Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-22
THE BEECHER CASE.
Scenes and Development,
Frofn fhe " I. Hernlf.

| liday on church matters he took up that
venerable curata on the subject OF his own
life. II was seen in n minute that the plait-
tin meant TO impeach the credIbilty and
character of Pastor Halliday as well as of
Pastor Beecher. Frank Moalton was sitting
IN the Iliton group suggesting questions ct
this time. The entire life of Mr.. Halliday
was ransacked; but nothing was proved TO
bis detraction, although n bass was laid for
! the rebuttai OF his Veracity on the score of
his personal record. 1t was shown that be
mad been bankrupt on three occasions. and
| that he had dealt in groceries, gusno. milk.
| coal and things i'm general. The plaintiff had
produced guaro bag with Haliiday's name
| in the corner; but this was NOS presented in
court. ii was attempted TO show that Mr..
Halliday, the night before he failed hal pu--
chased large bill OF goods from some indi-
vidual. After proving his insufiiciency for
secular business Mr.. Halliday hal become a
city missionary at the Five Points mission.
Guardian Home and several minor charities.
! Mr.. Fullerton strictly examined him as 10
his financial prObity in keeping the accounts
OF one of these Institutions, and il is under
| stood that on the Tebuttal an effort will be
| made to show that Halliday is Improbable
| as 10 affairs of administration. The old man
| resented these suggestions. called one OF the
| Institutions which had employed him hum
| bug, and his superior in il a scoundrel. Mr..
| BeecheT and the Plymouth party heard this
| cross-eSamination with some indignation,
| but Mr.. Beecher's eyes at times winked with
| laughter.
The next witness was altogether more inn
! pOrtant. Bessie Turner, who has been in
| court for parts of two weeks learning the
| DetnO1S anu ways OF the law, was brought
| in during the forenoon by Mrs. Tilton, the
| wife of lawyer Sherman and Mrs. Field.
| Mrs. Tilton is looking brown, but not nearly
| So fresh and interesting as i'm the early days
| OF the trial She appears TO have become
| used TO IL, and publicity docs n9t compel her
| TO blush any more.
After MIR. Halliday was dismissed he
| wrapped "A silk handkerchief around his
| throat, for he was hoarse all the morning,
| and hastily left the court Then Bessie Tur-
| ner was called, and the audience almost stool
4 fO get ClimnCp of that tininnfiVa
| person. She made her way In the stand on
| the arm OF Brother Cauldwell, kissed the
| book, and proceeded to deliver with great
| volubility mass of spontaneous and often
| obscene evidence with much mimicry and
| Zest. Tho witness, dressed well enough to
| feel at case, leaned forward on her fan, and
| when giving conversations as they occurred
| initiated the tones Of other people and raised
| her own voice to express just how she said
| certain things to Tilton In rebuke of his con-
| duct. In the middle OF the afternoon n por-
| ton of the testimony OF Miss Turner was en-
| tirely unit for publication. Tine audience
| and the jury were somewhat Disconnected
| with its plsinness, and Mrs. Tilton leaned
| down and wrote on her tablets. 1t would
| appear by the anxiety Of Judge Porter not
| TO dismiss Miss Turner when she was threat
ened with a fainting spell that he hal ex-
| pected to conclude her testimony yesterday.
| BFssIE TURNER.
| elizabeth \. Turner" called Mr.. Shear
At once all the court was agog. The judge,
| with his customary difference for females,
| dividuals too curious or too much animated
| The little red-headel girl. with a rel and
| pale complexion and long clrls, arose from
| her seat between Mrs. Tiltoa and Mrs Field,
| and walked slowly forward till she came to
the colossal stature OF the iron-gray master
of ceremonies, Cauldwell. He arose with
| great ceremony and Solemntty and offered
| his arm TO the young lady. who was not up
| 10 his elbow. The judge criei out
THE reporters would do well To look down
at their papers now and look less at the wit
| neSS.r
That order was vc.y generally disobeyed
| as incompatible with the demands of liveli-
| hood.
Bessie Turner wore huge hat. with an oS-
| trich feather curving over il and a blue bow
| at the side, the brim coming down to the
| bridge of her nose. A black sack. with a
| white lace bow at the throat and the two au-
| burn curls dangling down behind it, was con-
tinued by black cloth dress. There were
lace sleeves and gray kid gloves on her wrists
and hands. She does not weigh more than
seventy or eighty pounds, and Is smaller than
Mrs. Tilton. She Is supposed TO be about
twenty-three years OF age, and, for her age,
is rather childish in manner and speech, but
she has no bashfulness beyond the first
fiutter.
| THE VERSATILE VIRGIN.
| Bessie Turner ought TO go on tae stage for
| soubrette parts. She is q pretty fair mimic.
When she repeated this story her voice was
dropped to a quiver and male a laugh. She
repeated Mrs. Morse's adjuration with q
! vengeance: You Internal scOundrel! I'll
grandmother you I'll publish you from Dan
| W DOSlSACOo' ihS5 oAi ""-hNNA ~
| each other.
Mrs. Beocher seemed to like these severe
! parts of the girls testimony; so did General
| Tracy. But Tilton and Beecher bore the
same general appearance of fatigue. Frank
Moulton had HIS chair cooked back and he
seemed delighted. The jury all looked
I sober and staid, weariel men. not anne laole
| to a Joke.
The sense of mingled humor aud abhor-
renee expressed at the close OF Bessie Tur-
ner's narration was on the whole cre1itable
| TO average human nature. The girls rapid,
| emphatic. pantomimic recitation OF disgust
ing scenes In words not mincad nordisguiSed
| but told right on with willing volubility
created a bad impression, although the story
| she told was direct and Ineligible, bit the
parts OF it not well connected. The absenc,
| of motive i'm the witness TO have been sc
| much incensed and so plain OF speech with
Tilton at the time of the occurrences related
and equally the absence of motive in tbs
| plaintiff to be on the instant such devil
| rallied on the heart.
Sherman the Chief Clerk and At
torney.
From The Philadelphia Times.
| SheaTman's ruling qualities are rapacity
and desire of prominence. He went into Z
rich and democratic religious society like
Plymouth Church for the latter purpose, and
as its clerk has managed this case, rs an in
| vestigation and as a trial, with the same
| intrigue and sinister practice that he In
stanced i'm Fisk's cases The Church record:
were fixed, and garbled papers published
from them, at this moment they are held
inviolate by subpoena. Showing intp tht
case as Its attorney proper, Sne.trfnall III ~
guided the defence solely TO acquit In form
without any consideration for such an acquit
| tai in homer, as Mr.. Beechers age. Game AK
. | callirg should require. IL is for this rea so.
| that woildiy-eyed men look with suspacioL
| upon his witnesses. and observe that ne y
ever conspiring tn prove conspiracy; ia snort
that what Tilton aud Mouiton are charged
with the clerk of Plymouth Church Is doing
saving Mr. Heechcr by plot as they wers
said TO have plotted To destroy him.
AS attorney In charge, Shearman put GU
such evidence as he pleased from the church
Investigation, suppressing other evidence
AS attorney, he led that brutal newspape
crusade against Tilton last July, the inlus
fice of which, whatever the facts, inspires
, many fair-spirited man 10 leap in the darb
, to the other side. II three-fourths OF tn
, American press is against Beecher to-day, h
, owes Ii to Sherman. who cast o sinister ans
tyrannous character over all the initial pro
ceedings, and has repeated In this trlai tn
! very tactics he used In the suits he defendet
, for Fisk. There, also. he accused STOKES Q
, | blackmail, which cost Fisk his life, and n.
! demandeda bill OF particulars there, whici
| was the only American precedent Tor askini
a bill of particulars in the present case
3 There are persons OF good Judgment who d.
a think this course Of Tflton was begun IN con
: spiracy for money, but they are staggere'