, 1875-05-01
VIEWS OF CORRESPONDENTS.

Hs ~ t'koFfGIs
VIEWS OF CORRESPONDENTS.
. CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE.
Tot Editor qf Tho cA,eago Tribune:
CoLMssyu1E. ILL.,, April 27.-There ia 4 prin-
clplo In tho theory Of evidonco, that, where moro
thau ono wItnnBs tostiEes to tho same fact, the
weight Of probability established ia rather In q
geomotrlcal than an arithmct!cal ratio to tho
number Of the uitnossea; and SO II must bo
conceded that the tosstmony 0. Tilton, Moulton,
and Mrs. Moulton to tho fact that they uudes-
stood Deechor confessed to them improper re-
lattops With Mrs, TIlton, scemB to almos! ostab-
lsh that fact beyond doubt. Unless tue testt-
mony Of tlcso ttrco crodtble Witnesses can bo
oyerttro"u, 1t must follow, then. that tho fact
Ia established that Dcecher did confess his crfmo
to those parties. Now, the question is, would
Beechcr likely havo confessed II he WAS not
guilty7 think not.
Tue point 1t iesuo, however, Ia not whether
Deocbor WAS beloved to havo told certain parties
10 and 10 but It Ia, wheshor ho Ia actually
guilty Of tho act Of Auditory. There are but two
ritucsseB whose Testimony eau bo based on ab-
solute knowledge: thoy arc Mrs. Tiltou and
Becchor. Now, as competour testimony Is only
taken under oalh, and as Beocner's word under
oath is Of moro weight than were Ills worla to
Tilton,. Nonltou, md blrs. Moulton. when he
Was not under oath, It must follow that tho
wcteht Of testimony ID In favor Of Deechor's In.
noceuco; slso his-tnere word will outweigh biz
oath.
The question, thent for tho jury to decide, Ia
not whether Becclor WAS understood by thoao
three persons AZ confessing his guilt. It Is
barely possible that these three witnesses mis-
understood Doechers Words or innoconlIy
lnsconatrued their meaning Hcecher WIN tn
douhtediy unde1 iuteuso omotiou whom talking
Ill l. Ill = IL. g..
cedent probability that thseo or moro persons
would, under the circumstances, DO mora likely
TO miaunderatanl htH words than that such .
man would commit such crime.
At most, these persous can only, testify 10
what thoy bellsro Deeoher confessed tn them,
,when not under oath. Mrs. Tllson will probably
bo called Oh tue witneHs.stand. She Ina denied
her guilt; and than confeusod It. or IL believed
70 have dona 60; and then denied 1t again.
However,, Theoretically, she has not perjured
10 placed undor oath, suppose eho will declare
her innocenco; and SO Mrs. Tilton aud hlr,
ueoelicr, uader oath, will havo moro weight thau
tho same parties not sworn; aud. ~ no Irving
aud these Two witnesaea will awear that they ara
not guilty, 1t Is dlloult to Ees upon what grounda
the jury can find against BoeoheE.
After al! Of this, however, I am sorry to say
ful that tho great Jury Of the American people
will never fully acquit hIr. Deecher. TEE TRlD-
uNE or some days since contained an editorial on
!" "CunoAtivo Eyiaouce," which scanned to ana
lyze the compontion IN tho Doechar ovidcnco
aecn in the papers. But the question u this,
Mr. Editor: Will tho testimony Of Tiltou. Moul.
on and bis lady, establish 1,osifloo proof - to
Beechor'a guilt, or will It ouy establish strong
presumption against h!m2 L.
'rAIh r1Ar AND u1s aAyrNos.
n The Editor of The Chicago Tribune
CEHrElyII1.E, H., April 2G.-1 dont know
whether you notice such things. but II you uili
overhaul tho Chicago Times Of tho 22d, sud read
tho valuable Communication ut "Fair Play" on
tho "unialsness" OF TnE TRIBUNE In dlaousaIne
the Deeoher trial, yon will arrive At tho conclu-
eion-A conviction With me long ago--that e. Fair
Play" ia in a worry bad way, and lisblo to share
the fate Of tho tuo or three poor doyl1s gono
crazy over tho affair thus far.
Soma three or four weeka ago, this samo TO-
dividuai spread himself Ill oycr ihs Times, aud
denounced "a 'Aa infamons cur " sotas mild cor
respondent Who had dared to Say something
against Dosaio,-Turner's Bosslc 1.-The noblo
aud hish-mindod young lady whom tho moral
Plymouth coteTie bad declared brick! Ha also
tried his hand At another correspondent who lad
had the tealority to cal! tho t.addle produced
BY some Of tbs defendants witnesses, tnsddtc.
And, lastly, ho trEod to convert his readers 10 Ills
own a.pr.ort conviction Of Aanry'a innocence
and touch-uot-sho.Lord's s-anointed theory.
For his pains tlo got such a rubbing down by
=. Attorney that had almost made up my MUD
shat w should hava TO moro OF falr Play"
md thAt lila sosrowtpR friende up ip Oshkosh
had laid him 1herc the voleta could bloom over
tis grave, tue aIud aweep by, aud tho posor
but alas for tho vanity Of human hopes!
for hero he IL again; and the way he talks about
"danuable ooufse." "faaatlc,sn," and "con-
temptlblo motl.e es," ehcws that he Ia intimately
acquainted with Ill these things; aud biz re-
monutrance will be road With delight by all who
prefer vigorous, expressive style 10 poliseneRs
sna ood.brccding in wsitiag.
LUZ 70 llie general ciaaa OF readers. who may
20 Just ~ moral, and intelligent, aud ligt,-toned
Dir. +. T., his Wtathy aud donuuelatoEy e1rlsona
oysf poople who dlf1er with him arc simply ridio-
uious nud nausnAslnR. +. +. ia mad because
some peopla do think that Decehor hsa committed
tho act with which ho IL charged, and do not
hesitate to sAy SOL becauso aome people do think
that. II 1t comea TO point OF vc1Aclty between
Doechsr and MesaEs. Tllton sud Mouiton, Mr,
Doecher IL lust - apt to bo the living party N
1'ilton aud Moultou; becauao some people do
believo Mr. Mou!tou tuak ~ much OF . kontle.
man AZ Mr. Deocher; and becauao thay do ianist
thAt Mrs. Moultoua testimony Il entitled To ~
much-no 1nota-crcdibillty than th&t Of Dossle
Turner; and, AuaIly, thnt Tllton. with a,l his
faults. il not the dizzy dog which thu high toned
Plymouth crowa. and such fellows ~ "Flr
Play" hare painted him.
Il r. r. can't boar The idea Of papers differing
with him, Why does hs read than Why does
h ps1sist, lks 4 bull, In looking at ~ rcd rsy