Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-04-19
FOR THE PLAINTIFF.
The Jury IN the Pollard-Breckin-
ridge Case Agree.
PLAINTIFF GETS $4,000 DAMAGES.
Col Brecsinridge Gives Notice of a Motion
for q New TriaI-Maj. Butterworth
Said the Case Would BE Com
tested on Every Line

WASHINGTON. April 16.-Foreman
Charles R. Cole, of the civil court jury,
at 4:45 o'clock Saturday afternoon
announced verdict for the plaintiff.
Madeline Pollard, for SIS, 900 damages
from Congressman w. C. P. Breckin-
ridge for breaking his contract to
marry her, thus ending the long and
exciting Observation-Disclosures breach
of promise trial. Sensations had
fairly crowded into the last day of
the trial There had been some
of the most dramatic scenes which ever
stirred the dingy little court room.
reeking, as it was, with the memories
of celebrated cases. There was an ap-
proach to a personal collision between
Judge Wilson and Attorney Charles
Stol during the magnificent closing
argument of the Washington lawyer,
followed by talk of a duel, and Judge
Bradley, in his charge to the jury.
scored Col Phil Thompson as a lawyer
is seldom spoken of in court
The jury retired at 3:O7 p m The
first ballot taken was upon the merits
of the case, leaving out of considera-
ton the question of the amount of
damages 1t resulted in eleven votes
for verdict in favor of the plaintiff
upon the dissenting gentleman was
| hguratively cornered by his colleagues,
| and for some time was argued with. In
| speaking of this discussion afterward,
Foreman Cole said that the jurymen
| displayed fully as great familiarity
! with the points of the testimony as had
been evidenced by the lawyers in their
arguments They laid the case fully
before the obdurate jurymAn, called
| for the grounds on which he based his
belief, and were finally able to over
come him by sheer force of logic
The next question to be settled was
! the figure at which the damages should
be rated and upon this matter there
was the widest possible difference
Two or three jurors thought the full
amount sued for $3.50, OOO) should be
awarded. Foreman Cole said that
verdict of 81 would vindicate Miss Pol
lard and punish Mr. Breckenridge sufh-
| GENTLY, and he thought it was unnec-
essary to impose any great financial
| punishment upon him. Discussion of
| this matter followed until the usual
course was adopted, each juror writing
| the amount he considered just upon a
| slip of paper and a balance being struck.
| The amounts ranged from 81 to $50. 900,
| and SIS, 900 the average.
| Just before the final vote Judge
| Bradley had sent messenger to in
| quire if there was any proba Utility that
a verdict would be agreed upon soon.
Receiving the reply that the jury was
| about to conclude its deliberations, he
| entered the court room. His entrance,
| of course, was a signal for gathering
! of the crowd. Not woman's face was
/ seen in the court The room fairly
! bristled with blue-coated bailiffs, for
rumors of impending trouble had
! fioated about all day, and there were
several detectives in the crowd The
| hands of the clock stood at 4:35 when
the jurors entered. Almost at this
| moment Congressman Breckenridge,
surveying the room for an instant,
entered. Following him came his son,
| Desha, and Col. Phil Thompson.
No one being present to represent
the plaintiff. a bailif was dispatched
across the street and in a few minutes
Mr.. Calderon Carlisle arrived
Then Judge Bradley stretched out
| his hand warningly to say: when
this verdict is announced, for 1 am in
| formed that verdict has been agreed
| upon, there must be no demonstration,
| either of approval or disapproval"
/ The clerk called the roll of the jury
! and then asked: Gentlemen of the
| jury. have you agreed upon your YER
! dict?''
1--WE have" replied Foreman Cole
| ''We find for the plaintiff"
An inarticulate murmur started,
which the bailiffs quickly hushed. 1t
was merely mixture of vocal sounds
and crowding. and which expressed no
| particular sentiment except surprise.
Following this there was an awkward
pause. Finally the judge said:
For how much?"
Fifteen thousand dollars" answered
the foreman of the jury.
| Another rustic like the first arose,
but was speedily quenched One man
near a window shouted to the crowd
| outside: Fifteen thousand dollars,
plaintiff ~ but he was not reprimanded.
Col. Breckenridge rose slowly to his
| feet. All those who saw his face say it
! was nearly as white as his beard, but
| his voice was clear as usual when he
| spoke in a hesitating way. saying: II
| do not know the practice of this court.
| but wish to give the usual notice of a
| motion for a new trial" He then
| dropped into seat beside his son,
hardly less pale than himself
That Miss Pollard will be financially
| bettered by the result of the case is
not proba ole, because it is well under
stood. and has been said on trial. that
| Col Breckenridge has no property. He
| has lived up to his income for years
| and although his wife has money 1t
does not seem likely that she Will care
to expend it to satisfy the Judgment