The record-union., 1894-03-28

testimony Two witnesses well-known
in Washington, DR.. L. NJ. Schaffer. the
Deputy Coroner of the District of Column
bia. and Edwin Is. Hay, an attorney, who
is something of a local Chauncey Depew.
appeared for the kentucky Congressman,
and their statements were directed TO the
support OF the contention that the hand
OF Madeline Pollard penned the black
bOrdered letter written in 1884, which she
has most emphatically denied twice on
the witness stand. Great stress VIII De
laid by the defense upon the authenticity
of this letter, not because it runs counter
to the testimony of the plaintiff, that
Colonel Breckenridge first called upon
her at the Wesleyan Academy OF his own
volitiou, but because they think II she
can be proven false in one important de-
tail her whole statement Will be nm
peached. The signature to the letter also
goes to support the opening statement o1
the defense in minor detail, that MISS
Pollard had adopted at that time the name
of Breckenridge as a middle name.
This letter, which figured in the case and
which the defendant will fight to get be-
fore the jury, is as follows:
"WESLEYAN COLLEGE. July 20, 1854.
$40 dear Colonel Breckifridge: our
letter came TO me Saturday. l am glad
YOU told me it would be iuconvenient to
come out here to the college, for If you
had gone to ever such a little trouble to
listen to what sometimes oyerburdenS
SCHOOLGIRLS mind, you might be inclined
to be provoked with yourself. A
preachers opinion of any little affair OF
mine would cause premature gray hairs,
where your opinion might clear away all
doubts and fears and let me be quite free
hearted again. l have prepared you for a
divorce case, but listen, 1t is worse than
that. Ii certain person should advance
funds for my tuition here ut school Tor
three years, under the promise that L
marry him at the expiration of that time,
could he do anything II l would not
marry him and refund all he had ad-
Vanced? l know you think, why the de-
ception? But on no other terms Will L
agree. When girl wants nothing but
good education, and means to obtain such
denied to her, what is she to do but take
the only chance she is ever likely to
have? liked your face, and | am sure [
would like you; and if at any future time
you are in the city, and would care to
come around, remember that home faces
are always welcome. l am very respect
fully, yours,
MADELINE B. POLLARD"
For the first time, to-day the keen
cross-examination of Judge Wilson,
whose work has been awaited with inter-
est by his fellow-lawyers, was brought
into play. 1t was first exercised on
Major Moore, the Chief of Police, who
was called back to dispute some of Miss
Pollard's statements regarding two inter-
views in his office, during which Colonel
Breckenridge repeated his promise to
marry her, and afterward Mr.. Wilson
stirred up such cloud of verbal dust
around the expert testimony OF DIR.
Schaffer that the spectators hardly knew
whether the latter purported to have
come from the plaintiff, defendant, or the
reverse. Tomorrow bids fair to be the
great day of the trial. unless the cross
examination is too long drawn out. The
silver haired defendant himself will
mount rOStrum of a kind in which he
has not figured before and will begin his
version OF the long intrigue.
At the opening OF the case this morn
ing Chief of Police Moore was put on the
either of the two interviews in his office
between Miss Pollard and Breckenridge
the latter said anything about Miss Pol
lard bearing two children to him or being
pregnant. On cross s-examination he ad
mitted that a great deal was said during
those interviews, and it was entirely
probable he had forgotten part of it. He
also reaffirmed the statement made by
him, when witness for Miss Pollard, as
to Breckinridge's promise in his pres
ence to marry her. The bearing of the
parties was not such as to lead to the be-
lief that this promise of marriage was
merely scheme between the parties and
was not made in good faith.
DR.. h. NJ. Schaefer was called as an eX-
pert in handwriting to testify as to let
ter introduced in evidence, the author
ship of which Miss Iollard disclaimed.
After comparing it with several other
specimens Of her admitted chirography
he expressed the opinion that all were
written by the same person. He ex-
amineo the Christmas card said to have
been pressed for nine years in book in
Norwood Convent, and said the ink of
the words written on the card had the
appearance of not being over three or
four years old. The defense put in an
exception to the acceptance OF his testi-
mony on the ground that be was not
qualified expert.
Edwin b. Hay, another expert in hand
writing, testified that in his opinion the
alleged forged letter and that written to
Wessie Brown was written by the same
person.
Adjourned for the day.