The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-04-15
NOW He is DONE FOR
The Jury Taxes Brecklnridse Fifteen
Thousand Dollars.
THE GIRL CRIED FOR JOY
The Lawyers Talk About Duels
and All OF That. But Peace
Reigns and the Washington
Public Approves the Verdict.

WASHINGTON, April 1i.-Foreman Chas.
X. Cole OF the civil court announced
verdict for the plaintiff, Miss Madeline
Pollard, for $4,000 damages against Con-
gresham w. c. p. Breckenridge for
breaking his contract 10 marry her,
thus ending the long and excit-
ing Breckinridge-Pollard breach of
promise trial. Sensations have fairly
crowded themselves into the last day
of the trial, and there have been some of
the most dramatic scenes which ever
stirred up the dingy little court room,
reeking as II does with the memories Of
celebrated cases. There was an approach
to personal collision between Judge vii.
son and Charles Stoll during the magnif-
cent argument Of the Washington lawyer,
followed by talk of duel and Judge
Bradley. in his charge to the jury. scored
Col. Phil Thompson as a lawyer 10 seldom
spoken OF in court. The jury retired at
3:07 p. IN.
The first ballot taken was on the merits
OF the case, leaving out Of consideration
the question OF the amount of damages.
This resulted in II votes for a verdict for
the plaintiff and one vote for the defend
ant. Tho obdurate juryman was finally
overcome by sheer force of logic. a dis
cussion Of the financial punishment fol.
lowed until The usual course was adopted,
each juror writing the amount considered
just upon n paper and a balance being
struck. The amounts ranged from 81 900
TO $4,000, and $4,000 was the average.
Judge Wilson started his speech by as.
sertIng that all specific charges against
the tNlpinttlT haI haan IS
the charge that Miss Pollard had been in-
timaie with Rhodes. As that rests solely
ON Breclinridgc's word the charge cut no
figure, because Breckenridge admitted tho
knowledge of the charge before the talk of
marriage. The principals took the wit
ness stand on an equal footing, save that
the plaintiii 5 statements were supported
by reputable witnesses, while Breckin-
| ridge . staiements were unsupported and
sometimes '<ere contra licted. After cali
ing affection to the admission that the
plata .'Ir's letters had been destroyed,
! Jrfge Wilson said:
! This was not the first time he had been
seduced,n dwelling his long forelinger at
the Kentucky colonel. ''for he tells you he
knew the house OF Sarah Goss, he had
| been there before with some other siren
before my client had scduced him."
Colonel Breckinridge interposed a re-
monstrance:
NO. your honor he said. leaning for
ward, "therc Is not the slightest statement
of that before the jury, not the slightest
evidence Of that. / merely said had been
there"
II believe you are correct" said Judge
| II Il. Ill
"You had better have denied it on the
stand, If you wanted to" said Mr.. Wilson
to the defendant.
II was not asked" replied Colonel
Breckinridcc.
"Well, you can't testify now"
This is the last chance and ! want the
testimony quoted correctly. want 10 set
your errors right"
~ ain merely arguing OH the probabili.
ties of the case,n declared Mr.. Wilson,
drawing natural deductions from the
evidence. If | had asked who you went
with to Sarah Goss' before there would
have been have dozen lawyers on their
feet
"But you did not ask it," retorted the
colonel.
"But he knew Mrs. Rose in Louisville" !"
said Mr.. Wilson.
Attorney Stoll-There is no evidence
that she kept an improper house then.
Mr.. Wilson-Ah, but he met her OH the
street. She gave him her card indicating
her business. He knew her well enough
10 take my client there.
"Gentlemen. there were written OF
stone the commandments said Mr.
Wilson, picking up the thread of his argu
ment, lone of which was Thou shalt no
commit adultery This defendant ad
mits that over and over again he has vlo
lated that one. On the same stone i,
written 'Thou shalt not bear false wit
ness and IL man shall violate one OF
these commandments and be caugh,
in the tolls of the law, is il not possibl,
that under such straits he might violate
the othcr.'
Judge Wilson described tho defendant
claim of an understanding that the con
tract OF marriage should not be carried
out as n "clean-shavcn, bald-hcaded false
hood, and called attention 10 the improb
ability of woman about TO become
mother consenting 10 such an arrange
ment. Then the attorney drew a patheti
picture of the fatherless girls life. HI
pronounced q letter submitted by the de
fense as a forgery, severely arraisnin
the expert testimony on writing. AM
offered an opinion OF the court
upon the value of such testimony, whicl
was passed up TO Jud2e Bradley. Tic
came a statement which caused grea
deal of excitement. Wilson stated tina
tho Wessie Brown letter from which th
letter in question had been forged. ha
been procured by the defense and wa
carried in Mr.. Stol's pocket. After
heated passage between Sioll and Wilso
the former acknowledged having III
Wcssic Brown letter. Tho two letter
were then shown to the jurors for con
parison, during intense excitement in Ia
court room.
Wilson resumed hrs address ahcu Bu
tcrw0Elh entered. saying: "WGsuI 81,
Charles St0li forged taat letter
"l!r viii hear from that again. r,
marked Mr.. StolL
The rcmarl, reached 5Edgc Wilson m
be stepped forward from his char
What was that % lac asked.
There isuuotheF court than this one,
answered Mr.. Sio.l.
"Wbat do YOU mean,n asked the Ia