Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-09-25
DENIES THE CHARGE.
Congressman Breckenridge Files His
Answer to Madeline Pollard's
Complaint.

Answer to Madeline Pollard's
Complaint.
The social, political and legislative
circles at the National capital are
once more alive with speculation
over the many decidedly sensational
features of the now famous SUIT of
Madeline V. Pollard against Hon. W.
c. P. Breckenridge, the noted Ken
lucky Congressman, in which the
plaintiff demands damages in the sum
o.. .$5O,OO0 for breach of promise to
marry and seduction. The latest act
IN the exciting legal drama was the
filing of Mr.. Breckinridge's answer to
Miss Pollard's complaint, which took
place at Washington, D. c., Saturday.
In his answer Mr.. Breckenridge denies
the first charge of Miss Pollard's dec
laration, which states that he proposed
marriage to her in August, 1892. The
second count, declaring that the Con-
gresham made second proposition
Of marriage on May II, 1898, is also
denied. The answer to the third
count is given with emphasis as fol-
lows. For plea to the third count of
the declaration, the defendant says he
never promised as alleged in the said
third count of said declaration. That
in the spring of 1884, the defendant
being on the train from Lexington to
Frankfort, was accosted by a young
woman between 20 and % years of
age, who introduced herself to him as
Miss Madeline Breckenridge Pollard,
saying that her father was such an ad-
mirer of John G. Breckenridge that he
named her after said Breckenridge,
that subsequently the defendant re-
ceived letter from the plaintiff say
ing that she was in great distress and
desired his legal advice, and asking
him to see her at Wesleyan College in
Cincinnati, to which the defendants
answer was inConvenient, upon which
she notified him that the matter about
which she was distressed was an en-
gagement to marry which had assum-
ed s condition worse than divorce
suit, and reiterating her request to
see him personally; that the defend
ant did see the plaintiff at said college
and she gave him full recital of her
relations with one j. c. Rodes there
upon the defendant advised her to
consummate the contract between her
and said Rodes by marriage and sub
sequently after a full conversation
with the said Rodes, the defendant re-
newed his advice, and the defendant
denies that he then, or at any other
time or place by wiles or articles and
protestations of affection, or by any
other means attempted to take adyan-
tage Of the youth and inexperience of
the plaintiff. lie denies that he then,
or at any other time, seduced the
plaintiff, and he denies that the plaiu-
tiff was at any time pregnant by the
defendant, or that he at any time pre-
vented her from going abroad or
from entering upon any career that
the plaintiff desired to enter upon, or
that it was through any protestations,
influence or request of the defendant
that the plaintiff failed either to go
abroad or to enter upon any career
she desired, and he denies that there
was at any time any agreement con-
tract or understanding of marriage
between the plaintiff and the defend
ant, and the plaintiff knew during her
eutire acquaintance with the defend
ant that marriage between the plain
tiff and defendant was impossible.
Up to the very hour Of filing his ans
wer by Mr.. Breckinridge's lawyers it
was confidently asserted on all sides
that he would content himself with a
simple denial of the facts set forth in
plaintiffs complaint. 1t was there.
fore matter of general surprise to
the knowing ones when II was found
that the third paragraph ofdefendant's
answer contained lengthy and speci-
fic denial of the third count in plain
tif's complaint, alleging seduction
under promise of marriage. A final
trial, it is thought, cannot be had dur
ing the present year
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