The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-03-28


New Orleans and postmarlIed Tooles-
borough, Ky, In which the writer told
Rhodes OF her arrival in New Orleans,
of the weather and other inconsequential
things. other letters. some dated at
Cincinnati and others at Lexington,
asked Rhodes for money. the sums vary
ing from SO to $40. Mr. Butterworth de-
voted his questioning principally TO the
New Orleans letters. and the plaintiff
frankly admitted that she had never
been in that city.
Mr.. Breckenridge knows very well
where was at that time" she added.
But I was not asking Mr. Breckin-
ride" Mr.. Butterworth demonstrated.
Her explanation, when again asked
Always when there was the slightest
suspicion or questioning l took the first
opportunity To cover it up. Each one OF
these letters bears the square mark OF
that Mr.. Breckenridge would have
given me money if he had dared, but L
had to seem TO be in need Of money.
And you got money from Mr..
Rhodes?"
There would be no use in seeming TO
need money and then not take it..
did Mr.. Rhodes pay you the $40 you
demanded in the letter Of March 26?
II presume very likely he did. al
though l do not recollect.
Did he pay you the several sums you
asked for in these letters2"
IL have no recollection of it. He may
have done 50. Things were pretty well
mixed up then because my one idea was
not TO have Mr.. Rhodes ask any ques-
lions that I could not answer. Mr..
Breckinridge planned it all
Dreckinridse Wrote the Letters.
did he dictate those letters
He did the ones dated at New Or
leans. I was never in New orleans and
1 did not know there was such place
as the fish market
"They were all written with pur-
pose? They are what You have spoken
of as blind or wooden letters
Yes. they were. as We're all my
letters written TO Mr.. Rhodes, because
there was a great deception behind
them"
Did your mother know where YOU
were when you wrote those letters?"
Mr.. Breclzinridge planned them all:
dictated them to ME. Some Of them
he wrote on the typewriter when 1 was
ilI at the asylum and not able TO write.
saying IN explanation that 1 was learn
ing the typewriter. Some Of them he
wrote in advance and dated ahead. He
would mail them on the cars or wherever
they would not be postmarked-'
This answer was attempted to be cut
off by Mr. Butterworth. but Miss Pol
lard waved him aside with her hand.
saying calmly and imperiously: NO; L
must answer this" with her broad, fash
lonab BILE accent
The following question. in which Miss
Pollard's mother was referred TO as an
agent in the deception upon Mr.. Rhodes
and what she said in regard 10 carry
ing out the scheme was objected to by
the witness, who interrupted him again
with the correction. DO not speak OF
mamma as the agent in a deception or
qualify il by saying unconscious agent
This also cOOlly and with her Gus
tomary broad accent upon the last syl-
liable of mamma. She had thought that
Mr.. Rhodes would certainly follow her
up and endeavor to see her had he
known she was near by, Miss Pollard
said. after the scheme had been further
explained. Again came forward the New
York World article from Miss POllard's
pen 10 contradict her, according to Mr..
ButterwOrth. She persisted in correcting
Mr.. ButterwCrth's statements, her at
torneys endeavoring to dissuade her and
Col. Phil Thompson remarked, Let her
argue the case"
Mr.. Butterworth insisted that Miss
Pollard's story that she had forwarded
her letters from Cincinnati, 10 be mailed
elsewhere under headlines at New Or
leans and other places, was absurd.
which drew forth a reply from Mr.. Car
Isle. who objected 10 Mr.. ButterwOrth's
previous questions on the ground that
they were hypothetical and involved the
proceedings in legal tanCle, from which
the defense pulled out and sailed off on
a new tack. showing the witness another
letter. which she identified as mann
mas" Leaving the contents of this let
ter unrevealed, the court took its noon
recess.
The explanation was resumed after the
noon recess. Miss Pollard representing
that she had deceived her mother re-
garding the cause Of her absence from
home when the letter TO Rhodes was
written and her first child was born.
Her counsel objected TO questions de-
signed to bring forth the details of the
deception employed by Miss Pollard.
DeceivinE Her Mother.
Judge Bradley said that it did not
seem to be material. and an exception
was noted.
Her mother had not seen her in Cincin-
natl. but had known that she was not
in New Orleans nor in Mississippi.
Miss Pollard. continuing, said: When
81 became necessary for me TO go TO the
Founding asylum it became necessary
also 10 invent some story to account for
my absence from home Just what this
story was Mr.. Breckenridge could prob
ably tell better than l. since he wrote
the letters"
Questions as TO her employment in
Washington brought replies that she had
been in the agricultural department and
census bureau. both Of them having been
secured by Col. Breckenridge.
Did you ever represent that you wrote
Tor The newspapers" Mr.. Butterworth
asked.
II had represented that I wrote for
several. Mr. Breckenridge and l had to
make up these deceits to account for
ourselves, because I was a young woman
here under his protection, with no visible
means Of support These things get to
fbe almost a habit in after years"
Then these deceits or frauds were
practiced by you and Col Breckenridge
to cover up your reiatiOns2"
Yes. and there was a great deal
more"
you visited houses Of designation to-
gether in Washington"
We did up 10 the 18th day OF MAY.
1893, after the secret marriage which is
said to have taken place on the 10Th OF
April
Was there any conversation between
you regarding that maTriage?"
He MaIisned His Wife.
IT asked him If it was possible that
he was paying attentions to Mrs. Wing
as / had heard. / knew that she was a
worthy woman and / knew that she had
stopped with him twelve days and
twelve nights. which I could not believe
worthy woman would do Then ha