The herald., 1894-03-28
THE BRECKENRIDGE CASE,
A New Tack Taken by the
Defense.
Expert Testimony as to Hand
writing.
The Experts Badly Ratified on Cross.
Examination.
Chief of Police Moore Again on the
Witness stand-The Defendant Ex-
pected to Tell His Story
Today.

WASHINGTON, M6rCn I.--In0 Qoi0nBo
in the MISUNDERSTANDING trial today
took q new tack and ventured upon the
troubled sea OF expert testimony. Two
witnesses we'll known in Washington,
DR.. E. M. Schaeffer, the deputy coroner
OF the district of Columbia, and Mr.. Ed
win B. Hay, an attorney, who is some
thing of a local Chauncey Depew, sp-
peared for the Kentucky congressman,
and their statements we're 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 emphaticslly
denied twice On the witness stand.
Great stress 10 laid by the
defense upon the authentic
ity of this letter, not because it runs
counter to the testimony OF the plaintiff
that Colonel Brecknridge first called
upon her at the Wesleyan academy of
his own volitioa, but because they think
that ii she can be proven false on one
important detail her whole statement
will be impeached. The signature to
the letter also goes to support the open
ing statement of the defense on a minor
detail that Miss Pollard had adopted at
that time the name of Breckinridge as a
middle name. This letter, which figured
in the case and which the defendant
will fight to get before the jury, is as fol-
lows:
WESLEYAN COLLEGE, June 10, 1884.
To Dear Colonel Breckenridge:
Your letter came to me Saturday. /
am glad you told me it would be incon-
venient to come out here to the college,
for il you had gone to ever euch little
trouble to listen to what sometimes
overburdens a school girls mind, you
might be inclined to be provoked with
yourself. A preachers opinion Of any
little affair of mine would cause prema-
ture gray hairs, where your opinion
might clear away all doubts and fears
and let me be quite iree-hearted again.
have prepared you for a divorce case,
but listen, it ie worse than thae.
Ii q certain person should advance
funds for my tuition here at school for
three years, under the promise that l
marry him at the expiration of that
time, could he do anything if 1 would
not marry him and refund all he had
advanced2 l know you think, why the
deception? But on no other terms
would l agree. When O girl wants
nothing but good education and means
to obtain such denied her, what is che
to do but take the only chance she is
likely to have? liked your face and l
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.
am yours very respectfully,
MADELINE b. POLLARD.
L.
cross examination of Judge Wilson,
whose work has been awaited with in.
terest 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 in
terviews in his Office, during which
Colonel Breckinridge repeated his
promise to marry her, and after.
wards Mr.. Wilson stirred mp such a
cloud of verbal dust around the expert
testimony of DR.. Schaeffer that the
spectators hardly knew whether the
latter purported 10 have come from the
plaintiff or the defendant.
Tomorrow bids fair to he the great
day of the trial. Unless cross-examin-.
ing is too long drawn out, the silver
haired defendant himself will mount a
rostrum of kind in which he has not
figured before, and will begin his YER
zion of the long intrigue.
At the opening OF the case this morn.
ing Chief of Police Moore was put on
the stand by the defense. He denied
that at either of the two interviews in his
office between Miss Pollard and Breckin-
ridge the latter said anything about
Miss Pollard bearing two children to
him, or being pregnant. On cross-ex-
animation he admitted that great deal
was said during those interviews and it
was entirely probable he had forgotten
part of it. He also reaffirmed the state
ment made him when witness for Miss
Pollard, as to Breckinridge's promise in
his presence to marry her. The bearing
of the parties was not such as to lead to
the belief that this promise of marriage
was merely a scheme between the par
ties. but made in good faith.
DIR. E. M. Schaeffer was called as an
expert in handwriting to testify as to a
letter introduced in evidence, the author
ship of which Miss Pollard 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 exam
ined 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 it bad the appear
ance of not being over three or four years
old. The defense put in an exception to
the acceptance of his testimony, on
the ground that he was not qualified
expert.
Edwin B. Hay, another expert in
handwriting, testified that in his opinion
the alleged forged letter and that written
to Wessie Brown were written by the
same person.
Adjourned for the day.
Often we hear it said. 81 have never