River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-03-26
BEECHER-TILTON.

In Bessie Turner's direct examination
she testified as follows: Tilton was in
the habit Of going around in his night
clothes. These sulen moods of his would
last for two or three days, and would
occur frequently. On one occasion, when
little Paul was very ill, Tilton went out
and stayed the whole night. Mrs. Tiltou
was very much troubled, and said so.
She indicated her trouble by walking IN
and down the room and stairs, and listen.
ed when she heard carriage wheels. Ap-
| prehensions were expressed for his safety.
| When Mr.. L. came in Mrs. L. went up to
him and said, "Oh, Theodore, darling,
am so glad you came in. have been SO
troubled. feared something bad had
happened you; and the child is so ii. y
Mr. L. threw himself on sofa, and said
TX dld not matter, and began stroking
MS hair. | knew Of ore or tive in
stances in which he offered objection to
her friends coming to the house, but she
always treated his friends well when they
came into the house. On one occasion
Hilton was away on a lecture tour, and
Mrs. L. had trouble with her wet nurse,
Kate Smith. When he returned she
went to him and asked his advice, and he
said not to trouble him with her house
hold affairs, but to manage them without
his interference. That if she desired to
keep Kate Smith she might do so; bu.
that if she desired to discharge her, then
to let her go, but in no case to come to
him about the matter. Witness was
asked if Tilton was in the habit Of scold-
in, his wife, to which Beach objected, but
the question was allowed, and witness
said: | have heard Mr.. Tilton scold his
wife frequently before the children and
myself. He has had her in a room sew
eral times, and the door locked, talking
harshly to her, and using profane express
sions. never heard her voice raised on
these occasions. This habit Of locking
himself up with her occurred at various
times, and the bell would ring frequently
for meals to which she would not come
down. ! remember one Sunday after
noon two gentlemen were in the room,
and he talked to her in an angry manner
cant recall the conversation which
took place then. On one occasion
heard him upbraiding, and she said she
would do all She could, and was trying TO
make every dollar go as far as she could
Tilton was very particular about his
food.
On some occasions when he came down
to breakfast he was angry because the
breakfast was dry, while waiting mis- cem-
ing down stairs; sometimes dishes were
specially prepared for him. Parties were
in the habit of saying to the children that
their mother was most unseltish wO-
man, and Tilton would misconstrue this
and say she was selfish woman. Beech
or frequently called at Mrs. Tiltons. His
manner was gentlemanly,a and never saw
any improperly in their conduct.
never observed any different treatment to
him as compared with other friends who
called. Remember him going up to the
sitting room and talking and playing with
the children. Dir. Greeley, Mr.. Owing
ton, Mr.. Bates, Rev. DR.. Haven, and 9TH
ers, were in the habit Of calling, but they
received the same treatment as Mr..
Beecher.
Shown some photographs.
This saw in the house. There were
three or fosr portraits Of Beecher in
different places in the house. There
were books in the house presented by
Beecher. One particular occasion Tilton
visited my room in 1857, and we had a
conversation. had gone to bed in the
second story bedroom, front room, off
the sitting room, connected by folding
doors, and had not been in bed very long
before Tilton came in and said he had
come to kiss me good night. was lying
on the side of the bed nearest the door,
and he went around to the other side and
leaned over the bed and kissed me good
night, and
Witness--Shall give all the CONVEX
satiOnl
Judge Porter-Yes, give it all.
Witness-He stroked my forehead and
my hair, and said what nice soft hair |
had, and how nice and soft my flesh was
on my forehead, and then put his hand
on my neck, and took his hand off, and
he said: why, Bessie, my dear, you are
painfully modest" and he said, These
careSses are all right; there are people in
the best society who do these things. 1t
is perfectly proper, and only persons Of
bhAN thlllh VI AIhiEN llht lildL rs
not right" said couldn't help what
they did in the best classes Of society, that
| had my own ideas of what was proper
and what was modest, and was going to
carry them out, and that did not think
il proper for him to put his hand into my
neck, and | was not going to let him do
it. said it didn't matter what people
thought in the best classes of society.
tie then laid down and asked me if |
would not like to be married.
"Whv," | asked. "what in the world
put that in your head p "Well," he
said. Il was an atfectonate and true girl.
and | ought TO be married, and ought
to have a true husband" said sup
posed when the time come, and the right
man came, perhaps would get married,
but didn't think Of getting married yet
that the thought didn't trouble me much,
and that IT was not the chief end Of life,
and If did get married there would be
one thing, would not have literary
man for a husband and he then asked
the If didn't think SEINE people had
afiinittpg for zach nthar ogkol L..