The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-02-24
GhegnteIIiqeuee1,
The Plaintiff ia the. BeccheF
Trial Resting his Case.

rest their case I0r the present. HaNH"6
gone through with the examination OIL
five leading witnesses they propose to IeI
the defense assume the aggressive anu
bring forward the much talked OF evi'
dcncc that il to break down Tilton's case
in court and couclu-ivrly establish MIR,
Bcecher's innocence in the eyes OF q
waiting world 1t is supposed that among
the first developments on the Bcecher
side Of the case will be the iptroduction ol
witnesses to attack the standing Of Moul-
ton. 1t seems that Moulton was once
connected with some kind OF u Govern
mcnt contract or job that lett more or
less tarnish on his good name. This
larnish, it is said, will be shown to be a
pretty black spot, and no doubt n very
strenuous effort will be made to blacken
his character to such an extent as to entire
" discredit him as u witness, 1t would
seem . now as II Moulton's testimony
would be hard to break down. Ills story
made n profound impression upon the
public mind Mt tho time Of It's recital, and
this impression was intensified under the
te4t Of n severe cross examination. II il
generally believed that he told tale
that il substantially true, especially rs II
has been more or less confirmed since
then by the evidence Of his wilr, and
also by the testimony Of Mr.. Richards
and Mrs. CarOy 0u
There will pc great curiosity to sec the
line Of attack and defense marked ontby
Mr.. Beecher's counsel. II Is generally
believed that an attempt will be made ia
show that Tiltonis the victim Of a morbid
suspicion and halluCination; that under
the influence OF this state Of mind he in
duced his wife ia make her confession
TINT he also worked upon Moulton's sym
pathics (thc latter having been his friend
from bOyhoodD to such an extent that he
lMoulton) undertook the role Of cntang-
ling Bcerhcr into sort Of confession, aud
being thus entangled, he wrote the letters
and used the words that have 80 sndIy
embarrassed his case in tho estimation ol
vast number Of people.
No doubt the defense will make for
midable attack upon the one weak point
in Mrs. Moulton's testimony, which was
her statement that Notwithstanding Mr.
I3eecherIs confession to her Of his sin
with Mrs. Tilton, still she placed hcl
hand upon his shoulder ahd kissed him
on the forehead, and appealed 10 hel
husband to do all IN hi' poweI
to "saye this good man from ex
posure." Whilst advising her HUSBAND
to cover up and conceal his guilt, she ii
the next breath asserts that she urged MIR
Beccher to 60 before plymouth ChurcI
aud confess his guilt, 4nl appeal to hi'
people for pardon, sbtflso admits thai
she only lost faith in Mr.. llecclIcr whc'
he turned upon her husband and that a
late as last July she told Mr.. Tilton tim
he "was Il villain, and would bclray hc
husband as he had Mr. Bcechcr.@ There
il 40 much inconsistency in all this as Il
leave room for bcliefin the minds o
some people that Mr.. BecCher may b
able, when he presents his testimony, Il
overthrow the whole fabric Of accusation
which has been built up against him.
It supposed that the counsel Of MI
Beecller will attempt to show TINT th'
only crime Of which he was posibl!
guilty was that Of suffering himself, I'LL
consciously as It were, 70 win the aiEcc
tions Of Mrs -,riton in Platonic sense
II will be shown TINT both Tilton an,
Moulton laborcd to intimidate him int
the feeling that in this he had committed
an objectionable crime, and tln! nfie
thus intimidatng him they.lroceeded 4
blackmail him. It ssupposcd Tint ntgrcn
stress will be laid on the matchmaking
features Of the case. Every effort vii
be made to show that Tilton was willin
to trade his wifc's good name for money
and that he kept silent, "a long lie cnul
make bis silence profitable.
As the case stands at present, there
no doubt that the current Of public opin
ion Is against Mr.. 1Ieccher. lie has los
ground very decidedly Of late. The news
papers arc beginning to break over. thei
reserve, and express opinions that plainl
show that his casc is believed to be hope
less. We observe editorials III the Pitts
burgh Dispdieh, 81. Louis Republican, an
Chicago Tribune, taking substantially III
same view Of the case IA that presented b
lis yesterday. The latter paper, after re
viewing Mrs. Monlton's testimony, make
the remark that Aniess tlic defence ca
show that she has told cold.blOode
falSehoOd or made dreadful MISTAKE
or that ske Is laboring Under some strang
hallucinatlon, and has imagined or in
vented this story, which hangs togcthe
80 closely and ienaciously ihnt the mos
rigid cross.examinattOn cannot find
weak spot in II, the case is virtual.
concluded"
The 81. Louis Republican concludes tlla
from the evidence thus far presented a
ia simply impossible to believe in Mr.
Beecher's innocence" Arguing that II
the nature Of things he must be guilty
il exclaims that "hcnven never looket
down on such an exhibitionof iirtedcem
able icpravity and God-,leiyins impicty
as the late career Of iIehry Ware
Beecher," ,,.,.,.a,e ,-4,t...- r.
Thahe saise Of 4aansel oi light h,
wrought a deed which a devil withdevili
damned would blush to own. AS the
tried and trusted friend Of h'ltie.timc, a'
the beloved and tevefed teacher who's,
counsel was Better thAh gold; III thterct
q.