The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-15
HISS POLLARD ON THE RACK
The Day Full Of Embarrassing QueS-
tiOlS About the Plaintiff.

VSSLlIy COuCSIA4LB VIC oAGLA VI LeI
First Child-Conhicting Opinions
About the Plaintiffs Age.
Washington, March 14-The fifth day
of the Pollard -Breckinridge trial was de-
voted by the plaintiffs attorneys to elao-
Grating the main points already marked
out by them in their case. There were no
sensational incidents, nor was there any
displaysof belligerence among the legal
gentlemen, a failure grieyously disap-
pointing to the populace, which expects
daily excitement from the affair.
Since his encounter of Monday evening
with Attorney Shelby, of Lexington, Mr.
johnson, of Miss Pollard's counsel, has
appeared in court but twice not that he
anticipates trouble, but because he is en-
gagged outside in working up the testi-
mony.
Miss Pollard was in court during the
morning, but left when Dr. Belle Buch-
anan, of Cincinnati, began to testify con-
cerning the birth of her first child.
Col Breckenridge was there also, and so
were some of his Kentucky constituents,
one Of whom secured admission to the
court room on the representation that he
holds membership in the same Presbyte-
rian church in which the congressman is
enrolled.
DOUBT ABOUT MISS POLLARD'S AGE.
Most of the day was occupied by the
reading of the dispositions from a Gin
cinnati physician and one of Miss Pol
lard's school friends, and there was some
conflicting testimony regarding her age,
which is a disputed point, the plaintiff
asserting that she was but Il when Col.
Breckinridge met her Her indentifca-
tiCu by Sister Cecilia was not complete,
and remains to be fastened, if it can be,
by the writing found in the volumes of
Irving said to have been presented by
Miss Pollard to the convent.
The testimony Of Sister Cecilia, of
Pueblo, Col, formerly superciOr of the
Norwood asylum near Cincinnati, was re
sumed when the trial was commenced
this morning. Miss Pollard was sitting
nearly in front of Col. Breckinridge, with
only the austere sister from the house of
refuge beside her, her other unknown
friend being for the time absent.
A POOR MEMORY FOR FACES.
Replying to Attorney Carlisle's ques-
tiOns Sister Cecilia said that she had a
good memory for names, but a poor mem
ory for faces. She could not affirm posi-
lively that Miss Pollard had been an in
mate of the Norwood convent, nor could
she say that she had not.
When Mr. Carlisle inquired her belief
on the facts, Attorney Butterworth OBJ
Jected, that while any facts might be
given, the opinion of the witness was in
competent.
Attorney Shelby added that the ques-
ton of the opinion of the witness was an
attempt to invade the province of the
jury; that it was for the witness to give
facts and for the jury to draw conclu-
sions therefrom cOntending that opinions
were competent from witnesses only in
the field of expert testimony.
Mr.. Carlisle supported the admissible
lty OF the answer with authorities, and
Mr. Butterworth rebutted with more au-
thOrities.
JUDGE BRADLEY's RULING.
Judge Bradley said that if the ques-
tiOns were intended to elicit the opinion
of the witness as to the identity of the
plaintiff with a certain person who was
al the asylum at certain time it was
competent; if it was intended to show
that the witness, from things which she
had subsequently learned, had become
convinced that the plaintiff had at some
time been an inmate of the asylum, it was
incompetent. There was some hesitation
on the part Of Miss POllard's counsel in
framing a question, il being apparent
that the sister was scrupulOusly careful
about the extent to which she would com
nit herself in Identifying Miss Pollard.
Finally the plaintiffs counsel reserved
an exception to the courts ruling and
then framed different question, asking
What is your opinion as to the Identity
OF the plaintiff with a patient in your
asylum in May, June and July, lSS5?'
which was also Oyerruled and exception
noted and followed by the question:
What is your belief as to whether the
plaintiff was in your asylum during those
mOnths2n
That is question for the jury" said
Judge Bradley.
PATIENTS WHO YELLED THEMSELVES.
MIR. Carlisle inquired whether any pa
tients in the asylum had been in the hab-
It OF yelling themselves, to which the
sister replied:
There were two or three ladies who
Velled their faces when they thought
There was danger Of being recognized by
visitors from Cincinnati"
sister Cecilia remem bered that three
or lour ladies had come there from Gin
Clnnatl in the spring of 1855 in carriages,
out when asked if there had been Il pa
tIent by the name of Burgoyne answered,
Jhe name is not familiar to me" The
cross examination was very brief, Sister
cecilia saying in answer to MIR. Butter
worth that she had held several cOnver-
salons with Miss Pollard since her ar
rival at Washington.
IDENTIFIED AS MISS WILSON.
After the two sisters had retired the
reading of a deposition by another female
physician, Mrs. Kate Perry Kane of 81
front street, Cincinnati who had been in
Iae spring of 1885 a member of the firm
Gi Drs. Buchanan x Perry, was begun
Dy Mr.. Carlisle. Mrs. Kane remembered
Jhat Miss Pollard had boarded in their
mouse as DR.. Buchanan's patient under
lhe name Of Miss Louise Wilson, identi-
ISlng the plaintiff positively.
when this tedious phase of the trial
was resumed, Col. Breckenridge retired
RON the room, as did Congressman
an \. Morse Of Massachusetts, who
mas one Of the most interested spectators
ol Jhe proceedings, while Miss Pollard's
1ilend from Cincinnati re oined her.
rom the cross-eXamination in the de-
position it appeared that Miss Pollard
Ld9 a miscarriage, and that she was de-
slHoed by DR.. Buchanan as IAN unfort-
uhate girl from kentucky" The boarder
was understood to be an unmarried wo-
HIan, ana once after she had been to meet
friend at MOTEL about some financial
matters, DR.. Kane asked why she
~ qia not marry the friend to which Miss
Fo4ard replied that she could not, that he
bdu ruined her and she lOathpd him had