The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-03-31
THE POLLARD CASE.
THE SENSATIONAL SUIT AGAINST
BRECKINRIDGE.

THE SENSATIONAL SUIT AGAINST
BRECKINRIDGE.
Miss Pollard Takes the Stand and
Relates the Story of Her hame-
She TestiRes That Breckenridge
Held Illicit Relations With HeF
After His Marriage.
Washington, Special.-The suit for
breach of promise instituted by Miss
] Madeline Pollard against Congressman
breckenridge of Kentucky, which has
been on trial for the past week, promises
to be the most sensational in court annals
since the famous Beecher-Tilton case.
The time so far has been taken up with
the selection of the jury, reading of de-
positions, and taking of evidence in sup
port of Miss Pollard's claim that Mr..
Breckenridge had promised to marry her.
Friday Miss Pollard took the stand and
commenced her story of how Breckin-
ridge played on her affections and SO
completely gained control of her as to &C.
complish her ruin under promise of mar
| riage. She also testified that Breckin-
ridge was the father of four children
born to her.
Washington, March 2O.-Madeline Pol
lard faced her opponents on the witness
stand to-day under a continuous fire OF
c1css-questions, and the trial was like
q play in which one actor is starred to
the exclusion and belittlement of all &C
cessories. Maj. Ben Butterworth, tn
ex-congressman from Ohio, played q
minor part as the questioner, all the in
terest centering about the slender black
robed plaintiff in the case.
1t was the most interesting day of the
sc sensational trial, and it was made more
so by the masterful display of the intel
lectral resources of Miss Pollard, and the
telling replies which flashed forth at
every turn of the plot as the lawyers fol-
lowed up every possible trail which might
lead to admissions casting any sort of
shadow on the life of the woman apart
from those passages which had been
identified with the career of the Ken
tucky congressman.
Miss Pollard told of the illicit relations
which had existed between her and Col.
breckenridge for many years. She said
they continued until May II, 1893. This
produced a sensation, as Col. B1eckin-
ridge secretly married Mrs. Wing, his
present wife, April 20, or nearly q month
before his last visit to Miss Pollard.
When Miss Pollard was asked how long
she and the colonel remained at a GER
tain ~assignation house in Washington she
replied: 1.-TWO or three hours, wasn't it,
Mr.. Breckinridge?' at the same time
looking directly at the defendant. This
caused a general laugh which the Judge
reb,fked. The witness said that Col.
Breckenridge compelled her to give one
of the children away. At one time during
the examination Miss Pollard wept and
wa on the verge of fainting. Once dur
ing the testimony she declared that JUS
tice would be done, and these men
Cooking at the jury will see that it is
DONE"
Washington, March 21.-The cross-cx.
animation of Miss Pollard was resumed
to-day. A letter was handed to the
plaintiff, which she said had been writ
ten by her to her protector, Mr.. Rhodes.
After looking at it she inquired why the
heading had been torn off, Mr.. Butter
worth replying that he did not know,
and her lawyers c%autioning her that it
was not her place to ask questions. Mr..
Butterworth read the letter to the jury.
1t was dated Lexington, Nov. 20, 1884.
Miss Hoyt has just asked me for the
money for my board" it said. please,
dear, get me that $40 before Saturday,
without fail. I know any one with as
many friends as you can get it; you can
come Saturday evening at Z and stay
until h%alf-past 8. Be careful in talking
and we can have a pleasant time. Put
the money in an envelope and hand it
to me at the door as you 60. Yours truly,
Madeline" was the signature. There was
a reference in the letter to people who
lived across the street whom she did
not want to now or be made known to.
Another letter was presented to the
plaintiff, scrutinized by her lawyers and
read to the jury. 1t was dated Nov. q
and began Dear Mr.. Rhodes;' and ex-
pressed worry at not receiving the money.
Other letters Of much the same character
We're read. One dated Feb. ., 1885,
spoke OF her disappointment at not hav-
ing received money, and told him not to
come to see her unless he brought it.
This was just before Miss Pollard was
going away for the birth of her first
child.
Among the letters were two dated at
New Orleans and postmarked Tooles-
borough, KY, in which the writer told
Rhodes of her arrival in New Orleans;
OF the weather, and other inconsequental
things. Other letters, some dated at Gin
cinnati and others at Lexington, asked
Rhodes for money, the sum varying
from $40 to $40. Mr.. Butterworth de-
voted his questioning principally to the
New Orleans letters, and the plaintiff
frankly admitted that she had never
been in that city.
"Mr. Breckenridge knows very well
where l was at that time" she added.
But / was not asking Mr.. Breckin-
ridge" Mr.. Butterworth demonstrated.
Her explanation when again asked was:
did your mother know where you
were when you wrote those letters?'
Mr.. Breckenridge planned them oil
dictated them to me. Some of them he
wrote on the typewriter when I was i'll
in the asylum and not able to write, say
ing in explanation that I was learning
the typewriter; some of them he wrote
in advance and dated ahead. He would
mail them on the cars or wherever they
would not be postmarked."
She said that she received various sums
from Mr.. Rhodes.
During the examination counsel for
Col. Breckenridge admitted the marriage
in New York to Mrs. Wing, but objected
to the word secret"
Miss Pollard admitted that she threat
ened to shoot Col. Breckenridge in New
York ard he prom Used to marry her
then. That was the day after he was
married to Mrs. Wing. She said people
had sent her anonymous letters, telling of
MS relations with negro women. When
Miss Pollard smoke ahout har 1ao1 hohv