Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-25
THE BEECHER TRIAL
second Day OF Bessie Turner under
(ross-Exs Examination
Fronl The Nfrr IinrE IIl-,nrf

The courtroom was better ordered, and
.here were more women In IL than on Mon
Gay, When Bessie Turner took the stand yes
terday. She wore black sacQue and dress
DIT OF white lace around the neck and a
pretty bow OF lace before and her white clIffS
We're fastened with gold medallion studs.
Nothlng was left undone 10 give her self
esteem, the next friend TO confidence and her
ollve-colored kids were half of the time in
,ne ar, Iondltng her face. Bessie has been
700 much suppi essed in life for the shining
qualltles OF which she Is conscious. Making
wax flowers in a Massachusetts village shut
up IN school at Steubenyille, cutting out
dresses al Tarrytown, and finally cabined al
BEAVER, Pa, were no proper occupations for
one OF her live temperament and ambition
she cannot be said to be a remarkable wit
ness, but rather successful witness She
July understands the side she has eSpouSed
and her animal spirits are supported from
that side. IL may be that she is a sympa-
thetlc and grateful witness for her benefac-
treSs, Mrs. Tilton. At any IA te IL is manifest
that when she is questioned on any matter
TO the advantage OF the opposite side she hes
itates, looks towards her friends, who are
constantly in court, and finally RECEIVERS her
sell by her own adaptability.
InlS young woman seems 20 have baen
produced in order To show the irrelevancy of
our times TO the maXims and gospel we in
culcate. Like two-thirds of the witnesses in
lnlS case, she seems 10 be an impeacher of
The social civilization OF the period rather
IMAM or the persons under trial. Her own
parentage is not clear. With the missionary
spirit OF all Bohemians, the Tilton family
look her in, sooner than the rich associates
OF her supposed kith and kin. But the curi-
Gus qualities OF those born under the har sin
lSter were soon developed in Bessie Turner
she was not tractable. She seemed to have
no place in the economy OF things. Her mis-
tress, Mrs. Tilton, endeavored TO do her part
toward this poor waif, but Tilton himself
showed the same wavering nature toward
Jessie as toward his young wife. He was by
turns dldatlc, advisory, gentle and fatherly,
and again reckless, forgetful. cold and re-
pressing. The girl unconscious OF her parent
age, lost, astrsy, made the best of her wits
ana OF her associates, and being outside the
pale OF society got consideration from il by
reporting what she knew OF it. She was edu-
Gated, because TO send her TO school was 10
Keep her out OF tale-bearing. With educs-
lion she developed a character OF her own
Lille had no connections for her, and, there
lore, she wanted her opportunity, which
came came In the course of this vast scandal All
efforts made To repress her testimony were
negatlVed by this girl. She determined TO
appear and bring herself before mankind on
her own plane and test her own valuation.
She has succeeded. She has become one of
the features of this great cause at law. As
she has sworn TO what she has had to tell,
the burden OF discrediting hn~ has resteI
upon the lawyers On the side OF the plaintiff,
and IL may be admitted that they have failesl
at least To make any dent in her intelligence
Bessie Turner is one of the mysteries OF the
trial.
There were some good studies yesterday in
the contest between this friendiess girl and
the strong, experienced lawyers for the plain
tlh. Inc general eye IN the court room had
no great faith In either the lawyers or the
victim. But Bessie held her own. She was
never negative parsonage i'm the cross
examination. She repeated her story rather
than related il, and became a full fiedged
Psychological curiosity of the great trial.
Inc critic In cause of this magnitude is
forever baffied to know just what to believe
and how to measure the value of the testi-
m0ny. Sometimes he hears a story told with
seeming simplicity and apparently un-
shakable by crOss-examination, which. soon
afterward, is riddled through and through
Again he hears what the judges TO be an in
genious story, and doubts the facts from the
ingenuity, but waits In vain for some re-
buttal. III we dismiss our original impress
sions and appeal TO the witness alone she is a
least tough one.
Mr.. Fullerton, who is said TO be the great
est-croSs-eXaminer in America, made no inn
preston upon her all day yesterday He
only added TO her triumph by showing some
temper.