New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-23
COURTROOM INCIDENTS.


Plumbers has found admission since the Judge gave
directions that all must be seated, and there
after no further admission gwen. Additional
.amp-stools seem to have been provided within the
bar and in various corners of the room were groups
standing in defiance of the Judges order
to the contrary The bench itself was filed with an
array of legal gentlemen and judges from dis
lance Among them were Col J. II. Reed, ex-Pres-
ident of the Corn Exchange; William Loughridge
of Iowa; David b. Lockwood Judge of the City
Court of Bridgeport, Conn.,, and Mr. John
Hooker. In the long hall which leads to the
courtroom, and which is probably 500 feet long,
there dense crowd of persons clamOring for
admission OF curious TO see the counsel and other
parties TO the suit. The police in attendance were
compelled TO force the crowd back at times to make
passage way for counsel and reporters whose attend
ance was Necessary. And even after the Court
had been opened and the announcement made
that there would be no further admission, the angry
voices of the policemen overheard in the courtroom
indicated unruly disposition among the crowd
outside. When the Court adjourned at recess the
same clamorous crowd waited at the doors
and lined the hall, so that it was as
difficult to get out it had previously been
to get in. The evidence of the increasing
interest in the proceedings was unmistakable.
The momentary attraction was unqueshonably the
second appearance of Miss Turner. The fact that
her crOss-examinatiOn was 70 begin early III the
day had been widely published ia the morning
journals and this had contributed to the desire 10
and hear her. 1t the general belief that she
would break down under the cross-examinatiOn,
and that an entertaining scene would follow.
A few minutes before the time for beginning the
proceedings Miss Turner came into the courtroom
with Mrs TltOn and Mrs Field, with whom she sat
until called TO take the witness chair and resume
her testimony She first made an important cOrrec-
ton in her testimony of Friday, stating that the
dates of Mr.. TiltOn's alleged attempts upon
her virtue were 1868 and 1869. A feature
of her examination the reading of two
letters from Mr.. TiltOn TO Miss Turner while she
at school The letters were full of friendly adj
vice and home news. While Mr.. Porter read them
Miss Turner looked steadily the floor, only raising
her eyes when the reader made a mistake III
word. on which occasion she corrected
Inn with a rapid sign with her lips.
Miss Turner then explained her two letters denying
that Nr Tlt0n had made improper advances TO her.
Oue of them she testified. was written at the die
taCion of Mr.. Tilton and the other was at the die
ta;iOn of his wife. She had demonstrated against
this last letter. saying that it would make her call
herself liar, she had already told five persons
that Mr.. IiltOn had attempted to ruin her.
The eross-examinaton began a short time before
recess and the marked attention of the court and
the plaintiff and defendant, showed that all
felt that one of the most important strug-
giles of the trial about to begin.
The appearance of carelessness usually marked in
Nj FullertOns manner of beginning a cross-eXami-
nation was entirely gone He was thoroughly in
earnest The witness perhaps, the coolest
person the room. She was calm and
smiling. In response to a number of ques-
tons as TO the various places where she had passed
parts of her life she said Il don't recollect" with
apparent indifference. She seemed especially unable
10 remember the length of time she had spent places
other than Mr. Tlton's house An instance of this
was in her answers regarding her stay at the Eliza
beth street Home She had been there on three occa
sious but could not say whether she had spent one
month or three years in that institution at one time
We'll do you know where you are now " at length
asked her questioner. oh, yes; know am in a
courtroom well enough the pointed reply.
She seemed 20 resent Mr.. FullertOns rather signih
caat questions to whether she was ever taken TO
task in Mr.. Dows's family for telling falsehOods. and
her reply Never, Sir, never" was emphasized by
tcss of the head, and flush of apparent iDdig-
nation.
At the request of Mr. Fullerton the witness again
reeounted the particulars of Mr. TltOn's first at
tempt upon her chastity. She gave her account OF
the affair in very rapid and clear tones using almost
Friday. During this recital Mr.. TiltOn
eat with his eyes on his desk and
buHed himself with a bundle of papers. Mr.. Beech
et's gaze never left the witness Mr. Fullerton read
extracts from Miss Turner'S testimony before the
Church Committee. and pointed out among other
things that In Der evidence there she bad
testified very differently to the times
when Mr.. Tilton was guilty of impropri-
cites. aud had stated the second time as the
first. The witness was very deliberate in her re-
Plies here, aud generally answered, 81 was'mis-
taken" She asked by what means she had COT
rectsd these mistakes in her testimony before
tie Committee, and her reply that she
had it aud could read it excited
suHe surprise until she further explained
the curious phrase by saying that she bad It In her
mind, and could read it there" Miss Turner was
also questioned very closely Us to all she had previ
Onsly said on the subjects mentioned in her evil
dence, and was asked what persons had spoken
al out her testimony to her.
There was rather puzzing scene Just before the
adjournment between the witness and Mr.. Fuller
ton. The latter handed her a yeilOw-covered pam
Dhet containing her testimony before the Church
Committee, and requested her % follow him
IN that book whik he read from an
other. After reading a few lines he asked
hW if she found that IN the book before her She
reRlied that she did not. lie pointed out the place
resumed bis reading; but ON again asking her if
shs followed him she made like answer This went
Oh fG several minutes, the witness seeming
yerY much puzzled TO what book Mr.
Fullerton reading from Suddenly light
seemed 10 break on her. and she interrupted him
with the exclamation, why, believe you art
radlng nay testimony of last Friday!" I" am read
ns precisely the thing that you have in your
bant' was tie reply, which seemed TO Throw the
witness into perpleXity once more.