
Gus PIT which was opened before him.
Beechcr expressed sorrow in the letter
Tor the great wrong done her.
Witness resumed: This letter referred
to the publication Of the Woodruff scan
dial: After the Woodruff publication,
Halliday, Bell and myself had an inter-
view. NY acquaintance with Halliday
before this was very slight. I don't re-
member saying to Halliday when I came
in that came to sec him or that I was
sent by Moulton in relation to the Wood
hull publication. I don't remember ad.
dressing Bell as George, and saying: ''Do
not go; don't remember saying that
there was not particle of truth in the
Woodruff story, though I may have said
it. l do not remember disclaiming it's
publication, or saying was away in the
West campaigning when the story was
published. do not remember saying
my wife was as pure as the light; but
said you would not believe me, but ask
Beecher, and he will tell you she is as
pure as gold. In Dec. 1872, there was in
existence paper called 'The True Story
written by me about the end of that
month. The tripartite covenant was not
published in ''the True Story No COPY
of this was ever made by me or with nv
knowledge; this paper. to the best of my
knowledge, was destroyed, 7 think by
Mrs. Tilton, but not by me or with my
desire. 1t is long time ago since last
saw this paper in existence; I think about
the spring of 1873. took this paper to
several persons and left it with them for
perusal. showed it to Gee. A. Bell,
VIM. Z. bennett, and I think to Mr..
Dunkley. | think bennett had it day
or two. Do not remember the names OF
any other persons now, but l showed it
to several other parties. | did not show
it to Mr.. Goodridge or DR.. Storrs. I
showed the committee the substance Of
this paper.
Mr.. Evarts. l object to the last an
swcr, and ask the court to strike it out.
Mr.. Beach argued it should be allowed
to remain in the minutes, inasmuch as it
was given by witness as an explanation.
The last answer was ordered struck out
by the court.
Witness continued: did not show this
paper to Mr.. Page, the artist, but showed
it to B. F. Tracy and Mr.. Woodruff.
do not remember if showed it to Moul-
ton, but it was left in his possession. [
did not show it to James B. Mix, but
think I showed F. B Carpenter the origi.
nal manuscript. did not show it to Mr..
Redpath. neither showed it to or left
it with Thomas Kinsella, nor do remem.
Der showing it to Thomas Clark. did
not show it to Alderman whitney. but
did let him see the Beecher letter of con-
triton. showed the previous or earlier
draft of the paper, the matter of
which was the same as contained
in the pamphlet to DR.. Storrs, and read
him the whole Of it. This was about the
3Oth Of December, 1872, think f.; l don't
remember showing the draft to Mr.. Page,
the artist, or Mr.. Chas. Storrs; I show
ed some loose sheets of the draft to Mix,
but did not leave any of them with him
as soon as I made q complete copy of the
draft it went into the waste basket. I do
not know if any copy of that is now in
existence. read the complete paper to
Mr.. Tracy in Moulton's study, think
between Christmas and New Year. or
later; 1 did not show him anything but
the completed paper. When we had the
interview in November. did not show
him the draft Of the paper, for it was not
then in existence, but Moul-
ton showed him the letter
Of contrition Of Beecher. Moulton
r