Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-12
.aNoNYuors LETTERS
Sent by scores to Everybody Connected
with the Pollard Breokinritlge Case--
The Argument Resumed.

i
Bradley's admonitions oil the night be
fore had the effect of reducing the at.
tendance at the circuit court this morn,
ing to the thinnest audience yet gath
cred. Some of the men present wore O
sheepish air.
The defence made an unexpected
move by calling Miss Pollard 10 the
stand and questioning her about the
birth of her second child, which she
said was born at noon ON February 3D.
1888.
81 only held it in my arms two hours
according to my promise to him." she
began.
"Now-now-Miss Pollard" Mr.
Butterworth began nervously, warning
her with great solicitude to cOniine her.
self TO answering his questions.
Mr.. Wilson admonished her.
The child had been taken to the Pro.
testant Founding Asylum on -Four.
teenth street in Washington, where Miss
Pollard had visited it with DIR. Mary
Parsons once.
She continued 81 gave it little
derman name. | pinned note on Its
clothing, SO they could name it, l was
reading CARLYLE and | named it from a
character of his, Diest Carlyle, name
as far as possible from that of Colonel
Breckinridge or my own"
The second time she saw the child
was on the Sd of May ut an under.
takers establishment, before 1t was
buried. When Mr.. Butterworth asked
now the funeral expenses had been paid
she said that Mrs. Parsons had looked
after that, she supposed Colonel Brock
lnrldge paid. But when Mrs. Parsons
was recalled to the stand they could ask
her.
"fhat is all, Miss Pollard" said Mr..
Butterworth, dismIssing her and then
no called for DR.. Mary Parsons, who,
however, was not forthcoming.
Miss Pollard had been perfectly self
composed when she was being oues-
toned about her child and had spoken
in low, almost plaintive tone. al do
not know much about those things you
know, Mr.. Butterworth," she had said,
when he was asking her about the regu-
latlons of the founding asylum.
Some time was passed waiting for DIR.
Parsons, and when the judge inquired
the cause of the delay he was told by
Mr.. Shelby that the defence wished to
further cross-examine her about matter
she had testified upon and which they
had omitted to ask about. The plain
tif's lawyers thought this was rather
unusual procedure, but were not dis
posed to press objections.
Pending the arrival of DIR. Parsons, a
mlddle-aged lady with spectacles, who
had been sitting in court, was called.
She pronounced her name as Mrs. Idle,
said that she was employed in the Census
Bureau, and in 1888 had been matron of
the Washington Founding Asylum on
Fourteenth street. The record of the
asylum for that year being shown her,
she identified tile record of a child being
brought there by large colored woman
which had a paper pinned on its cloth
ing. A slip of paper which she thought
had come on the clothing was pasted in
the book.
Mr. Wilson objected to the admission
of the book, and it was handed up to
Judge Bradley for examination, while
the lawyer explained that 1t was hear
say, because the matron had merely re-
corded the statement OF the unknown
colored woman called "Aunt Mary"
who carried the child to the asylum. It
was doubtless the intention under the
circumstances to conceal as far as pos
sible the parentage of the infant as we'll
as the circumstances and the place of its
birth. This argument created a reply
from Mr.. Shelby, who being customarily
a corporation lawyer, applied CONNER
clal terms to the transaction as though
speaking of a bale of cotton, with strik-
ing effect. The objection was sustained
by the judge without hesitation or ex.
plantations of his grounds, and an ex-
ception noted, following which Mr.
Shelby beat about the bush cleverly,
endeavoring to draw out the same facts
wanted through other channels.
The matron did not know DR.. Par.
sons, nor had Miss Pollard ever visited
the asylum SO far as she knew Visitors
were admitted on certain days without
any red tape preliminaries.
What was the name given TO the
child at that timer" Mr.. Shelby was
asking when Mr.. Wilson interposcd
his "object," blocking an answer until
there had been more sparring by the
legal gentlemen, which Judge Bradley
ended by the decision that the evidence
was clearly hearsay.
There was more wrangling over the
authenticity Of the slip pasted in the
record, during which the matron said,
appeallngly, "let me think"
Having completed her mental pro.
cesses, Mrs. Lidie started to give an ex-
PLANTATION of the customs of the insti-
tuition without any provocation in the
way Of direct questions and was checked
after some difficulty. Mr.. Wilson in.
formed her that this was one place
where men had the right of way over
women in the matter of talking.
More disputation followed over an
entry in the book which had been made
when the baby had been delivered to
the matron, or when it was christeued
two weeks later.
Finally after prolonged wrangling
the natron was permitted to testify
that the child had been christened
downing" and Miss Pollard forth
with began to shed tears and to receive
the attentions of her attorneys.
The slip pasted in the asylum record
was penned in feminine delicate hand,
with the words, "Please name my baby
Dictz Downing" and beneath it in red
ink, "Died April 18th, 1888" The slip
OF paper had pin-holes, showing that it
had once been attached to something.
A question from Mr. Shelby as to
whether any other child had died in
April of 1883, brought the reply, "they
die so fast and so rapidly that / cannot
Keep track of them" The records,
however, would show, the witness said.
When MIR. Shelby offered to place the
record in evidence it was ruled out. Mr..
Wilson promised that if the records Of
the asylum were left in his charge he
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