The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-15
MRS. BLAChBUkN FIRM.
Could Not Mistake Breckenridge's Ian
guage.


guage.
Mrs. Luke Blackburn has just returned
from a visit TO the Worlds Fair, and will
remain some time In Louisville. She is
visiting Mrs. Samuel Churchill, widow
of her brother.
When a correspondent called on her
to-day she promptly granted request for
an interview. Her nephew, Mr.. Christie
Churchill, was present When asked to
talk of the Breckinridge-Polla case she
begged to be excused from saying more
than she had said, which confirmed in
every particular the recent dispatch sent
out giving an abstract of her letter to
Gen. Duke
Mrs. Blackburn said the mention OF
her name I'm connection with the scan
dial had been very unpleasant to her,
and had made her indignant as well as
worried her II had also excited the
resentment Of her relatives and friends,
who naturally sympathized with her
for having been forced into disagreeble
relations TO the parties.
After some courteous argument on the
subject. however, Mrs. Blackburn was
persuaded to say more than she had yet
said.
1.-The full facts are just these" she at
last declared "Col. Breckenridge called
on me in Washington accompanied by
Miss Pollard. l had met Miss Pollard
before casually, as she associated with
many of the first people in Washington,
but l had but slight acquaintance with
her. Colonel Breckenridge spoke conf
dentlally. Said he:
II have brought this lady with me,
Mrs. Blackburn, TO request that you
will take an interest I'm her and give
a,,1 Vrpr.fa
She is TO be my wife as soon as IL may
be proper for me TO marry her. She is
a young lady highly gifted and accom-
plished, both in literature and music;
not pretty, but refined and cultivated.
I wish you to be her friend and TO show
her special consideration for the reason
that l have given you
1.-THE Colonel called again and said TO
me: You seemed surprised when | told
you I was engaged to marry Miss Pol
lard so soon after the death Of my wife
Eyes, / was surprised" / said, and
I think. Colonel, that you make very
poor return for the answering and ten
der devotion which your dead wife al
ways showed to you"
THAT IS true" he replied, but let me
tell you what l have told no human
being. l discovered that Miss Pollard
had an affection for me. and as gen
teman I felt honor bound to accept and
return it,"
Then. Colonel" said T. you have a
high and peculiar sense Of honor. l ara
a woman, and perhaps view the matter
from more sentimental standpoint than
men do. But l thought Ii strange you
should become engaged within a few
months after you had buried your wife"
"He protested that he had become engag-
ton CT flA
would be married as soon as he could do
so without outraging the feelings of his
daughters. He called several times after
wards, and 1 finally told him | was very
sorry he had thought proper to confide In
me and that ] wished he had selected
some other conhdante. He apologized,
however, and begged me TO take Miss
Pollard with me 20 summer resort in
Virginia where 1 expected TO go.
Miss Pollard did not accompany MS,
but Joined us later and treated her with
civility and kindness. She was very at
tractive. She read books and we convers-
ed about them. She not only talked well
on literary objects but she was very pro-
life of new ideas"
did you at any time discover any I'M |
propriety IN her conduct and break OF re-
lations with her before the publication OF
the scandal?" was asked.
Not the slightest improperly did L
discover In her actions or her words Inc
publication astounded me. had no dream
Of anything wrong"
"Have you seen Colonel Breckenridge |
since the publication
"I have not seen or heard from either Of
them. But Colonel Breckenridge cannot
truthfuly deny the statement have
made. nor do / believe he will deny H.
~ h. ftfa 1aA 70 a~Fxr
Miss Pollard when he told me so. talked
with my sister, Mrs. Zane, on the sub
ject. and Miss Pollard talked with her
All Of us regarded the engagement as a
fixed fact and expected the marriage TO
take place. Fortunately I did not take
Miss Pollard to the houses Of my friends
in Washington"
1t is not necessary 10 say that Mrs. |
Blackburn's relatives and large circle !
OF friends, consisting of the first people in
Kentucky. share her indignation. No
lady I'm this or any state stands higher |
socially. She is pains-taking and always
accurate in her statements, and her word |
would be accepted among all who know |
her as absolute and conclusive on any |
question Of fact. She has a brother living |
and several nephews. She said she had |
received numerous letters from her friends |
and she was gratified at the assurance OF |
sympathy and sense Of outrage they ex-
pressed Being lady who has always |
lived above any atmosphere OF scandal, |
she feels indignant that she should have |
been drawn into any relation whatever TO !
the parties involved
II is understood that Colonel Breckin- |
ridge will not deny any statement OF Mrs. |
blackburn even on the witness stand. but |
will take the ground that she is mistaken |
and that she confused the expressions OF
Miss Pollard with his own.
''He cannot do that" said Mrs. Black
burn while talking further on the sub |
ject 'It was his language. not hers. He |
told me the same thing on several differ |
emit occasions. and / learn that he avowed |
his IN Daily Register