The Portland daily press., 1875-03-03
THE SCANDAL.
Testimony of Rdwatd r. Oviugton

Ovington. In reply to John ia. Hill, one OF the
counsel for the defence, ne testified: L am ac
auainted with the parties to this action anu
have known Mr.. Beecher for 25 years. | once
lived within a block of Mr.. Tilton in Llvings-
ton street, and was on calling mountaineering
with them. Mrs Tilton and Mrs. Ovington
were very intimate from 1867 or 1868 to the
present time.
called at Mr.. Us house after the publication
of the Bacon letter, at his request. | told him
it was serious thing to bring this charge
against Mr.. Beecher. He said that he wanted
Mr.. Beecher to do him justice. He was very
hard on Mr. Beecher and said he was not 60
ing to be called fool or knave, and that IL
was now his time to fight, and he would hight
it out. He spoke of battle-axes and swords,
and said he would not sheathe his sword until
a Tuesday. The next time saw him was at
my house / think on a Friday, but cannot
recall the date, my wife being present MI L.
opened by saying: Elizabeth made fine con-
fession before the committee. She was q
trump, but it was all fiction. could go before
the committee and weave a fiction in the same
manner NV wife then spoke of Mrs. Tilton's
health. and said she was pleased to get two let
tiers on the day previous from her. ME- L. DE-
sired to know the contents of the letters. MY
wife told him what they contained in sub
stance. One of them was written IN SAD
and the other in cheerful strain. DO not
| remember what my wife said about the letters.
One of them was shown to MIR. Ovington
iOSOhSSoiO4
| gard to the conversation. He was asked sever
al questions which were objected to, and the
objection sustained. The letter was also Of
fered in evidence, but was ruled out
Witness continued: Mr.. L. said, Mr.. Beech
er never loved woman as he loved Elizabeth.
WHY does he not come forward for her," He
said also that Mrs. Il. had only done as wife
should do in coming forward to testify lie for
me. Do you suppose my wife would tell the
truth if she saw me commit the Nathan muir
deI?" saw Mr. Z. again two days after this
was present at conversation with Gen. Ira
cy, Mrs. Tilton and Judge Morse and his wife,
before this short time, Gen. Tracy never
had an interview with Mrs. I. except INF my
presence or that of Judge Morse. think
though he spoke to her few moments when
she was down stairs, when he was informing
her that the committee were prepared to take
her testimony. l am merchant and carry on
business at No. $50 Fulton street in this city.
carry on a trade in fancy goods. am about
| to leave the city Saturday for Europe.
Cross.exam mined by Mr. Fullerton.
Mrs. L. had made her home at my house
since the early part of July. 1874. She has
been there ever since except when she was on
a visit to Connecticut. She was absent four or
or five weeks of the summer, and during her
absence 1 was in the city. She also spent
short time 10 Washington, Ct 1t must have
been in tha early days of August, she resided
with Mr.. Gum, at place called the Gnnnery,
| for about week. She spent short portion OF
the BuuIu6F du duOuutr pidCo, VI WuiCu l. w NV
know the lame. She visited Montcar for
| about two days. She crossed the ferry and
| took the cars. did not put her on the cars,
nor do know who did. She went to the resi-
dence of Mr.. Tubbs there and returned TO my
| house in company with him. She went to the
| Gunnery a second time. 1 do not know who
accompanied her. She went there in January
of this year. She consulted us as to who should
| go with her, / remember Mrs Morse was
suggested to accompany her there. L cannot
recall any other absences of Mrs. L. from my
| house. There were very persons visited her
| at my house. Mrs. Tracy called with her
first on the 9th of July. towards evening, about
| 6o'clock when was at home. did not then
know of the appointment OF the investigating
| committee. but learned it afterwards from my
wife. Mr. Tracy was shown up stairs by
servant. 1 did not see him ring the bell, but
am certain it was he who rang. do not think
1t possible for him to be in the house and me
not to have known of it. His calls were re-
markable in that they were so unusual. I
knew of the committee when they were at the
church. 1 had then had couple of interviews
with them. and was not complete stranger to
them. Before Mr.. Tracy called, had no init
half of Mr. Tracy. My wife was in my room
when Mr.. Tracy called, when he remained
about five minutes Mrs. Tilton was then up
st airs. I remember she went up stairs because
she asked me for Bible as she wanted to COM
mune with it alone. Mr.. Tracy went down
stairs after leaving my room. My wife re-
NAMED in the room. He went out on the
street know.
believe that when Mr.. Tracy left the house
the first time he went to Mr.. Beechers and
then returned a second time. He did not see
Mrs. Tilton to my knowledge. My wife and
were present when he came in. l think he told
my wife and myself before he left the first time
that he was going to Mr.. Beecher's. L cannot
say whether this second interview was in the
parlor or up stairs nor can 1 tell how long the
interview lasted. 1 don't know whether Mr..
Tracy staid until the arrival of Judge Morse or
not My impression is that he stayed until
Judge Morse come. The latter came when we
were in the parlor 1t was in the evening
when Judge Morse came to the house. l. can
not say whether the interview lasted an hour
or two l cannot tell where Mr.. Tracy was
during the time he was awaiting the arrival OF
Judge Morse. was in the parlor and Mrs.
Tilton came in with Judge Morse. 1 do not
think she arrived before her father. When
she came, Gen. Tracy and my wife were in the
parlor. Mr.. Tracy then went out and returned
with the committee, i think about half past
eight L learned of the committee a few min
utes before they arrived. Mr.. Tracy asked
where Mrs. Tilton was and replied that she
was down stairs at tea with Mrs. Ovington,and
Mr.. Tracy went down to inform her of the ar
rival of the committee. Mr.. Tracy was then
nearly complete stranger to Mrs. Ovington
and me. L remember that Mr.. Tracy only oc-
cupied two or three minutes when he went
down for Mrs Titon. / did not see any papers
in Mr.. Tracy's hands when he came up stairs.
There were present Messrs. Sage, White, Wins
low, Claf1n, my wife, Gen. Tracy and myself.
The committee sat about half an hour aud Mr..
StorrS was also present.
Two days after this Mrs. Titon came to my
house to reside, about the 18th OF July. think
[ had no intimation Of Mrs TitOn's coming to
my house to reside, and it was complete sur
prise to us VIXEN she came. L cannot tell how
long after the publication of the appointment
of the committee Mrs. Tilton came to my
house.
Mr. Sherman called to see Mrs. Tilton after
she came to my house, as did also Mr.. Tracy,
think about Is or 16 times. MIR. Hill also call
ed, but not very frequently. They had inter-
views with Mrs. Tilton, but think very rarely
alone. Mr.. Beecher also called onc9 at my
house, but was not present at his interview
with Mrs. Tilton. Mr. Evarts and Mr.. Porter
Also [ think, called on Mrs. Tilton. Two of
Mrs. Tilton's children. Alice and Harold, went
to the Gunnery in Washington, Conn, in Sep
TENDER last, where they have been SINCE The
youngest one, Ralph, has been with US with his
mother. Florence, who is II, was not at our
house, Dor can L tell where she was. She
called about once month to see her mother at
our house, but has not called there for the past
three weeks. do not remember her calling
when Mrs. TiIton was away on visit and my
refusing to tell her where her mother was. l
had heard Florence was residing with her IA
Their. She sent message once asking where
her mother was, and / returned an answer
that it would be better for her not to see her
mother who had requested to be allowed 10
keep quiet and have little rest for while.
My first interview with Mr.. Tilton was after
the publication of the Bacon letter, which last
ed about ten minutes. This occurred on Sun
day. l was out driving and my wife wanted to
see Mrs. Titon. 1 drove around there, fand
while she was in Tilton came out to see me-
The Bacon letter was the subject of our CONVEX
sation. Mr.. Titon did not send for me on that
occasion. Mr. Tilton said then that he had
been badly treated by Beecher and the Ply
mouth church, and that he was made to appear
in false light and as a dog and fool; that he
had been shown up as a knave and an impos-
ter. He said that Mr. Beecher did not do his
duty and that he (Tilton) would take care of
himself He threatened to publish the letter
written by Mr.. Beecher. have been connect
ed with Plymouth church for II or u years,
and was appointed to the office of deacon in
January last.
At this point the usual recess interviewed.
After recess Mr.. Ovington resumed the stand.
His cross-examination was Continued. His at
tention being directed to his first interview
with Tilton, he said: cannot recall what Til
ton said Beecher should do that would be right
He observed that Beecher should do him JUS
tice. In the interview after his wfe's testimo-
nv, Tilton said what she had stated was I'M
true and was fiction. l understood that he
referred to that portion of her testimony relat-
;rr 70 fIa ;npooanna of Rpechar The second