The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-04-20

Six months, in advance, ce,................. OF
For the Democratic Press.
"GIvE THE OLD MAN A CHANCE"
A question that is not settled mostly
has two sides. This is the case with
the guilt or innocence of Mr.. Beecher.
The charge is proved strong enough,
but people seem to be unwilling to ac-
cept the testimony. We have reports
that Mrs. Tilton confessed the crime
to six different persons, namely: The
odore and Florence Tilton, Mr.. Rich
ards and wife, Mrs. Stanton and Miss
Anthony. And we have sworn testi-
mony that Mr.. Beecher confessed the
same crime to Frank and Mrs. Moul-
ton. All of these were seperate con-
LESSONS. Circumstances go to prove
that Mrs. Moulton's testimony is true.
Her statement about the poison is con-
firmed or made probable by finding
the article charged on a druggists
book near the time she says he had it
| III readiness for use. And her testi.
mony about his being at her house on
q certain day is made almost certain
by two other persons testifying that
they saw him on the same street only
short distance from her door. Mr..
Beecher strengthens her testimony
when he admits that he spent two
hours at her house every day or tive
for six weeks. Why was he there?
Evidently he wanted to settle some
question that gave him much uneasi-
ness. Besides all of this testimony
Mr.. Bowen comes in with other charg-
es, with parties whom he does not
wish to expose to the public, but will
testify before committee of three
who will keep the names private but
Judge of the facts and report their
Judgment of them. But Mr.. Beecher.
in order to cut Mr.. Bowen of, says,
No. want everything made public,
1 and my lawyer must be present.
So they might be if Mr.. Beecher was
on trial. but when Bowen is on trial
he might be allowed to tell his story
to three disinterested individuals.
Here are too many witnesses to pass
over unless they are impeached. Mrs.
Stanton, Miss Anthony, Mr.. Richards
and wife, are disinterested witnesses,
and have no object in injuring either
Of the parties. In the Investigations
that are going on at Washington one
Or two witnesses are sufficient to carry
case and to carry belief with it. But
l am afraid we are making trouble for
ourselves by overlooking this testi-
mohy. The truth will be known some
day and it may be to our shame.
Mr.. Beecher is reported to have said
of his step-mother, d" If she had
danced more and studiedher catechism
less think it would have been better
for all of u.s." The catechism is doc
trine drawn from the Bible. and it is
a very nice, ingenious aud convenient
selection of verses from the Bible.
And such hit as that savers toe
strongly of infidelity. 1 am afraid
Congregationalism is too much like q
large prairie. We can not keep every
one where we would like them to be.
We ought to have TheologicalBoar
to have the oversight of Ministers and
power to labor with and try them for
misbehavior and for holding false doc
trine. 1t is great shame to any chris
tian denomination to have case on
hand so long unsettled. The longer it
goes the more mischief it will make.
We ought to have a tribunal where we
could get at the truth without having
it partially concealed or vanished
over by artful lawyers. The people
are not satisfied with this palavering
and smearcaseing, that have been used
at these trials. If the church, instead of
Mr.. Beecher, had appointed commit
tee to try him, 1t would have had an
appearance of fairness aud might have
been final settlement of the case.
1t is right now to "give the old man
a chance" would be very sorry to
in]ure him in thought or word; but
when it is seen that they want to fa-
vor him beyond what truth allows
them, candid minded people are in
clined to turn away from him. His
story about buying medical books and
reading them and treating disease
that indicated studded death, but could
not let any one know about it because
their sympathy would be SO very cruel
and SO affective that he would rather
die than be pitied, is rather "too thin"
to call out the first serious thought of
its being true. His case is rather
worse than it was when the last coun-
Gil met. l am afraid it will remain so
until these people who profess to
know the facts are permitted to testi-
fy. The testimony of those who are
supposed to be disinterested witnesses
is sufficient to carry any point where
life is at stake, unless it is impeached.
Mrs. Moulton's testimony must stand
because it is corroborated by circuM-
stances of which she did not know
when she gave her testimony. In
addition we have the charge of Mr..
Dana. who is supposed to be free from
any desire to injure Mr.. Beecher in
the way that Mr.. Tilton and Mr.. Bow
en- have been charged. If these peo-
pie testify as reports say they will,
the case looks bad on Mr.. Beecher's
side. If it is false the penalty for per-
jury is the remedy. w.
Atwater, April 10, 1876.
In Rurmah il two married persons