Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-03-16
MISS POLLARD TESTIFIES
SHI: TELLS HER STORY UN
FLINCHINGI.Y.
Repeatedly Prom
ised 10 Marry Her And, Al His
10 So.

blue gown and little chip bonnet tha
she has worn every day at the trial o
her suit against Col. W. c. Z. Brcckin
ridge, was an early conner to the Crmi
nal court room this morning. None o
the attorneys were present when Mis-
Pollard made her appearance. Mis-
Ellis, her mothcrly looking companion
from the House of Mercy, was with he,
as usual, and arranged Miss Pollard,
chair for her. When Judge Wilson, prin
cipal attorney for the plaintiff, entered
Miss Pollard gave him sad smile ant
then cast her eyes down. rcsuming hcl
habitual look of detection. When Col
Brcckiuridgc entered Miss Pollard
looked up. but apparently did not SCI
him. There was a whispered consulta
ton for miuutc between Cadcron
Carlisle and his client, and rumor went
around the court room that Miss Pol
lard would be placed on The stand as
first witness. Then Judge Wilson and
Carlisle held a confidential talk, during
which they examined a number of let
tcrs, and the rumor began to be stated
as fact. There was a wait of 20 min.
utcs, and then Miss Pollard, at word
from Judge Wilsor, rose from her scat
and made her way to the witness stand.
"Silence," said the cricr as buzz OF
excitement went up. Miss Ellis took her
scat next to Miss Pollard, who gave her
name in firm manner and answered
Carlislc's questions IN a steady voice
that sometimes became 100 loud.
Carlslc's preliminary questions were
about Miss Pollard's parcntaSc. She
told of spending some time with her
Pittsburg aunt after hcr fathers death.
In answer to Carlisle, Miss Pollard
said:
"In the very last days Of August, in
1892, Breckenridge met me at the Bati-
more and Ohio railroad station"
"llow did he greet YOU"
Gle drew me to him, kissed me and
put inc i'll carriage, and we were driven
into the lountr;.'
'What did he say in the ca. riagc :"
ole told me that he had sonnet hing TO
tell me, and he said he was vain enough
to think would be glad to hear it,"
ole said his children we're all grown
up nov and that there was H. reason
why he should not marry. lie asked me
It would marry him, and told him
would"
MISS Pollard testified that he had
stopped at % Laiavettc square for a
few days and during that visit she had
seen Breckinridge every day; and added:
"lIc said that he had married his sec
ond wife 14 months after the death OF
his first wife, and that year after the
death of his second wiit would not be
too soon to marry me. told him we
ought not to marry for two years, and
proposed to 90 with Miss Willard on a
school trip for Young ladies to Europe.
He said must not go and leave him
living in rooms, a thing he had not done
for 80 wears. He put it on the ground
that would be e'tish to 80 and did
not"
A letter dated Gray Gables, Buzzards
Bay, Mass. October, 1892, from Miss
Catherine Willard and which referred to
a proposal that Miss Pollard in I:u
ropean party, was read to the Jury.
Col. Breckenridge had paid the expenses
of Miss Pollard on her New York visit
in the tall of 1899. When Col. Brcckin-
ridge was in Washington Miss Pollard
saw him every few days. The question
of marriage was resumed at this time
and although no date was fixed, the
Colonel always insisted that wear after
his wiic's death, which would he in the
spring Of 1893, would be tn: time most
suitable for him.
Miss Pollard testified that oncc on
lccturing trip to New England she had
accompanied lIrcckinridge.
She had spoken of her engagement to
Mrs. Thomas, and she repeated the cir
cumstancCs related by witness Claude
De La Francis. The visit to Mrs. Black
burns was also repeated Ivy Miss Fol.
lard, who declared that Col. Brcckin-
ridge had introduced her to Mrs. Black
burn with these words:
II want to plncc this young lady under
your protection, for ntcndto make her
my wife. She is great deal to me now,
and will be great deal more"
She repeated the circumstances of
Brcckinrdgc's visits to Mrs. Blackburn
when he had explained to her the cu
gagcmcnt, and spoke also of the instance
when Col. Breckinridgc had placed his
arm around her, saying, "lic was most
aflcctionate and most kind"
81 asked Mr. Brcckinridsc then, as he
was talking of going to Chicago, to
name the day when he would marry me,
think knclt down beside him and put
one arm over his shoulder, but Mrs.
Blackburn objected"
This was Sunday, May II. 1892. Sat
urday. May 13, the day before she had
visited the Office of DR.. Lincoln with Col.
breckenridge and the same day went to
the office of the chic, of police, Maj.
Moore. a visit which that official has de-
scritcd on the stand. The second visit
way May II to Maj. Moore.
Miss Pollard then testified asto her re
lations with Rhoadcs, her meeting with
Brcckinridge in car, his visits to the
seminary, her visits to Sarah Guests
with Breckenridge, her going to see DIR.
Mary Street, in Cincinnati, IN 1885, by
direction OF breckenridge to make ar
rangcmcnts for the birth of her first
child.
Miss Pollard gave her testimony with
out any noticeable marks OF nervous
ness except in the rising tendency OF her
voice at times and an Inclination to talk
too fast Her story was told with iniln-
ito detail as it she had rchcarcd it time
and again. She looked Breckenridge
squarcly in the eyes without appearing
tU do so. In answer to questions she
testified further that Brcckinridgc was
the father of her child born May 20,
1885, and that at no time or place PRIOR
to meeting Breckenridge or after meeting
him had she had undue relations with
any other man.
New YORK, March l6 The Evening
Post says: The certificate o' marriage
Of W. {. =. Preckniidgc to Louisa X, 5.
Wing, dated April 20, 1893, was sent to
the health department yesterday from
the residence in this city OF Rev. DR.. John
X. Paxton, formerly of West Prcsby-
tcriau church, II sets forth that DIR,