Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-29
A BREWING SCANDAL
SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS IN
THE BRECKENRIDGE CASE.

DATA ON WHICH MISS POLLARD'S
COMPLAINT is BASED.
Double Life Alleged to Have Been Led
| by Ine Great Kentucky Congress
characterization That He Ruined
the Plaintiff even Before His Own
Wife Died
Washington, Sept. 22.-The complaint
in the now famous $4,000 breach of
promise suit of Miss Madeline Pollard
against w. c. 2. Breckinridge, the
brainy and eloquent congressman from
kentucky, to which Il local court has
just ordered the defendant to plead,
is higly interesting document 1t
was drawn up on the statements in the
following narrative, which Miss Pollard
wrote out and gave to her lawyers
when they took charge Of her case:
On the LIST Of April, 1884, | was a
student at the Wesleyan female semi
nary i'll the city Of Cincinnati, Ohio.
and was required to leave there and
make Il trip to Frankfort, Ky, to the
house of my aunt, where my mother,
sister and brother lived, because of the
serious illness and approaching death
of my siStc'. At LeNirgt)n Ky. !
was obliged to change cars, and shortly
after entering the car Col. Breckin-
ridge left his seat and approached me,
saying: Your face is very familiar;
don't L know your 1 arose and re-
piled to him standing, NO, [ think not;
l know that you are Col. Breckenridge"
tie then asked me questions about my
family and stated that he knew our
| people and asked il he could call to see
me while in Frankfort | told him
why l was returning to Frankfort, and
stated that my mother, my aunt and
myself would be pleased to have him
call to see US. | knew Of Col. Breckin-
ridge as an eX-confederate soldier, a
lawyer and an orator, holding some
what distinguished position in the
state OF Kentucky.
Col. Breckenridge was then forty-sey-
en- years of age and gray haired. was
seventeen years and four months, and
L
consider that there was any impropri-
ETY., under the circumstances, in man
OF Col. Breckinridge's age and position
thus speaking to Il young school girl,
and it was because of his superior age
that l remained standing during the
conversation above detailed. My sister
f*"d on the 9th Of June, 1854, and
tuereupon [ returned to Cincinnati to
resume my studies which l had lost
during April and May, entering the
summer course in the Wesleyan semi
nary. My mother being a widow with
out means L borrowed the money to
defray the expenses of my cduc2 Jion
from {; MI. James c. Rhodes, who was
u resident of Lexington, and who
served with my aunt's husband in the
confederate army, Mr.. Rhodes had
taken Il fancy to me as Il child, and in
my thirst for education | formed the
plan and secured my mothers consent
to ask Mr.. Rhodes to lend me the
money. Mr.. Rhodes asked me if [ did
not repay him the money to marry
him, and again shortly after my return
to the urinary Mr.. Rhodes greatly
troubled me by calling upon me and
writing to me, demanding [ either pay
the money OF marry him at once, and
stated in 4 letter that he could compel
me to marry him unless / paid the
debt This was impossible.
Being very much troubled by this
course Of procedure and considering
what L could do, it occurred to me to
write to Col. Breckenridge, who had
professed great friendliness for my
family and relatives, asking his pro-
feSSional advice and assistance, and
especially as to whether Mr.. Rhodes
could legally compel me to marry him.
l did so, recalling myself to him as the
| girl he had met in the car. Instead of
replying to my letter, Col. Breckenridge
called at the seminary on the Sd of
August, 1884, about 3 o'clock, and pro-
| Tossing great friendliness and interest
in me, but without definitely advising
me as to Mr.. Rhodes power in the
premises assured me that there We're
ways out of all difficulties asserted
that he could and would relieve me, and
straighten up the matter. He suggest
ed that he could not talk with me salts
factorily in the reception-rOom, and
asked me if he could not take me out
for u drive and talk over NE matter
with me, and suggested that we should
represent relationship existing be-
tween us in order that he might take
me out from the school l told him
that as it was summer time there were
no strict rules against my going out,
but that as [ never left the house
without permission I would call in Mr..
Orvon McClelland Brown, the son Of
DR.. Brown, clergyman and principal Of
the seminary, and obtain his consent
Mr.. Brown came into the reception
room at my request, and Col. Breckin-
ridge made the request that he might
take me for a drive, stating to Mr.
Brown that I was the daugn,er of one
Of =; friends. Mr.. Brown gave his
consent, and at 8 o'clock Mr.. Breckin-
ridge ca1,.e in a closed carriage to take
me to drive. I suggested that it was
too warm to ride in a closed carriage.
and he replied that a slight affection
Of his throat made The night air dan
gerous, and so no more was said, and
entered the carriage with him in the
presence of several of the professors
and summer boarders, students at the
seminary. Shortly after entering the
carriage he took my hand, to which /
objected, but he protested that he was