The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-17
RAILROADING THE WITNESSES
More Damaging Testimony
for the Plaintiff.
WHAT AN INTERVIEWER KNEW
Mrs. Woodruff and TiltOn
More Than Familiar.


Bessie Turner was early in court yesterday,
wearing a plain black hat and no VEIL She sat
pinching her lips and doubling over ner immobile
chin. anu the uxuriance OF her rosewoOdy reddish
hair was in decided contrast TO her Thin neck.
There were several females in court, not gener-
ally OF prepossessing appearance, and The average
spectator at once SAID
WITNESSES ~
Nice dainty people are more often spectators
than actors in this trial. II exudes, so to speak,
boarding house whiH. The worst air, the most
soupy clouds the soggiest mud even OF this
winter draw near the court house. All the
natural scavengers OF evaporation and condensa-
ton parade Tor employment before the court
There is nothing OF the look, or light or
purity OF the Christian home around
tnis vast convention OF the odors OF
artics and alleys. Nevertheless It plays its
part, ike the sewage OF cities, and instructs
posterity upon the imperiectness even OF period
OF victory and freedom. The natural man, de-
tached from bis institutions and fame, Is here dis
sected ana produced.
The evidence OF several witnesses was taken
early in the day. But one or TWO OF them were
crossexamined by the defence, although Judge
Fullerton was present to lead the questioning.
he shook hands ne entered court with Shear
man and Porter, and several OF the jury bowed 10
him acaby. He looked little out OF sorts At first.
rs If lust risen from a sick bed, but IN short time
recovered his natural color and method, and put
in hard days work. de did not, however. pro-
duce any effect upon the chief witness OF the day.
newspaper IN teryewer by the name OF Thomas
Cooke.
THIS man was employed 70 give and prolong
newspaper sensation in the household OF the
Woodruff family, and while there met Theodore
Tilton as an intimate and iavorire visitor.
He swore that after MIR. Beecher refused to
come 10 The steinway Hail meeting Mrs. Wood
hull was indignant, ana endeavored to use the
witness TO expose Mr.. Beecher's connection with
the T1lton story In the press. and that she finally
offered to employ HIM to do it; Tilton offered him
a situation also on the Golden Age contemporane-
ously with a position he was to take on woodruff.
and Cldft1's Weekly; TLton was present when
Mrs. Woodruff asked Cooke TO expose Beecher,
and said
'.1heodore viii give you all the letters and doc
vments. he has shown them all tc me-"
AS this occurred before Mrs. Woodruff published
the scandal in her own paper II appeared 10
break down utterly Mr.. Tltons theory that he
had sought Mrs. Woodhulls acquaintance in Or
der TO procure her silence, ard 1t cast very SIN
lister complexion upon the plaintiffs cause.
He manlestly lelt 1t, and the cross-examnation
did nothing further to impeach the witness than
to show mat Mrs. Woodruff visited MIN privately
in Detroit about three weeks ago.
MIR Cooke SAID at the noon recess that accord
ing to his understanding Mrs woodruff was ill.,
censeu at toth the plaintiff and defendant. but
most with Iilton now because he had repulseo
her affections and quit ner society.
The cabman VINO drove Mrs. Woodhull 10 Coney
Island with Tilton also strengthened the case
against TIlton OF extreme Intimacy and familiarity
with Mrs. Woodruff.
Assistant Pastor Halliday was put on he stand
late IN day and testified that ne made 1900 pas
toral calls year ana knew very little OF Mrs. TIL
ton. Mrs. Moulton he related 70 have exonerated
Mr.. Beecher solemnly. IN MS presence.
II was, on the whole, a black eye Tor TIton all
the middle OF the day.
Oliver Johnson. Samuel WIlkeson, Jackson s.
Schultz and the reporter Cooke have made a very
strong defence for MIR. Beecner. This is admitted
AL sides.
The great scandal is now more mysterious than
eve.
Reuben W. Ropes the first witness yesterday,
took the char al iate hour OF tue morning. he
Is brother OF prominent trust company pres.-
dent ID Brooklyn, and Is himself a me- ber OF
Plymo1h church. round-headed, red-faced.
gray man, with tangled gray eyebrows and a
stentorian voice, ne gave his testimony with a
loud. quarterback voice, and was dismissed n
the midst oil his resoundng ecnoes.
THE EVIDENCE.
He testIhed:-l carry on business at No. 10 Pearl
street; / am acquainted vita Francis u. Mouton !;
had an interview with him IN the autumn OF
1873. crossing the ferry; | met MIN and / said TO
truth IN tnat pistol story published by the Wood
hui people" and tie said
'sIr Is AN INTERNAL LIEU
then said, "Mr. Moulton, you know great deal
more about this matter tnan DO, and want TO
charges against Henry Nara Beecher ~ Moulton
replied. 'Not a word OF truth; they are pack OF
lies rom be- inning 70 end"
ABNER II. DAVIS
took the stand in jny, there being no cross-sx-
aninaton Mr.. Ropes. Ropes walked out OF
court ana DAVIS proceeded in q noarse voice to
tell MS tale. He little ike the family por-
traits o. General Israel Putnam, wore blue over
coat buttOued up TO the neck baldsh sc0nce,
cleany snaven face, with gray eye, and some
little gray hair on the hack OF mis- head. He also
elOcuhonist ana detained lorcDly. IL
was palu story Of Moutons indignant and
castle denial OF Beecbers guilt told by plain
parishioner OF the Plymouth pastor.
Mr.. Davis testified that ne was in the general
commission business In New YORK nave been
IN business altogether lOl about .hlTty yeaTs; 1
remember the publication OF tie woodruff scar
dal; was at That time acquainted with francis
n. Moulton and had various conversations with
him talked win nim about the scandal; SAID
10 MN, "fOr Coos sake what does this ineanY Is
there word OF truth IN TINS Woodruff storyY' he
said. "lnere Is not word OF truth In IL; you
has lyed IN Brooklyn near thirty years, could be-
capable Vi such crime, ana u be was that he
could remain undiscovered for any length OF
tlme.r
JOHN MASON
was witness number three the other two having
left the stand before well seated IN the chair the
Judge looked rejoced at the swift dismissal OF
witnesses, and his strong Scottish features nigh.
have lifted the couplet:-
Speed Malise. speed The dun deer's hide
On Aeeter loot De ever ted
Mr.. Mason was another Plymouther. and quite
meek ana doce compared to the preceding stem
tors. lie sat with great gravity In the chair,
grasped the arms, and showed clean shaving and
q holiday senslbillty.
They quarreled as 70 whether he should say
anything, and ru ed him out on FuIlerton's obJec-
ton. lie couldn't be found IN the index OF the
proceedings OF the trial, and was. therefore, not