The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-07

On what principle was 1t that Mr.. Beech
er, after the evidence given against him,
should be allowed to manufacture evidence
against his adversary?
After the recess the defendant mounted
the witness stand, and after few minutes
delay, and about fifteen minutes after the
hour, continued his testimony.
he was shown letter and said the men,
orandum of the date on this letter was
made think by me, the date, March Sth,
1871 was the letter following those of
February of the same year. Mr.. Evarts
read the letter, dated Wednesday, and
which has already been put in evidence.
The witness said This is the first letter |
have received from Mrs. Tilton since Feb
ruary; In this letter recognized no covert
or hidden meaning on the part of Mrs.
| Tilton.
Mr.. Beach objected to this evidence, as
he said it was for the jury and not the wit
ness to construe the meaning or phrase
ology of this letter.
Mr.. Evarts replied to Mr.. Beachs obiec-
ton and argued that the witness was ready
to show his meaning of it.
Mr.. Beach said the important part of the
evidence was what were Mrs Tilton's
feelings when she sent the letter or how
she felt at the time, but the witness could
not state what his construction of the let
ter was and what he understood to be its
meaning.
Mr.. Fullerton said they had lost sight of
the fact, that there was reply from Mr..
Beecher to Mrs. Tiltons letter, and that
the thought would show him the witness
understood the meaning of the other letter.
The judge ruled the question could be
answered.
The witness then said this y letter con
veyed to me a special and not correct
meaning, the whole letter refers to matters
of private intelligence between Mrs. Tilton
and myself. The witness was asked what
these matters were and Mr.. Beach inter-
rupted with an objection. The witness
said Mrs. Tilton wrote of change in the
household relating to better feeling. Eff
forts had been made by Tilton, Moulton
and myself to bring about better state of
feeling in the household and it was about
six weeks after this l received the letter
Mr.. Beach raised an objection to the
witness using memorandum of dates and
occurrences to assist his memory but the
judge said that although it might be too
full he would allow him to do it.
Another letter was shown the witness,
which he identified as having been written
when Mrs. Perkins was at his house, and
referred to that period. The witness said
Mrs. Perkins was with me two winter and
spring seasons-of them was ~ and '73.
My impression was that she was with me
in the spring of ~ and 73. The witness
stated that this letter was written in To.
This letter has no reference to Mrs. Til
tons letter to me of March s, 1871, and
was not in answer to it.
Mr.. Evarts read the letter calling bless
ings on Mrs. Tilton, and saying that no
person but God knew the wilderness
through which he travelled.
Beecher continued This letter related
to that condition which Tilton, Moulton
and myself sought to restore, that unhap-
pness in the household which every effort
was used to restore. meant by the words
"true inwardness" in that letter that she
should write me letter of her religious
experiences. BY using the expression
"being safe" regarded that it was not one
of those things that could be taken to
Moulton, and in that sense the word was
used. l remember having an interview
with Tilton in the cars at Springfield, but
| cannot remember if this letter was writ
ten subsequent to that period. | cannot
tell what time in the winttrof ~ my wife
went South she went at different periods
every year. Witness was shown another
letter by Evarts, which he slowly perused
and said | have general recollection of
writing this letter. Evarts read the letter
dated January %, 1872, in which Beecher
spoke of it seeming to him he was standing
on the edge of other life This letter was
written to Mrs Tilton. Witness the testi-
fled This letter must have been written
after the one in which | mentioned by my
sister, Mrs. Perkins. Shown a slip of pa
per- this is in my writing, but l cannot
connect it with any other paper. The
death of Mr.. Tilton's brother had occurred
not far from the time of the writing of this
letter his death took place at Mr. Tilton's
within week or a fortnight OF it this let
ter was written in furtherance of same end
we had IN view to encourage Mrs.
Tilton in the path we wanted her to follow
and | wrote to her that would see her; |
knew of the care and nursing that Mrs.
Tilton had given Mr.. Tilton's brother; Mrs.
Morse think told me; / do not remember
if it was prolonged illness, but heard OF
his being in feeble health and of his death
and of Mrs. Tilton's great kindness, called
to see her but she was out and did not
see her; l was about to leave town as
had twelve lectures to deliver in New
Haven, my wife was to leave for Havanai
witness was asked why he wrote this in
his letter and if he meant to convey an IN
timation to Mrs. Tilton of his wites alb
sence.
Mr.. Beach objected to this as the letter
he said conveyed this meaning and spoke
for ITSELF counsel contended that even if
the extreme case were taken that witness
did send that intlmation to Mrs. Tilton,
this witness was not the proper person to
swear to that fact.
The question was modified and the wit
ness continued. This was not written as
an intimation to Mrs. Tilton, nor was She
at my house during my wife's absence
(Shown slip of paper. This refers to my