The Republican journal., 1875-04-29
The Beecher Trial.


low the rebuttal by the prosecution, which
is expected to make a sensation. The
New York Herald, in reviewing the pow
ertul cross examination of Beecher by
Fullerton, has the following -
One Of the most remarkable features of
the wonderful trial now in such tedious
progress in Brooklyn is the constant series
OF surprises it affords. When the case
opened we began to be astonished at the
remarkably silly expressions found IN the
letters offered as part Of the evidence. As
these documents We're read day after day
the popular phrases OF everyday life were
greatly augmented, though not improved.
True inwardness" and ''stepping down
and OUT will probably be remembered
long after the scandal trial has faded in
the minds of the people. Grace, mercy
and peace, " though borrowed from the
New Testament, seems 4 new phrase in the
Light of the quarrel between Tilton and
Beecher; and there are many others Of a
similar character, such as ION the ragged
edge" "solid truthtulness,n The True
Story, "white-souled" and ''Nest-hiding."
All these surprise the ordinary run of man
kind, and vet these are only few of the
round was common incident in the lives
Of these people, and they acted every day
IN way that perpleXes common sense
readers of the proceedings. One of the
greatest surprises afforded in the earlier
stages of the trial was the story related by
MOulton, and his quiet persistence in its
truth While being cross-eXamned. Then
when the witness lost his mother by death
i,a Sal IN
ing to % on with the examination to its
final end, then only going away to bury
his dead ont of his sight.
TIE NEXT SURPRISE
was in the extraordinary latitude given
the plaintiff in his examination, for the OPP
posing counsel led him a pretty dance
over all sorts of ground. lie talked about
religious journalism, woman suffrage, the
law Of marriage and divorce, the business
of public lectures, the doctrines of theolo-
gy, and on these and other irrelevant sub
iects he discoursed at leisure and gave his
individual opinions on all. Then other
witnesses came and touched upon many
matters having no possible relation to the
Court. and the proceedings were thus
spun out over four months with no other
result, apparently, than to utterly mystity
Us all.
When the defence began to speak
through their witnesses the same freedom
in topics was observed, and some very
curious and surprising bits of evidence
were recorded The story told by Bessie
Turner was full of surprises, and added
piquancy to a case already verging Oh in
delicate and dangerous ground The trip
artite narrative was a source of astonish-
ment, and even when the defendant went
TO the witness stand and boldly and utter
" denied the several allegations and ac-
cusatons Of his opponents many people
were surprised. Some expressed surprise
that he had denied anything, while others
surprised that he denied so much, think
ing probably that he might admit few OF
the charges against him There were
some people even who appeared bewild-
cred because MI Beecher had not con-
tessed everything. But the greatest of all
surprises offered during the trial was the
discovery made by the plaintiffs counsel
touching the nest-hiding and bird-singing
business.
BEECHER's EXPLANATIONS.
During his direct examination Mr. Beech
er offered a series Of explanations touch
ing Mrs. Tilton's use of the phrase "nest
hiding and saying THAT the bird had
sung in her breast these four weeks
Those explanations were peculiarly Beech
elite in their line OF thought, and they
failed to satisfy the impartial spectator
simply because they failed to cover the
real ground Why a woman should use
such remarkable language was not to be
explained by the ideas and speculations OF
Mr. Beecher. Yet while he was thus busy
in weaving graceful theory OF his own
neither he nor the public were aware that
the crafty counsel on the other side We're
Us busy in digging pitfalls for the witness
when he should come into their hands
The first two days OF Mr.. Beecher's
cross-examination passed off apparently
without any other striking incident except
the sudden illness of the examiner, and
the feeling became general nat it would
end a. interestingly as it commenced.
let the third day opened up a new line OF
inquiry and furnished Us, at least, with
KEY TO THE CIPHER
used 50 protusely in the letters of Mrs.
Elton On that day, just after recess,
Nh Fullerton read one of the letters, in
which Mrs Tilton says to the defendant
Does your heart bound toward all as it
used to do So does mine. ! am myself
again" A. the counsel read these SEN
fences q new light broke on the letter, for
it then appeared clear that Beecher must
have used the first sentence in letter that
has not vet been seen in Court. Then, as
Mr.. Fullerton continued to read OIL
lid not dare to tell YOU till | was sure but
the bird has sung IN my heart these four
weeks . Is ' Spring has come"-The full
significance OF the language came with
new force and a deeper meaning in view
Of the explanations of the defendant
While the letter was being read the au
dience yawned weariedly, for the docu-
ment had been so often handled before,
Vet in moment after every eye in the
court room was wide open and every ear
on the alert tor the deXterous counsel had
struck new vein in the mine and a new
sensation was promised Mr.. Fullerton
had lust read portion of the letter con-
tanning the sentence My weapons were
love, an eager, untiring generosity and
nest hiding,' and then he opened a line of
fire wholly unexpected to the defence,
and, for the matter of that, everybody out
side of the counsel for the prosecution.
lie began by saying:
Q. Before asking you any questions with re-
gard to those letters, Mr.. Beecher, i ask YOU
when YOU commenced writing the novel of
Norwood" A. At what time did 1?
q. Yes, sir. A. (Reierring to memoran-
dunn think it was published in the Ledger
the New York Ledger--in 1867, in the progress
of 1867, during the year, and in the book form
in 1868.
Q. You misapprchend my question. Mr..
Beecher; when did you commence writing that
book? A. That | cannot tell you, sir, it was
some time, Think in the year 1867.
q. You have stated that you read that book,
or il part of it, to Mrs. Tlton? A. l read por-
tons of it.
@ What part of it did you read to her? A.
Wei, ] cannot say how much; l recollect
reading one chapter, and that was the chapter
of the birth Of Rose Wentworth.
@. Do not you recolect reading other chap
tiers TO her? A. Not distinctly; have an i'm
preston that did.
O. Did not you read it all to her: A. No,
sir.
o. What is your impression as to the parts
of it that you did? A. The opening chapters.
O. Where did you read it to herr A. I