The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-04-19
THE POLLARD CASE.
A VERDICT RENDERED. IN THE
BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

The Jury Thinks That Col. Breck-
inridge should Fay Miss Pollard
$15,OOO-He VIII AppeaI-Miss Pol"
lard Suffers IL Nervous Collapse.
Washington, April 13.-Maj. Ben But
terwcrth had the floor again when the
Pollard d-Breckinridge case was resumed
yesterday. He began with the considera-
ton of Miss Pollards letters to James
Rhodes, which he said were the founda-
ton of the case. He did not care any
thing about the top, he said, if there We're
no foundation for it to rest upon. Mr..
Butterworth argued that verdict against
his client in this case would only be Il
fragrant instance of vicariOus punishment.
He drew n picture of Col. breckenridge
"crouching helpless at the woman's feet.
and went on to say how horribly revolt
ing was her story that he could meet his
mistress before the mould had gathered
on the grave clothes of his buried wife,
and that he had taken her to a bawdy
house for two hours TO convey to her the
tender message that she was 10 follow in
the footsteps of that wife. ~t@.
1t implied that q woman of corrupt life,
from choice, who had doubtful relations
with Rhodes, who had illagitimate chill
drcn at sundry and divers places and mis-
carriages ut others, was to sit at his table
in a union that was the acme of all that
was vicious and contemplate. That wOm-
an, who had lived ten years without earn
ing n cent as the mistress of his life,
wanted money and not himself. Mr.. But
terworth firmly believed that the woman
knew of that secret marriage in New
York on the Doth of April. The plaintiff s
counsel had artfully pushed to the front
some stimable characters i'll order to OBJ
Scure the dark background. Mrs. Black
burn had been imposed upon by the
plaintiff; the defendant was helpless in
the premises. He and the plaintiff were
lin the business of lying" Gt that time,
and were justified in it because the pur
pose was ito rescue a home, to rescue a
woman; to open to her a better life"
Mrs. Blackburn was ri@hteously indignant
that she had been imposed upon in the
matter, and it was natural that she should
visit her wrath upon Col. Brcckinridge
She was, however, confused in her recol-
lection of conversations. The major con-
cluded with brilliant peroration, and
was complmented by several persons. Mr.
Wilson, for the plaintiff, will follow and
close the arguments, after which the case
will be given to the jury.
Washington, April IA. Ju lge Jere
Wilson continued his speech to-day. If
he concludes in Iiute the case will be
given to the jury this evening. During
his address Judge Wilson disclained I'll
intention to 1eal in uratory, md yet he
was able TO use orlt9ry of the most eff
fectual kind. The defense of ADAM"
was What he called Col. Brecki lri lge' S
position, and to the credit uf human 1ity
he said Adam had always been deemed
a coward and a craven. He did not at
tempt to assert that his client was free
from fault, but that just Us far Ls she
had straye1 from the path of woman!y
virtue she had been led by one man.
HE has been equally guilty with my
CLIENT" declared the lawyer, "eren more
so for he had taken solemn VOW to
heaven and she had not He had broken
that VOW by his own confession before
he ever met Madeline Pollard. He has
admitted that he knew Sarah Gdess,
knew the character of her house and had
been there before he went with Madeline
Pollard. He has lived lie for ten years,
his life has been that of faitblessness to
the IOSt SdCIcu ODllSdlIUIlS vi ulc. I1e
has lived life of duplicity, of hypocrisy,
such as you can't coin words to express
the length and breadth of. He tells you
that he went to Mrs. Blackburn inten-
tionally to deceive her; he tells you that
he went to Moore to tell him lie. When
he attempts to blacken the testimony Of
my client l want to measure his testi-
mony by the rules of law. How do you
hat ho &c ,n{ fC1l cfNV
to deceive you? The proba bility is that
be is doing it, for he is now in the tolls;
he is brought to bay, and in his extremity
he asks you to believe such a story on
his unsupported word. This man stepped
and soaked in depravity and original sin.
l want the world to know that whatever
of slime is on her comes from this de-
fendant. 1t is the tail of the serpant
over her life. I wish ell the mothers of
the land could see this woman in her
true light They would open their hearts
to this woman; their sympathies would
we'll up for her. She would be, if not
excused, understood as not being the Sc
ducer of this unprotected man, but as
injured by his machina tions."
Washington, April 16 - Foreman
Charles II. Cole, of the circuit court
jury, at 4:45 o'clock Saturday afternoon
a1roynced a verdict for the plaintiff,
Madeline Pollard, for $4,000 dam ages
from Congressman w. G. =. Breckenridge
for breaking his contract to marry her,
thus ending the long and exciting Breck-
inridge-Pollard breach of promise case.
Sensations had fairly crowded ir'o the
last day of the trial There had been
some of the most dramatic scenes which
ever stirred the dingy little court room,
redking as it was with the memories of
celebrated cases. There was an app :oach
to a personal collision between Judge
Wilson and Charles Stoll during the
magnificent closing argument of the
Washington lawyer, followed by talk OF
a duel, and Judge Bradley, in his charge
to the jury scored Col. Phil Thompson Is
a lawyer is seldom spoken of in court.
The jury retir.d at 3:O7 p. m. The
hands of the clock stood at 4:30 when
the jurors entered.
Almost at this moment from the outer
door at the judges left was thrust the
s'lvery head of Congressman Breckin-
ridge, surveying the room for an instant
before he entered. Following him came
his sfn, Desha, and Col. Phil Thompson
No one being present to represent the
plaintiff, bailiff was dispatched across
the street, and in FIVE minutes Calderor
Carlisle arrived.
The clerk called the roll of the jury
then grumbled loudly an interrogatory
which, when interpreted, was: Gentle.
men of the jury, have you agreed upor
your verdictq"
.We have" responded Foreman Cole
"We find for the plaintiff
An inarticulate mil mur started, which
the bailiffs quickly hushed. It was mere
" mixture of vocal sound and crowd
ing, and which exercised no particul Il
etf timent except su nrisa Following
this was an awkward pause. FiplllJ
the judge asked:
"For how much?'
"Fifteen thousand dollars" answered
the foreman of the jury.
Another rustic like the first arose, bul
was speedily squelched. One man neal
window shouted to the crowd outside
$4,000, plaintiff, but he was not repri-
nunded. -