The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-16
He Defends the Plaintiff for
indicating His Honor.
IMPAssTONED BURSTS OF ELoQUEECE.
Beecher's characteristics Contrasted
and Portrayed.
AN IMPORTANT DAYS WORK

The audience at the Beecher trial was comfort
ably seated yesterday morning when the proceed
ings commenced. There was no lnconvenient
crowding, While the room was filed to Its limits.
In the han outside large number OF people
waited with fretted hopes OF admission and
watched with envy more favored beings pass in
without pause. MIR. Beecher was absent in the
forenoon. 1t was thought lie would come no more
to court while Beach IS speaking. IL must have
been a severe trial to his feelings to be compelled
to listen to the scorching rhetoric of the plain
Tins counsel day by day. He naturally expected
that as Beach drew near the end OF his speech it
would grow hotter and hotter for him, and, be-
ing man OF great sensitiveness and impulsive
emotions, he might invountarlly exhibit emotion
under the spell OF q powerful burst OF eloquence
such as Beach is capable or emitting. Mrs.
Beecher sticks to her post like true soldier and
DR.. Edward Beecher soft, good-natured
looking man, with large face and mild eye,
never misses q momept from the proceedings. he
speaks little and seems to be constantly chewing
gum, as mis- jaws are seldom at rest.
AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH
Mr. Beach was forcible and even all the day. Tie
ended as he began, fresh and pretty clear OF voice
and ui 10 oyerfowing with his subject. The
effort was as well sustained as any he has yet
made. The closing in the afternoon was, az usual,
somewhat more erective and rhetorical than the
opening in the morning. 1t was expected that
some reference would be made to the publication
OF the latest discoveries In regard to Mr.. Beecher
Mr. Beach made no auusion TO them, and promptly
after the Court assembled continued his speech to
the jury Evarts, Tor the third or fourth time in
tsrrupted Beach, ana the latter turned round and
cried out, 81 win suspend my argument and let
the gentleman fnish his If he chooses" whereat
there was an expression OF applause.
OUTLINES or TUE ADDRESS.
Mr. Beach began by introducing the evidence
given by Mr.. nest 10 regard to the disturbances
In Plymouth for several successive years. He read
coplously from Mr.. Tifon's testimony on the cub
ject OF the publication or the Bacon letter. Mr..
Tllton had greatly suffered from the attack OF a
man 80 eminent as Dr.. Bacon. Counsel held that
IL Mr.. Beecher mad acted a manly part there would
nave been no Bacon letter, no reply from Tllton
aud no trial like this
Mr. Beach held that the sending or the letter 10
Beecher demanding OF him TO leave his pulpit by
Bowen was evidence in Itself that Bowen was tho
open accuser OF Henry Ward Beecher. Knowing
that Bowen hostile 10 Mr. Hilton counsel still
dared TO put the former on the stand. Mr.. Beach
quoted the tripartlte agreement, ana contended
that document OF that kind was In itself evil
dence that Henry Ward Beecher was not the
blameiess, high moral character which the defence
Insisted on, q man. as they contend, utterly in
capable Of committing the Onence charged against
him.
Counsel alluded 20 tho efforts or Moulton and
Tlton TO suppress the scandal; but ar. Bsecaer,
without
in whom he had always hitherto trusted, without
consulting the interests OF any one but himself,
organized a committee from the chosen mem bers
or his own Church. lie asked If it were a noble
ana just means OF vindicaton TO select q CON-
eN4l ia
tunity Waa given Tilton 10 appear by counsel
and cross.examine. IL was a star chamber IN
vesilgation, held with closed doors, and the wife
OF Triton was entlced from her home without his
Knowledge 10 appear as o witness against her
husband. liz held this was not the course for q
fair ana honorable investigation. They. however,
fulfilled the purpose FOR which they we're Sc
lecsed, but they did not meet the demand OF
truth, justice or honor. lie dwelt upon tac sin
guIar TACT thar on her frst appearance before the
committee Mrs. Tnton spoke In terms Of tne high
est praise OF her husband, YET in Eve days after,
on her second appearance, sac reverses all ner
previous testimony and denounces the husband
she bad previously upheld. Counsel pointed out
THE INFLUENCES
that we're brought to bear upon the woman to Sc
cure this result. He mentioned Mrs. oylngtof
ana the attentions she paid to Mrs. THtoa al this
particular time, the drives TO the Park and Coney
leland, toe offer of homo in MIRA Oyington's
house and the other influences brought to bear
upon her to ALLEVIATE her from her husband.
THE Law ~ TIE CASE.
Hero Mr. Beach turned to the Bench and said 10
would be well FOR them TO know tho principles OF
law under which they were acung Mr.. Evaris
held that IL was impossible to convict on the con-
iession Of the accused party. Mr.. Beach quoted
from several English cases ana authorities to show
suspicion OF COLLISION, Is sufficient to secure al
vorco between the parties concerned. Nc quoted
one case where decree Of divorce was granted on
the simple confession or adultery where tue Court
was satisfied there was neither connlyance nor
COLLISION
HARp THING TO PROVE.
Resumia7 after recess Mr.. Beach read a few
additional authorities 10 show that reasonable
degree or circumstantial testimony was sumccnt
to establish the act or adultery the law recog-
nIzes tho difficulty OF proving adultery BY Wit
neses who may have caught the parties In rag
raHts dehciu. Counsel passed on to note the argu-
ment Of the other side that Tlton brought this
case in,o court FOR tho purpose OF winning the
gold OF Henry Ward Bsecher. nlton wanted none
OF Bsecners gold, bat lie sought the yindication or
his honor and bis name. lie passed on to treat as
an Incredible thing. insulting TO common inteni-
gence the theory that Mrs. Tilton could have con.
spired with nef husband to draw up That confess
sion which Implicated Beecher lie asked what
motive Tlton had in conspHfDg against BeechOr.
no was in the receipt OF q salary Of $4,000 or
$4,000 year. lie held high position and was
surrounded By troops Of friends. The confession
Mrs, TIlton made to her husband was given
him In July Six months before Tilton
charged Beeeher with adultery. no could nos
conceive that after the evidence in this there
could be such Intellectual blindness as 20 argue
the existence OF conspiracy on tue part OF Ill
ton. In regard to tho
cHARdB OF RLAcKNArf,
Mr.. Beechcr was forced 90 admit, under the
searching cross-examination Of Mr.. Fullerton,
thar he believed when Mr.. Tilton made hls charge
against him on the ooth Of December, 1870, no was
sinceref II no was sincere then as BeeOher adj
mis, where was the bIacKmail or where the con-
anLranr- cannsal rean a litter OF IMtnnla 70