The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-19
m1ss PoLLARD's BACKING.
a Story That the Masons are SUI
plying Her With the Funds.

HISS PoLLARD'S BACKING.
A Story That the Masons are Sup
plying Her With the Funds.
Washington, March IS. The great
question which has been asked and un-
answered is, who is putting up the money
to carry on Miss Pollards suit against
Representative Breckenridge. II has been
generally believed that Prof. Briggs and
MS friends were defraying her expenses
on account of the prominent part Repre-
sentative Breckenridge took in the prose
cutlon OF the professor before the presby-
terry. But the MORNING NEWS CORE
spondent hears, from good authority to-
night, that the Masonic order is defraving
the expenses. Miss Pollard stated in her
testimony that her father had died
Mason IN good standing, and that the
grand lodge of Kentucky attended his
funeral 1t is said she made her story
good before heads of the order, and they
told her to proceed. The testimony alone
has cost her over 81 GOO to gather. 1t will
also be brought out that Col Breckin-
ridge is Mason and one of the worst
crimes in the order, it is said, is for
member to betray the daughter of a
brother Mason.
MRS. BLACKBURN's TESTIMONY.
The disclosure made of the line of de-
tense which Col Breckenridge will adopt
in regard to the testimony of Mrs. Julia
&. Blackburn gives interest to many por-
tions of the testimony of that lady under
cross examination, which at the
time seemed to have no par
hcular point or bearing on the
case. Even the court seemed
to share in this opinion, and at
one part of the proceedings, when Philip
Thompson, Col. Breckinridge's leading
counsel, was questioning Mrs. Blackburn
in regard to the acquaintance of Charles
Dudley Warner and the plaintiff, and
Calderon Carlisle, for the plaintiff, OBJ
jected, Judge Bradley remarked: 81
have been surprised that this examina-
ton has gone so far, because it is utterly
immaterial.' But its connection with
what has been considered a vital point
in the case of the plaintiff be-
comes apparent in the light of the
revelation of the policy of
the defense. The particular point
where this objection was raised was
where Mrs. Black burn said that Col
Breckenridge called upon her, as he said
at the request of Miss Pollard, to remove
an unfavorable impression, which had
been made upon Mrs. Blackburn's mind
by a statement Of Mrs. Fillette that Miss
Pollard was forward and taking undue
llD6IbltS III ILlG uOuStS Ol LtE LElbIluS,
having invited Charles dudley Warner to
her Mrs. F'lllett'sl house without per-
mission.
THE MEETING WITH MISS POLLARD.
Other portions of the cross-examina-
ton also become ineligible now. Col.
Breckinridge's counsel elected from Mrs.
Blackburn that she had become ac-
Quainted with Miss Pollard two years
previous to the now famous Good Friday
interview in March, 1898, having
been introduced by Mrs. Fillette To
a further question, Mrs. Blackburn said:
Il extended to ner the same protection
that l would to any young woman alone
in the city from my own state, Kentucky.
There was only such friendship as
would exist between a woman Of my Age
and young girl like her"GOI
Miss Pollard called frequently, Mrs.
Blackburn said and when MIR. Wilson OBJ
jected to question from Mr.. Thompson
as to whether Miss Pollard had assisted
at her receptions, Mrs. Blackburn inter
posed ut makes no difference" and
answered in the affirmative, adding that
she had on one occasion addressed the in
vitations for her. On cross-eXamination
it was also elected that Mrs.
Blackburn had gone to New
York and invested some money in
stock speculations with a man whom
Miss Pollard had told her had made some
money for her, all this occurring before
the Good Friday interview. 1t is. of
course, expected that the defense will
elaborate on these points, and will prob
ably question Miss Pollard upon them
when she takes the stand again to-mor-
row for further cross-eXaminatiOn.
DIR. PAxToN's VIEW OF IT.
Rev DR.. Paxton, who married Col
Breckenridge to the widow Wing, in his
talk with a New York Sun reporter re-
lative 10 the marriage and the Pollard
scandal said that his friendship for Col
Breckenridge dated from their college
life, both having been at Washington and
jefferson College together. Then in a re
Elective mood, the doctor exclaimed
"Ah, when I sit and think
how God looks down upon us
the surface of the earth [ wonder how he
regards our treatment of each others
frailties; for. though l am taking a fur
louch from the Lord, l am still in
his service Some who point and
look askance at Col. Breckenridge as
crooked stick may not be too straight
themselves. " The doctor then launched
into an eloquent and glowing eulogy
of his old friend, speaking of his
eloquence, his soldierly qualities, his
congressional career, his unselfish pro-
fessionaI services for the poor, and his
warm heart and loyal friendships. He
said that Col. Breckenridge was so con-
stituted that he could never see woman
who was fair without devoting himself to
her. If he wronged this young woman
then it was beyond his control. Such
gallantry as his is a disease, Or. Paxton
said lust as kleptOmania and drunken