davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
TIE LEGAL PROGRAMME.

1t is expected that Mr.. Moulton will be on the
stand all to-day and tomorrow as well. Counsel
for the defense have determined to put him through
the severest cross-examnation which any witness
has undergone for years in United States courts
An immense number of questions TO be put him
have already been written out some ct them OF such
character as are Likely to disturb the eduanImlty
Of much more sef-possessed man than Mr.. Mouiton
has proved to be. To these queries viii be added
many which John X. Porter was busy preparing yes
terday while Moulton was on the stand. There can
be no doubt that his examination by the prosecution
and defense as WELL will give rise to many sharp en-
counters between counsel, such as agltated the
courtroom yesterday. Mr.. Beecher also Is to be
examined at very great length and the questions TO
be put him, that are already written cover good
sized book of foolscap. He will not be unprepared,
for he has studied the letters Published carefully
with pretty clear idea of the construction winch
counsel will endeavor to place upon some OF his re-
markable letters.
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
THE LETTER OF CoNTRrTIoN THE SPARK THAT LIT
THE BLAZE.

IL THE COURT PLEASE, GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY,
sa not deta you longer what have to y to You At
the adjournment Of the Court yesterday, was calling
vour attention to the efforts had put forth by
he defendant this 70 prevent an nyesuatOn on e
ut Of his church. into charges Of inmoraes, which had
been made against him. and had also called your attention 10
how unayang during the four years that have
passed all the efforts TO bury up the fact that we now
present you As stated one dnlcuty ailer Aoer pre-
sented itself and had threatened investigation
been ayeed by trick, by some DEVICE th.n ahothet u
Guilty arose and thus they continued accumulate until at last
the dread secret made public and had called your at
tenton in which was made public not by acha
against Henry Ward Beeeher but by simply publishing part oi
Mr. Beechers letter of cOntiOn which was accepted Dy e'e
body almost being confession OF guilt The puDcaoh
of that portion Of the letter Of cOntrton aroused sh
Of enquiry both in and out OF the Chuch that finally Mr.
Beecher compelled take action with reference 10 INC
ter 18th day Of July 1874 was published eef M
dressed gentlemen three OF his congregation ana hfe "
the society, requesting them to make noio"eH
investigation in reference 10 the letter OF apoe'
or contrtion and you must remember thai Wheh "' I
WAS pubhed in the papers, with what Satisfaction II was re-
ceyed by the friends and advocates Of Mr. Beecher A'
last they say, I'VE to have the truth a. "7' Ho
taken seps to have thorough investigation Now we VIII
knoy the truth Now we the foundation Tor these
rumo that have been floating about for the st four years
Now we will have settlement for ever Of this matter
That letter dated prior to that on the @'th oi juno
,hrk On the Ga of July Mrs TOn without the kno"edge
d h, husband without any intimaton that COMMITTEE h"o
been appointed or contemplated goes before ue on
mittee and makes statement Al this time tue plAn A."
nothing about the appointment of Committee Al all o
. snpoiued then and on the morning OF the llh Oh 'y
Mrs Tilton abandons her home and seeks shei'ef wiz
the friends Of her seducer and that same day thls ~
nubisbed and until then, until she had appeared Deore INC
Committee az stated 70 her husband, until ney Ia"
her the letter was published, Gentlemen she on' o
lowed ont the natural in all such cases The woman
leaves her husband and takes shelter either WITH or WIN e
friends of her paramour But, gentlemen, can your
,,r.;on to the very fact and circumstances OF the
anpontnr OF this Committee evidence OF the guilt OF tne
fndant Had no been of the charges preferred
him or had he been guilty Of the crime that we no" ant
what woud have been What would have been 'e
course OF any innocent seeking thorough and compe
yndeaou OF his character He would have called upon e
ruar authorities church have instituted the pocee
inr He would have notified the parties who had cAIges :"
make tn appear before Committee and attend Its nVesus
ton and he would accorded the privilege OF the party
appearing by counsel hs appeared by counsel
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14

damages II vas the only mode Of rAsess ief him
Ne wanted them 10 indct him for Iande be had siandeed
and take an the sk and al the chances Of conviction assu
iug all me burden upon himself. They declined.
But sfter this commenced and In October last the
fst Of October The defendant goes before the Grand Jury and
procuree an Indictment against Mr. rnton for libel
From that day until we came m Court here "ifn
ths case we have been becseeching them, mplorng them
making appeals them making our appeals TO the court
70 bring the Indictment but they would not and there was
no alternative 1e and brought our action ber and
before you Win bring evidence, before you we
vii bring ous wrongs the wrongs that we have SUI
fered 70 you We win present orr broken home be'oro
your face we 1agn the seducer Of wife Before you
aragn The man who has brought upon al this desoaon
and from you We expect the Justice that has heretofore been
denied "a Aye we know that we shan receive Il, be-
our cause is just and God h with the nght Bat,
gentlemen, Notwithstanding this Committee was ap-
pointed by the defendant In this action, II not
the degn not the purpose that the facts should be
made known that Committee when appointed As the
defendant declared that not step Of his choosing but
be driven by bis church he had to do something and
having 10 take step be had seIesed the men himself
whom be declared could be managed and controlled and IN s
estimation upon that point be was not deceived
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
THE TAKING OF TESTIMONY BEGUN.

At 1870 o'clock the Court re re.assembled pursuant
to adjournment
Mr. Mors-H your Honor please win have TO make some
different arrangements here TO tables think that one table
nxed for instance as when getting the jury VIII
be orec onyenen Your Honor viii tha with four or Eve
counsel here in this space six feet BY three with e
clients Is utterly impossible proceed with ths CASE "o
can't do Il; II is simply an impossibity that Is all
Judge NeisOn-I made no order about ihsI ei' ~ 70
counsel 10 arrange hoping that they woad do 50 ana SUIT he
selves mutually on both sides
Mr. MorsJudge Porter makes suggestion "hca ihInk
would relieve the difficulty.
Ne porer- see that s utterly unfair to my frcnds 70
,rssed within this little circle We ought 20 have some
D,,,e,t nv which we be within earshot OF the wit.
- ana nv which they have their friends around them
T. % mn, that the suggestion OF Judge Norris the beet
,s, >, bap, that table aud put Il hero. We all
and hear Ii i very desirable that shall hear your
Honor and hear the Witnesses
Judge Neson-Wil you gentlemen strange that
Mr. Evarts - II your Honor please, the dinhcnlty
made by the fact that there IS not space enough
given TO the plaintiffs counsel not at the table
because they have space enough, and not in
suen proximity the juy and the witnesses sor they
pas Ms in hr respect every degree Their farthesi
nearer than the nearest that they have not space
enough about them agree that that Is the difficulty ha,
difficulty by the presence OF the reporters table which
does happen TO be here and IS there were here wo
should be crampcd just much they Now yoar Honor
that this plan OF giving line hs angles ~ two saes 70
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
crowd Of sssrsrs ssc curiosity q this ~ should s
tempered with decency. 81 v..s "A 7-ro,t.w rr'rT
MR MoRRIs's PERoRATIoN.

MR MORRISS PEhOhAIlON.
Mr. Morris resumed his address soon Asof tne
oneuine Of the court. and spoke for an hour and "
minutes His voice wac clear and his delivery very
ssci va at the outset, and although his hoarseness
;nc,aased his impassoned sentences lost none OF
,hsr mower His denunciations Of the investigating
Committee as constituted and manared with the
s;uals aim Of sitting investigation, and his passion
ate accusation that Plymouth Church had faisified
and suppressed its records delivered in ringing
tones which set the teeth of the members OF that
Church ON edge, and brought fushes of anger 70
their faces. Mr.. Cleveland, at Mr.. Beechers eioow,
could not control himself, but with excisemens
moved about restiessly in his chair overcome
Mr. Morris referred In the next breath to the mys-
terious Rsdpath negotiations In Boston, In winch
Mr.. Cleveland once took great interest, and the
agitation Of Mr. Beechers neighbor was stimulated
As Mr.. Morris referred to the Crisis IN the Ahson
household, when Mrs. Tilton deserted her HUSBAND
and went to live with the friends OF her sedncer,t
the ladys face flushed. But harder things were YET
in store for her, such as the passage toward the
,loee: " Let the words death and destruction to
the seSueor be written oyer every door in the land
In reading the statement which Mr.. Beecher
wished 20 have Mr. Tifton to make before the Com
mttee. the speakers voice had soft, sneering tone
which contrasted favoraby with the passionate In
yeetiyes which preceded and followed the passage.
His brief summary of the strongest points against
Mr.. Beecher was evidently modelled after the re-
capitulation in the second statement Of MI lliton
He then brushed aride the suspicious that bis client
could have made false charge Of this nature. snd
ingeniously quoted passages from Mr. Beecbers COZ
respondence and writings in which high opiSion
of Mr.. Tlton wac expressed Mr.. Moulton was INTRO
ducsd an q witness with nmilar skill by the citation
of portions of Mr. lBeecher's letters IN which his
trust in his mutual friend was warmly aeknowi-
edged. The Plymouth section y smiled satir'
ically when Mr.. Moulton was euloglzed aS
one who !" had stood between the public and the
truth. dammIng up the truth" until he was charged
with blaOEn.::.,ni All this time Mr. Moufon was
twirling his mustache his face betray1ng some an-
noyance when an indirect reference was made 10 'ne
revenue complications of his firm. Mr. Morris MADE
perhaps his most ingenious turn when he quoeed
splendid passage from of Mir. Beeehers sermons
delivered % years ago. in which an ideal aduiterer
and his victim were wildly portrayed when ne
announced the authors name Mr.. Beecher mace no
attempt to conceal his amusement. The perorat'oh
was delivered 80 ably that applause was inevitable
although it was soon checked by the Judges trown'
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
A TRUCE TO LEGAL AspERIrIEs.

n
At the close of the proceedings yesterday after
noon neither counsel audience permitted to
leave the court until the jury had retired. The jury
once outside of the courtroom, there was a rush
made for the doors by all the crowd except those
who occupied seats in the immediate vicinity of
Mr. Beecher who fingered. 1t was while the crowd
was thus hastily dispensing that remarkable Incl
dent took place.
Mr. Beecher. with good-nstured smile and his
usual genial manner. left his own counsel and
stepped across the room to the table at which Mr..
Tiltons counsel sat- and reaching across IT, saluted
Mr.. Beach. and then shook his hand. Mr. Tilton.
moment within two feet of the clergyman. but did
not look in his direction, although be must have
heard every word that was uttered.
"If" said Mr. Beecher TO Judge Beach lauehingly.
"if get out from between the paws OF two such
lions you aud Fullerton, III belieTe am iuno-
cent, and that is what came here to find out"
You forget" said Mr. Beach, pointing TO Nr.
Eyarts. /" the Daniel standing among the lions and
closing their months"
Mr. Beecher placed one hand on Mr. Shearman,s q
shoulder, and the other Mr.. Evarts, and re-
marked IN iocular way my lions are very harm
less animals" Then turning 10 Mr.. Morris he said.
Let me present myself to yOu, Judge Morris"
The exoJudge very coldly replied, Mr. Beecherr y
The pas.Or of Plymouth Church was not 20 be re-
pulsed IN this WAY and continued: ~ .-.......
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
Mr.. TnToN,s MAINswITNEss.
q MR.. aouIroN UNDER OATH.

lfa
saosR or Ma. AORRrss OPENING ADDRkss-T THE
COURSE OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH DENOUNCED
sxYoRg MANY OF THE MExREas-hR. cARPhS-
RMS TESTIMONY TO BE vKKY EAnoRrASr-
AUGUSTUS MAVERICK rnx FIRST AND FRANCIS
%, MoUIToS THE SECOND WITNESS. vs. .r.fr q.
Mr.. Morris closed the opening address IN the
Brooklyn scandal suit yesterday mtrnins, and TWO
witnesses were called to the staad-Ansnsfas NAV
er;,h and Francis d. Mouiton. Mr.. horris reviewed
Al. uroceedinss of the Plymouth Church inVestl-
Eating Committee after tho publication Cd Mr' III
son,s letter to the Rev. DR.. Bacon, ana con
landed that every act of Mr.. Beecher IN con-
a.e,ion with that inquiry was virtually
-, admission Of guilt. He referred to
two of the witnesses for the prosecution-Franci
a. CARPENTER and Francis D. Moulton. The an
noupcement that Mr.. Carpenter would testify that
Mr.. Beeeher had confessed guilt to HIM was sur
prise 70 every one. After Augustus Maverick
saye unirnportant testimony IN relation to Mr.. 1r
toms marriage: and then Mr.. Moultou was exam
.ned by ex,Judge Fullerton. his testimony relaSea
20 the first meeting between Mr.. Tilfon and MT
Beecher st his house. the crcumstances under when
xhe apology was written, and the subsequent inter
view between himself and Mr.. Beecher. MT. Moai-
ten will resume his testimony today.
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
A SEVERE IMPEACHMENT OF THE CHURCH CON
MITTEE

And vet what do we behold with reference TO this
,nvcsigaton Mr. Beecher naming his committee seiecd
from his own personal friends the having no voice
not even the church. except ndrecywhen called upon ny nun
tn sanction his action. From that investigation
the ulaintif ts excluded. Before those s1
friends Of Mr. Bseer appear number Of learned ana Ase
lawvers Mr. Tton not being permitted to be there and o
examine witnesses be present TO hear what they h
saya nd say therefore, that the very fact that THIS
yas constituted az was managed a. was shows thA'
thorough and truthful and honest investigation
into the facts the purpose Of the appointment OF @
committee Had committee been appointed a. IL shold
have BEEN had panf been accorded the rights that
have been accorded that investigation had he Deeh
treated with Judicial mparay with any degree OF fHirna
we would been to-day in this tribunal you "ou
not have been called upon discharge the solemn and import
ant duty that you will be called upon TO discharge IN
this case But with that sided and partisan COnnh
tee with denunciatory report against the plAinn
In which report records Of church Of which they
were members fashed and suppressed when he was de
nouncod this friendly committee appointed by the deeha
ant 10 yndcae him all hazards and denouncc and con
yict the plaintiff all hazards. there no 1terna'
tive left but 10 bring him face 10 face Dc
fore an impartial court, before honest
and impartial jury He did this suit brongf here
He the committee and he appealed them to bring him
in court They refused do IT, lie did TO bring lh
acQa. because necessary a s shoald claim pee aay
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
VIVID PAINTING OF THE CRIME CHARGED.

Oh. well might he stand aghast at the exposure OF
such crime had committed viii not attempt 10 per-
tray TO you Nervousness Of that crime bu, win read sz
tract or two from author mush capable Of judging and
who can draw the picture much yydly than dav
it:e .~
"The sedueeri Playing upon the most ssered passions he
betravs innocence How BY its enderest faculties b. s
trust s i. un;aspe,ng s y rs aSS oSS"s = the ue s
trayed by ezocsm which bcviteed Der nooese
most intense seIahne-s without noble motive .itsoos
preence OF honorby lies By deyish uggey 2, No.
Of sweet afeeton-deiberasy, heartiessly damns tns
ton one glnmerine trace race Of hght There
so, sss not the most 'hsdowy ,semslos MN rom
beginning 20 end The accufsed sorcer opens ne Soof
for there Is shame shapsoohed hatred and chAitenn3
sands and mssnaRt envy, md nmphing e,louss s1e
fu Of fire. that barn but w not AIN And there for her
want SyeIy ana gsTn, 1 a%ss G There Is s sSd sps sss
brothers shame sisters anguish It's vision on detoa
virtue and peace been in.idousy sacrificed the foul
Mooch All ceerlesness 70 the eye and her ear catches
~, swn a. b. sSri@nS Of the on tfe 1 narey ond
for moment fis she the very mfsmy
psais rG Ee''Ns' .hs awful thunder of Sna DOOM, An
open door Of e iinrs aud With voice that might move the
dead she turns and clasps his knees IN awful .ony Leave
Sps.be %f not oh e eang @ With Demon spare heY ave 5sr'
The polished scound betrayed her abandon her and wake
the boast his helsh deed IL 0econee hn npu-
tatan Surely society win crush him They viii smlts the
wolf bleeding lamb Oh my soul believe y
not What gtf that! The dropping vcem il Gsed
honor and she IL crushed and manged uHsier
infursie tramp OF pnblc Indignation On her manged
corpse they stand the aure ae narderers brow
When such things these thank God there ls lndg
raent and aat there 4 heD. ="
Twenty years ago gentlemen that was the utterance OF tbs
defendant in this case and oh how true how true the ndg
en s what strange what striking coincdence On the
st of Junuary 1871 says Of his victim She Il guoefr
snned against bearing the rngressions Of another bs
victim often and not the accompce 20 much a me sf
ferer" When We that language in the letter OF eonon
that sh Il etles proved thar she could not have been gny
~ adultery we turn the utteance Of The defendant nhs'
which will stand as condemnation upon that point Ao'
OH how true and how true has been all the propneee OF IDS
prophetic statement how they have been fnIhhed'
how the door of the cold world was opened ard DO"
Il was said that this poor has been 90 weak 30 "hony
hi N the strongest outside influence at the moment 'ha'
the General public give but little weight TO her estDy
either for or against Beecher And, again. that ne
cannot be defended upon principle Of human
She the sufferer she the sufferer while the sedueer y nero
noraved as fnded courtcd passing nom ono nono
another, and she is crushed
=" II 70 be the thral Of love and .
Faith too generous to defend
nself from him she loved, be sin, 60
What hope OF grace may the sedGcer WIN
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14

o'" Inotics that You lawyers, like preachers. know
bow " deliver long sermonAn =, t-...aisr b
u There was slieht tinge of sarcasm in Mr.. Aorrss
tones ss he rstorted. Yes, SIR had long story
to teIl.' .triu ~
Mr. Evarts joined In the conversation u this mo-
ment, and playfuIly said: d 'o -'l +" ~ 't
Mr. Norris noticed that you sxpstiated only
on those things which against our side." M
Mr.. Morris answered in the same pIeasaut man
ner: f ,,r tf..,g b. i.i, lIi D. d. lll' la.
r. "I thought you could attend 10 the other things
much better than I' % a.u -4 ~ m ica mia .f
BY this time the counsel were surrounded by
large crowd of curious listeners, among the number
Mrs Beecher and several members Of Plymouth
Church. Mr.. Morris was on the point Of leaving
when Mr.. Beecher again addressed him: a,4 s pa
Judge Morris. you should have come to me fm
point or two. could have put you up to some
things which would have made your speech appear
very Different .-i .'nH'lhi i-l- i' #.
Mr.. Morris made no reply, and Mr. Tilton for the
first time shot quick glance IN which mingled hate
and scorn were expressed at the speaker, and then
turned to Gen. Pryor. That gentleman had been
listening to the conversation with an unmisfakaeie
look of dlseust on his sharply cut features Ad-
dressing Tllton, he made o brief remark in con-
tenptuous tone of voice. and the two left the court
room together Mr.. Fullerton did not tal-e part in
the versation but looked on with an amused eI.
preston. . ...,t....
In the mean time Mrs. TiltOn and her lady friends
had left the courtroom. 1t was several minutes
however, before Mr. Beecher aud Mrs. Beecher could
get away. After shaking hands with several IN the
crowd they retired through the entrance to the
Court-bouse. They were followed to the sidewalk
by an immense crowd Of men and boys, who jostled
and stumbled over each other in their anxiety to
catch glimpse Of the defendant and his wife.
In the crowd were many who, having been denied
admission to the courtroom, had stood in the cold
corridors for hours determined to crafty their
curiosity IN some way. Mr.. Beecher ana bis wrfe
entered carriage, and were driven rapidly away
and yet the crowd fingered on the sidewalk fot
seyeral minutes after, Mr.. Tilton ar, nis counsel
proceeded to Judge Morriss office for the purpose Of
arranging the letters to be introduced In MI houi
toms testimony to-day
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
HR. BEECHER's ACTS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DE
FENSE.

Now, gentlemen, I have, thus far, principally
called your attention to the made out
by the defendant himself adverng to some oral testimony,
but principally TO the made out by the defendant
himself by his own acis by his language, by his
letters and writings And how stands the
now, Is necessary that should sil further in the de-
y.pmen Of this order convince you Of the Of
the charge that we bring against himi 1t is begin
despair Of human testimony We say that the facts that
have presented you he has confessed his guilt leaving
the verbal testimony leaving what he has said
parties he has confessed his guilt clear possible
without using the vulgar words without clothing
the confession vulgar language made possible
10 the English tongue When he said st OF
January, ls1L that he had sinned and transgessed
with Mrs Tilton, he confessed his crime really
And when on the 7th Of February be said
that Mouons hand that had tied up storm was
about heads in that terrible emergency Of his
life he confessed his criminal intimacy with Elizabeth III
said passed seepess nights and
ferred the ormenls damned he spent
the great darkness and lived The sharp
ragged edge Of anxiety and despair confessed his
cTiminaty Elizabeth H. Tton. And when, conte nnlaug
suicide for crime that had committed he confessed
cTimnay for suicide confession and the contemplation OF
suicide confession When he wrote 70 Mouon that Theodore
had Joined xpon him beiy his wife or leave his children
a blight . confession that he had been guilty Of
with her the exposure which leave children 20
hight and that the crime Of adultery. might prooag this
recital batI VII not do IT, gentlemen For the psst four Ve"Y
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14

w md wso.s statements Should be received By al Who hnow
" eSmbs al ls2 believe him 30 be honest 10 Ne core
would trusf him with life and property without scrap
December 10th 1873 Mr. Frank Moulton pave ksovh ~
ean and cheangs that he had or had naa os
suspicion Of IT," -. -.-.
July 18th, 1874 Ny Dear Frank, I need 10 see you
This gentlemen portion Of the testimony OF Mr. bess
with reference 70 Fncs D. Moulton the man who on tne ~
Of December 1873 saved the defendant 10 Plymouth Cnureh
made him take back the letter Of resignation which ne took
Mr. xouiton and delivered to him. retiring from the ministry 10
private life because simply he feared the publication Of bic own
letter Of eontrton.
New-York tribune., 1875-01-14
THE PROCEEDINGS.

At the reassembng of the Court yesterday morning,
in the ton Beecher being the eighth day Of the ia
and the day Of ExJudge Morris opening address for the
painf-Mr Morris began the ast subdivision Of hs sub
ect namely resume OF the events Of the last eighteen
months scandal which familiar to everybody EN-
bracng the dongs gobetween and the mutual friend
the letters to newspapers and the proceedings Of the Church
Committee