The Indianapolis journal., 1894-04-04
While Typewriter i'm the Capitol She
Worked for the Colonel and Ad-
dressed Letters to Miss Pollard.
MADELINE ALSO TESTIFIES
She Tells the Jurors She Received
the Letters in Question.
More Skillful Fencing Between Ex-
Judge Wilson and the Defendant,
and Many Denials by the Latter.

WASHINGTON, April 3. - There was
variation of the order of testimony in the
Pollard Breckenridge trial to-day TO permit
the introduction of evidence that Colonel
Breckenridge had carried on a typewriter
correspondence with Madeline Pollard from
the House of Representatives in 1856. The
demand from the plaintiffs lawyers to be
permitted 10 follow this course brought
a delicate question of law before the Judge.
1t was conceded that documents might be
brought into a case and a witness Iues-
toned upon it in cross-examination from
which to lay the basis for contradiction, but
whether the. existence Of a missing docu-
ment could be asserted and the defendant
asked whether he wrote it was another
question, a question which Judge Bradley
decided in the affirmative after listening TO
the arguments and consulting authorities.
He held, however, that the witnesses could
not be asked to give their recollection OF
the contents OF the letters Accordingly,
Mrs. Louise Lowell, who conducted a busi-
ness in typewriting and stenography at the
Capitol in the year 1886, and had been
discovered by the plaintiff last Sunday.
stated that she had copied mysterious let
ters upon a typewriter for the Colonel and
had also addressed for him a package OF
envelopes 10 Miss Pollard, No. 76 North
Upper street, Lexington. KY" having made
an entry OF the address in a notebook,
which she produced, but which did not en-
tirely substantiate her statement because
it seemed to have been used in 1887 and
1888.
Miss Pollard appeared in a speaking part
once more to testify that she had received
the letters in question. During her brief
appearance the lawyers had their hands
full endeavoring to make her confine her.
self to answering the questions directed TO
her, for in her untrammeled utterances
when on the stand before she scored some
of the most brilliant points for her side.
Thereafter the programme was eontinu-
arce Of the fencing between the Congress-
man from Kentucky and the ex-Congress-
man from Indiana. Both Colonel Breckin-
ridge and ex-Judge Wilson are lawyers OF
brilliant parts, and no exhibition of its
kind approaching the thrust and parry OF
the two men when pitted as examiner and
witness has been heard for years II was
enjoyed by an audience worthy of its mer-
! its, for, beside the usual varying corps or
| congressional attendants and lawyers,
| there was a well-known Methodist clergy
man in the audience and retired judge Of
| the District Court occupied a seat beside
| Judge Bradley.
| Colonel Breckenridge made iron-clad de-
| malls of the testimony OF Mrs. Lowell, be-
| side contradicting Miss Pollard at many
| points. Judge Wilson was disposed TO drop
| into a vein of sarcasm at times, speaking
| of the defendant as a 'fatherly looking
| and perfectly respected gentleman like
yourself" He laid the foundation for more
| testimony in rebuttal by obtaining denial
| that servant at the fashionable boarding
| house where Miss Pollard had lived had
| ever seen her using in his presence that
| work basket formerly belonging to his dead
| wife which the Colonel swears he did not
| give the plaintiff. Everybody is guessing
| tonight the nature of the new line of exam
| ination which Mr.. Wilson announced that
| he would take up in the morning