New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-29
THE HOUR OF Mr.. BEECHER'S CALLS ON
MRS TILTON.

Mr.. Evarts-MAY 1T PLEASE YOUR HONOR AND
GENTLEMEN OF JURY was asking your attention
to what the law requires entirely Indispensable
OF producing that legal certainty without which
no Judgment allowed TO be pronounced by the verdict
OF jury on questions OF this crminaity and OF these
large relations to the interests Of society and extensive
influence upon the happiness OF others and had asked
your the proposition that this utterly
Of all those facts of conduct and observed
which lead the conviction that there had grown up
the and affections and passions OF these people
those vicious purposes which lead TO wicked acts
none Of that evidence which shows the external
stances Of misconduct or deviation from prophecies
none even Of that addiction to another's private
society, which Is marked having some secret and
some wicked purpose and there Of the occasions
proved in any which such purpose may have
been INDUCED gratied, from WHICH conclusion
To that effect can be drawn. Now have 10 consider
some general relations Of Mr. Beecher and Mrs TlfOn
which uudisputed proof which form quite as much
part Of of the plaintiff and Of theory Of the
association between them. its motives its character Its
traits its action they possibly can do in regard 10 the
plaintiffs view This habit ofsuch social intimacy
as belongs to relation of clergyman and parishoner
though a married woman, provided there are the ex
terna indications which lead 10 that intimacy and pro
vded you find in the character OF the parties in their
moral and intellectual nature separated from the sub
ject dispute the attractions the side and the
other account for and justify such degree OF
general question of the amount and form and fire.
quency of association, 20 the fact that it proceeds
almost entirely from the defendants own testimony
The of visits during the many years or confessed
intimacy and constant regard IS represented as coming
perhaps TO once from three six weeks of
those visits in the ordinary hours Of day. day in the sense
Of forenoon who dine usually do at O'clock
every one Of them There is not witness, servant an
inmate Of family Mr. Tlton himself there is not one
witness who pretends that there was visit IN the even
ing in OF private call some social entertain
nents invitations some set occasions amounting
think to nothing very definite and certainly very few
in number that fixed for evening, OF course, II
Mr. Beecher was present, showed his presence in the
evening; but then it was crowd il in company,
il was in the parlors
Now regard to any visits OF Mrs Tilton to MI Beech
ers house, there Is evidence at all that any such
instance occurred Mr. Beecher whether or no Mrs
ton was at the house the 10th Of October he doesn't
know and my learned friend doesn't ask him whether he
saw She might have been at his house without his
seeing her They press any further in of those
inquiries We show by him that he has no recollection
of seeing there of occurrence OF any kind which
should note in his memory or produce TO your
any such fact fact that would have been wholly unin
porant in ITSELF except giving external evidence that
would support the possibility Of guilty conduct If proof
other and additional gven for to say that the visit
of married lady of the parish, IN the daytime at the
house of her clergyman Is suspicious act would shock
not only the decency but the sense of fairness
and intellectually the common sense OF every man.
Now what beyond these visits that ran through these
wears occurring, Mr. Boecher states them-and he Is
the only witness to thcm he spoke falsely he could
ne by servants the view that he seeks TO
present to you he only sroed around there In the
forenoons as part of the sosce and the recreation OF
walk and spent say 70 half an hour or So from
five minutes up TO half hour, IN call OF regard OF
affection of intimacy that could be cOntradcted 1t
would be- We not TO suppose that this plantn ana
his household consisting OF five servants. five Children
and GROWN inmates besides himself and his Wife, Is 30
unmatched aforementioned, unprotected In the opserva
ton of all who that If this general proposition OF
Mr. Beecher that his visits in point OF ume In point Oh
drecton in point Of circumstance, were altogether and
wholly of the character that have thus given 10 them
Won 10 suppose that plaintiff is not able to con-
tradct whether able contradict or not absence
NJ contradiction not effect the purpose ana result OF
contradiction What Is uncOntradcted, whether IL pe
becase II is absolutely uncontradctbe or because mis-
fortune has prevented its contradiction L. In court OF
Justice the whole proof proved on the point