New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-01
A TURNING POINT IN THE CASE.
MRS. MOULTONs IMPEACHMENT ONLY ONE MOI

Henry NJ. Cleveland, next to Mr.. Beecher the
most important witness for the defense yet unex-
amined still lies at his residence No. ia Relnsen-st
unable to attend court, though much improved
Mr. Beecher and Mr.. Hill called on him yesterday
afternoon at the close of the days session. and
were with him when THE TRIBUNE reporter
called. His disease is not dangerous one but dis
ables him from walking about, aud his physicians
require him to maintain reclining position HIS
testimony will be taken to-day at 8 o'clock and
probably published on Saturday 1t will be of great
importance if the estimates of the counsel are to be
accepted in the emphatic sense in which they are
expressed.
Mr.. Cleveland will be the last of the several wit
nesses relied upon to impeach the testimony of Mrs.
Moulton as to the verbal confession of Mr. Beecher
of adultery with Mrs. Tilton. Both sides attach to
this task the utmost Importance. The plain
tiff was unable to produce any direct evidence OF
the charges OF criminal intercourse on any OF the
occasions named by him, other than the confessions
Of his wife to himself and this instance of the de-
PENDANTS alleged confession to Mrs. Moulton. lhe
lady gave the interview in such positive terms Gu
ING the language with such apparent accuracy, ana
naming the day with such partcularty that her tes
timony made deep impression all over the country
TWAS at the time accepted as unanswerable and as
confrmatory of the testimony of her husband
was generally looked upon as conclusive. IL was
without doubt the strongest evidence gwen for the
prosecution. Mr.. Beecher himself betrayed his
feeling upon its delivery in very marked manner,
while denying its truthfuness The counsel for the
defense instantly recognized the necessity of break
ing if down. and steps were at once taken, as her
immediate cross-examination shows, to lay
the foundation for an impeachment OF the
lady's evidence. That the counsel regretted the
necessity but saw the Importance of taking this
course was further evinced in Mr.. Tracv's opening
speech, in which he reluctantly, but in the most
positive terms promised to prove an abb. This is
really turning point in this great case, and the
full development of the facts will interest every
reader.
Mrs Noulton repeatedly fixed the date of the con-
fession by Mr.. Beecher or June 2, 1913. She was
able to establish this from the fact that it was the
dav following the receipt of a despalring letter
from Mr.. Beecher on Juno /, 1873. Circumstances
of the alleged confession, including the threat to
commit suicide, made this the only day on which
such an terview could have taken place, for on
the Sd of June the whole immediate trouble had
been smoothed over and Mr.. Beecher was no longer
supposed TO be respondent. Mrs. Moulton was thus
absolutely certain of the date. June 2, and OF the
hours from o'clock in the morning until lunch
time On her direct examination she said:
@ Well, the next conversation, then, that you can
was and what WAS said between youl A. The next con
versaton that remember Of any length was, thought
$50 Very we'll Then will ,S come down to 1879
You may state what occurred al tnt n 70
Mrs. MOutonl A. think 1t WAS on NE second OF June
o. How long did that interview last Mrs. Moulton
A. I think for three or four hours
Mr.. Evarts in the cross-examnaton returned to
this point two or three times. The evidence ran
thus:
@ Now, when was this occasonl On the I'd of June,
O. And what time of day was thisl A. Il" the morn
O. How soop after this gloomy Monday interview do
you remembertO have seen hint A. don't remember
o. We'll. month"; A. Oh! It wac not month.
q A weekl A. think must have seen hun during
O. In the course OF the weekl A. Yes, Sir.
O. Well, do you mean that week OF which Monday was
And still later Mr. Evarts asked and was answered
as follows:
O. And at what time did be leave your house A.
About lunch time, think . ,o, a., .o,, not,
O. You asked him to stay to lunch, dld you mott A.
O. And he said he would be expected at his dinner
q Mrs Beecher Now, was that about o'clOCki A.
think 1t about O'Clock; don't REMINDER exactly
o. Was III your usual iduch tmei A. Yes, Dir.
O. There was delay OF lunch in consequence Of
this, You thinks A. Not that remember; no, ST.
This appears so definite that there hardly seems
retreat from it, Mr.. Tracy, however, as if antici-
gested that in the end the witness would be called
TO swear that it took place the night of the 3st
of May
The testimony in contradiction has established
that at s o'clock on the morning in question Mr..
Beecher was writing a telegram; that at o'clock
he was at the Grand Central Depot New York, fully
an hour distant from his residence; that at 800
o'clock he was at Peekskill. where he remained
until the Sd of June, returning late in the
afternoon to marry couple the same
evening; that at daylight ON the 4th he
was on an eastward bound train and yesterday his
sister swore she joined him on the 9TH of June and
remained constantly with him for a week subse-
onently 1t was therefore impossible that Mrs
Moulton could have seen him within a week it
was further impossible that he could have left her
on June 2 to go at 2 o'clock to lunch.
The evidence of Mr. Cleveland is to fill up the big
gan of four or five hours which thus left unac-
counted for and the very time which Mrs. Moulton
has fixed upon as the date and hour of this remark
able interview The details OF what Mr. Cleveland
will testify to- The TRIBUNE reporter could not
learn from the witness lawyers further than that
the whole of the time would DO accounted for.
This important testimony, which is so seriously TO
affect one side or the other for a failure to keep their
promise at this stage would damage the defense
much as fulGllment of 1t will affect the prosecu
toni, will be taken to-day and possibly published
Tomorrow With the above summary Of the evil
dence already taken the reader clearly under.
stand the situation at this critical juncture.
THE Observation-Disclosures
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES STORRs RESUMED