Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-22


the summer OF iss2-until after the death
OF his wife. In the summer Of 1882 the
piaintn was away In Vermont. The de-
fendant did not see her. The late Mrs
Breckinridge died In July. 1892.
IL was not fact that In August. 1sG'
defendant met her here at the station.
kissed her. took her a carriage ride, or
IN any way promised TO marry her. Sne
did not return here at that time at all.
In the fall Of 1892 Mr.. Breckenridge met
her In New York. and she approached
him there and told him she had an oppor-
tunity OF going with Miss Wilson 10
school in Berlin. The expense would be
$500 year. and she proposed that she
should so as his atilanced wife. and when
she returned at the end OF two years ne
should marry her.
That proposition was absolutely refused
by Colonel Breckenridge, but he did oi1er.
II she would 20 abroad and stay, he would
pay her $i25. a sum he could little aHoru.
But the desire to break the connection
she had established with him induced him
20 make the offer. He desired her TO nj
herself for some proper life. She fatty
refused this offer, or to 30, unless she
could state to Miss Wilson that she went
as his affianced WIFE, Whatever else Col
onel Breckenridge. under the stress OF cir
cumstances. was willing TO do. that was
a step he would not take She came back
90 Washington, and during the course OF
that winter--the winter OF lS92-'S5-their
improper relations were resumed MT.
Shelby referred to Mrs. Minears tesii-
mony, that on several occasions, when
Miss Pollard and Colonel Breckinridge
returned TO her house. Miss Pollard tod
her she had been TO Colonel Breckin'
ridges house TO dinner. At that time
Colonel Brcckinridge's family was not
here. and he had no house to take her TO-
Never at any time did he take her To MS
house. From that time the pressure
brought by Miss Pollard on the detendant
was enormous. She had become acquaint-
ed with with Mrs Blackburn. She had
been introduced to Mrs Blackburn by
Mrs. Filette. She had ofiiciated at one OF
Mrs. Blackburn's receptions.
THE REPORTED ENGAGEMENT.
. There was some talk. owing to the plain
tiffs imprudent conduct. which led Mrs.
Blackburn to question why she was
seen so much with Colonel Breckinridge:.
At that time. during the month OF
March, she told Colonel Breckenridge
that she had informed Mrs. Blackburn
that she WAS engaged to him. Colonel
Breckenridge thereupon declared his pur-
pose Of going to Mrs. BlackburTa and de-
nOuncinR this as falsehood anu lei
whatever scandal there was in the mat
ter come out. She implored him not 10
do that; to give her a chance 10 make
something of herself; to give her one
more chance. She proposed to him mat
he should himself admit to Mrs. Black
burn the existence of an engagement
that If he would DO so she would leave
him and 20 10 New York that she would
L.. e IL Hfas that with
out any exposure she would make some
thing of herself; that the engagement
could gradually be broken that she
could by degrees draw away from Mrs.
Blackburn: that in this way she could
get out of his life: out OF Mrs. Black
burns life and out Of the city OF Wash
ington. He at first refused 1t would
seem that almost any man would have
seen the danger of the situation. He
hesitated he dallied with the suggestion.
He told her he would think about it. Fin
ally, early in March. she said TO him that
Mrs. Blackburn desired 10 see him. He
sad to her that Miss Pollard desired him
TO see her. In the course OF the con-
versation, Miss Pollard was discussed.
Colonel Breckenridge told her that Miss
Pollard was an imprudent girl. and talked
so as to shield the plaintiff.
1t was in this period that Miss Pollard
attempted TO take his life, in room
in Mrs Thomass house. She attempted
TO shoot him with pistol. and 1t was
by the merest accident that he was able
TO disarm her. Colonel Breckenridge went
TO kentucky in March, after the adJourn-
ment of Congress, without accedinS 10 her
proposal. He returned here on the 3lst
of March, and the plaintiff was here.
The interview between Miss Pollard, Mrs.
blackburn and the defendant occurred,
according to the defendants statement
the 3rd or 4th of April and not on the
3lst Of March.
TO MRS. BLACKBURN.
By such a pressure as a designing wo-
man can use, Miss Pollard did induce him
to fall in with her plan and to go To Mrs.
Blackburn and say to her they were en-
gaged and he intended to make her his
wife. Up TO that time she had made one
attempt on his life; more, she held over
him that which was incomparably worse
the power TO destroy the happiness OF his
family. In "A moment Of weakness In
order TO enable this woman to have
chance to get out of his life, he consented
TO a pretense with this woman OF re-
lationship that did not exist, and which
she knew could not by any possibility
TO Judge OF this transaction In view Of the
relations of the parties at that time.
Ii is said all a man has he will give
for his life; that was not true, but man
win give all that he has for that which
is dearer to him than life. ON the 18th
of April Colonel Breckenridge left Wash
ington again for Kentucky. During that
period between the interview with Mrs.
blackburn Colonel Breckinridge saw Mrs.
blackburn twice. On both occasions II
was on business for Mrs. Blackburn
TO arrange to take Mrs. Blackburn and
some friends to the White House for an
Introduction to Mrs. Cleveland. There
may have been at those interviews some
mention OF Miss Pollard. But he went
there on Mrs Blackburn's business, and
had not himself sought out Mrs. Black
burn. Colonel Breckenridge returned ~
washington from Kentucky April 27th.
In the mean time Colonel Breckinridge
had become engaged TO marry mis- cousin
Mrs. Wing the marriage to take place at
some indefinite time in the future.
AT no time and under no circumstances
after Colonel Breckinridge's engagement
TO his present wife was there any I'M
proper relations between Colonel Breckih-
ridge and the plaintiff. Such statement
was not only dDSoiuleiN AdioN, b"N 10 III
taction into the case was a most wan
ION. cruel. and barbarous act upon a
MIRO and dcfenceless woman. II was not
necessary to support the contention OF
tho nlaintiff that such a statement should
he made. Mrs. Wings health had been
had He expected to go East; she to 20
west. She was to be his wife, and he
urged her before they were separated Tor
the summer to marry him. She desired
and he. desired that before their marriage
became known she would have opportunity
10 win the affection of his children. Mr..
shelby thought it a mistake that there
was any apparent secrecy about this mat
ter.
FIRST MARRIAGE TO MRS. WING.
Colonel Breckenridge and Mrs. Wing
wont 10 New York on the 18th of April.
She went to the Fifth-Avenue Hotel, and
ne went 10 the Hoffman House. He had
nreylously telegraphed to DR.. Lyman
Abbott TO meet him, but at the hotel
found a reply that he could not be there.
Thereupon he went TO DR.. John L. Pax
ION and made an arrangement by which
no ana Mrs. Wing were married on the
29th of April. They returned TO Washing
TON and the fact of their marriage was
to three OF Mr.. Breckin-
ridees friends. and likewise TO Dr. john
ston. who had been attending her.
At this point, as the hour of 1880 had
arrived. a recess was taken. Mr.. Shelby
stating that he would conclude his ad-