River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-06-25

Now what is the issue in this easel
From the intimations that have from time
to time proceeded from our adversares
we might suppose that there were great
variety OF propositions. Mr.. Tracy tells
us that Mrs. Tilton is the true party de-
PENDANT here The gentlemen all tell us
that this is an assault by Theodore Til
ton upon his wife. Somtimes they have
told US that this action is mercenary;
that Theodore Tilton is seeking enrich.
ment from the gold Of Henry Ward
Beechcr. And then they tell us that
Theodore 1ilton is sunk into an abyss of
infamy, as represented by Mr.. Tracy in
his endeavoring to pull this angel Mr..
Beecher down that he might reinstate
himself upon his ruin; and all these
various motives are assigned to this nc.
ton by the counsel upon the other
side; and after all it is
simple action by husband alleging
himself to have been wronged in his dear
est relations against suspected wrong
doer to secure adjudication for his rights
and to punish the offender against law
and virtue. The idea that we are seeking
money has been disposed Of long ago.
With what volubility and force my friend,
Mr.. Evarts, opened on that topic you re-
member. And yet, as have said before,
as His Honor knows and my friends upon
the defense know, we have again and
again waived any claim to damages in this
case, and repeat again that Theodore
TlIton disdains the idea Of touching the
gold Of Henry Ward Beecher. Again and
again has that sentiment been uttered by
hun, and it is proven from the testimony
that the only object Of this action was to
obtain that fair trial, that decent hearing
that was refused him before the chosen
tribunal of Henry Ward Beecher. We
ask no judgment for money except merely
nominal. We ask no judgment against
our wife, and no judgment you can give
will affect her We are pursuing HeRry
| Ward Beecher; we are pursuing him be.
cause he is wrong doer and has been
iaithless to his pledges, to the confidence
we have put in him. We pursue
him because he, in the recklessness
of his power, and his eGpecta-
! ton to crush all adversaries in this con.
test, has exposed Tilton and his relations
to public disgrace and infamy. This &C.
tion never was brought more than all, it
was never brought to trial until the
ruin Henry Ward Beecher had wrought
had fallen upon Tilton and his household.
and there was no further disgrace, the
intimate degradation had been reached,
and in this condition Of extremity with
no hope of extrication, with no relief ex.
cept the pursuit of Henry Ward Beecher,
/ xtsah aN col Cd oil
/ that the condition OF one wife and family
would become the subject Of public spec.
ulation. The charge is seduction, and
what is the answer! Conspiracy and
blackmail, the perfect innocence OF Henry
| Ward Beecher, and combination enter.
cd into between apparently respectable
/ people, occupying positions in society
which would seem to protect them from
such suspicion, conspiracy without
the least shadow Of foundation Tor that
is the extent of the defence) to extort
money from Beecher 10 build up the
broken fortunes of Theodore Tilton in his
prostration and ruin, and all for the bene-
tit o. this one man, Theodore Tilton.
Now, gentlemen, upon your c0nsciences
as Jurors and hOnors as men, you are to
examine this idea Of conspiracy and see
how and upon what it is founded and how
it may be supported or resisted by the
probabilities and proof in the case.
And Mrs. 1ilton falsely accused her
pastor, sacrificed her virtue and her rep
utation for the same object. 1t is posi-
BILE that there may be minds so preju
diced, and corrupted by that prejudice
that they can believe momentarily in the
idea that conspiracy Of this nature was
formed, and that the present condition oil
things is the result Of it; but | can hard.
ly conceive under the evidence that there
can be any such intellectual blindness.
One fact, gentlemen, disclosed by the ev.
idence of Beecher himself, of Mr.. Beech
CT, if these men were matchmaking Mr..
Beecher, why was it that when Tilton
was in such depressed circumstances
when Moulton represented TO him the er.
istence OF the mortgage upon TitoRs
house, and the idea that his friends
SHOULD raise II, and Mr.. Beecher az on.e
cheerfully and readily offered to contrib
ute, the contribution never was sought
If there was any mercenary motive on
the part Of T1ton or Moulton, or am
body else, why was il when there was OF
portunity rendered FOR realizing
THE OBJECT or THE CONSPIRACY,
why didn't they avail themselves at onoe
of az But again, Mr.. Beecher avers
that he became suspicious of SOM
form or movement Of blackmal
by an appeal to his generosity and kind.
| ly impulses after the $1,000 were paid.
Now, there was an idea Of blackmaa
about it which occurred to Mr.. Beecher,
as he swears, and yet after that he con.
tributed the $1,000 which he gave, and
after these suspicious he continued Moul.
ton, the active, practical blackmailcr, in
his confidence and trust, and layished
upon him, after that period, all the rich
ness Of his friendship and gratitude.
What has struck my mind as the most
decisive circumstance among the many
which repudate utterly this idea Of black.
mail is the fact that Mr.. Beecher testi-
flies that, in his belief, at the time Tilton
made the accusations against him that he
did on December Both, that he was honest
in his belief. Ii was with some difficulty