The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-13
WILSON SPEAKS NEXT.
at Least Two Days More Of the
Breckenridge Arguments.
lsuTTERwoRTH's FINE APPEAL.
Ne Tries 60 Repair ths lsJsry fho1pssn
uade-Ths Old Lsbertiss Issists -
Rsssisg for Ceagrsss-

wAmrseros CrrY, April i2-Ihs de.
Ssnss Of Col. Breekinridgs which MAJ
Butserxorth msds todsy 10 considered.
even BY bis opponents, 70 have ossu one
Of the greatest speeches ever made In
: Warrington City court II was effective
- q masssrpiscs Of ors,ory. and vs.
made 20 largely by the winning penonal.
tty of the speaker. Mr.. Butterworth was
frank. persuasive, dramatic. friendly, con-
eiiiasory and artfui. For nearly nine
hours Maj Butssrworth carYisd on
I the speaking in the great case. He
eonjured the name of mother. the
Preside and American womanhood most
effectively, making it appear that al Of
these forces were enlsted on the side Of
his client. Through all the speaking the
vhite-haired member of congress from
Kentucky sat facing the jury. much of the
time With his face shaded by his hands,
occasionally nodding assent TO points
mentioned BY the speaker. The slender
& plaintiff has heard none Of the dsnuneia-
tsops Of herself, and her attorneys have sat
smiling throughout the onset Of the OBJ.
posing attorneys. Judge Wilson will con-
sumo the greater part OF two days. COM
msncsng with tomorrow, with his speech
for the plaintiff.
Maj. Buttsrworth opened the proceed
ings by considering the Rhodes letters
and declaring that mystery surrounded
Il them. He consumed much time pointing
out . few discrepancies In minor points Of
the plaintiff . testimony. Then Mr.. But
tersorth portrayed tho opportunities to
elevate herself in Washington City; how
she should have shrunk from continuing
life OF shame with q man with . wife
and family. Mr.. Busterworth argued that
sverdics against his client In this ease
S would DO only. uagrant in
stance OF vicarious punishment.
Miss Poilard's testimony, he said.
implied that she was . woman Of corrupt
life, who from choice had held doubtful
psations with Rhodes, who had illsgiti-
mate children in sundry places, mis-
carriages at others and wished 10 sit At
Breckinridge's table in . union that was
tbe acme OF all that Was vicious and con-
emptible. That woman, who lived ten
years without earning cent as the mis-
tress Of his life. wanted money and moth
Ing else. Mr.. Butterworth firmly believed
that the woman knew of that secret mar
rage in New York on April %.
After the noon rscess Butterworth ar
gued that Col. Breckinridge was too busy
man to indulge in the constant associa-
ton which Miss Pollard had described.
He said Mrs. Blackburn had been imposed
upon ana in her natural indignation had
confused the things said to her. The lying
which both plaintiff and defendant had
been guilty Of in this connection was
Justified and sanctioned, because it was
70 rescue . home. rescue q woman and
help her to q better life. Proceeding to
the second scene in tho Office of the chief
Of police on May II. the attorney declared
that IL the statement of Col. Breckenridge
10 the chief. that he had not seduced the
woman. that he had taken liberties the
first nigh: and slept with her the second.
had not been true. she would have in
stantiy resented t.
As for Ills client. no one had known
through what mire he had been dragged,
and such was the penalty Of sin. He did
not want tie jury carried away by the
whispers floating In the AIR that verdict
for the defendant would be a ratification
of sin. He asked them also not TO COM
mend a woman who had borne herself as
the plaintiff had: not TO elevate her for
the degradation of him. Such q verdict
xonid mean to the girls that virtue was
but a cloak to be thrown of or put on.
American womanhood should be vindi-
easei by the standard 10 which wives and
8 fnntheFs must be held.
The letters which Col. Breckinridge had
written to Miss Pollard after the alleged
/ engagement, in lsa3 were produced by Mr.
Batterworth and afforded much fun, the
en.oncl himself laughing heartily. Mr..
Rnt;erwor.h was unable to decinher them
1 and declared that a man who wrote such
hand should be punished. Attorney
{ ssoll tackled them wish the same iruit!ess
result
Col. Breckinridge had two or three times
saggested. BETTER lie, me read them" and
vas finally permitted to do so. He rose.
iseiag the Jury. and read the episties In his
elective. meliow-toned voice.
At the conclusion Mr.. Butterwerth told
f the jury that the inherent probabilities
srssng from the course Of human nature
8 we're to be considered more deeply than
the statement of witnesses The question
vas not whether W. c. 7. Breckenridge
asd violated any ordinance. human or
divine. had been guilty OF turpitude bring
Z ing shame upon him, bat whether these
5 two parties had agreed tina, he vas TO be-
come her husband and she his wife To
awaken horror before the public there had
hesa tale that Col. Breckinridge had led
sssray a girl, gniicless little girl. anal
had ed her down a path of nine years OF
immortality to marriage contract, rath.
isssy violated, The jury Was to determine
whether there had been any such guile
less little girl. whether she had moi
heea mstnre and kuowing woman lie
y aeniea that the woman came to court TO
fsisess great wrong. No wrong could lie
ffdsessei IN that way nor had she santed
sae hssna OF money. for she lad said there
va. none. Her motive did not rise to the
a1slty ~ revenge. nor even OF hatred. but
seni abroad 10 every home leaven she
Aaw 10 re vile. the infiuenee
81 which VAS fneasurvless. "For what
hos'se does ;his desperate woman walk on
sny stage She deliberately turned from
everything that man or woman could de-
ese ami proc aimed her shame. Is IL the
fiss' @! say individual TO corrupt public
ns'aisb BY the excuse Of seeking reparsuen
1es sFoagf What is there OF repsrasion
ies sronE. hat 80 so home 10 her mother
sfsslds ? Her early life Was not what IL
saeasd have been" he continued, 'but
Wat her letters showed her 10 he. Ii
sesid be said. 'Rntterworth. you are de-
ssaains hsr. hut no, ne bad little fam
~ q his own ore which had "a feh, the
sss'ie OF life against fearful. odds No: he
vas Geteudlns the standard of woman
Sod. the virtue Of city and Of country
gus; ao man could ssy that seduction
~ possible under the circumstances