The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-30
THE OLD MANS STORY
Breckenridge Tells How He Sc
duced Madeline Pollard.
a SCHOOLGIRL FATAL FOLLY.
1As Csisssl Rssstes ass ohaasfsl Deeds
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ny - ChuxeA oesassy.

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~ - . chursA ossassy.
wAsnrssrox Crry. March A-Had IN
alien, untutored in the kings Euglish.
dropped into the eircui: court this after
noon he might have received the imprss-
sion that the bensyoEent, elderly looking
Rsntieman with ruddy face and waves Of
SNOWY hair and beard. Who he'd the open.
noutbsd attention Of 90 men while be dis
eoursed IN . slow tone. Was preaching .
sermon from the gospel OF peace The
mistake would have been . natural one,
but II would have bssn quIss . mistake.
for the elderly gentleman vas the silver
tongusd orator from the Blue Grass state,
Congressman Breckinridee, and be Vas
telling to twelve Of his peers ana incident
ally TO the world at large the story Of his
intrigue With Madeline Pollard. The col
onel stood in the little witness box, his
left elbow resting Of Judge Brsdley's
desk, with his LEFT hand Q pillow for his
head. ana bis right hand thrust carelessly
into his trousers pocket He smiled occa-
sionaliy a. he spoke. At first be was
little tremulous in his utterances, but
no lost ali trace Of nervousness be-
fore be proceeded far With his story. Once
he glanced down .. the young woman In
the front row Of seats before him. That
Was when he was assuring the court that
her manner toward him had been perfectly
respectful and very deferentiai, but for the
most part he addressed himself to his at
torney, Maj. Ben Butservorth, who did
the questioning.
As for Miss Pollard, she never took her
eyes from his face. Part Of the time she
rested her head On her hand. and for half
an hour she vigorously welded . fan.
When Col. Breckinridge told how he made
her accept $40 bill after their first inter-
view she shut ker lips tightly and would
have made an effort to rise but for the 70
streining words of Attorney Carlisle. who
sat beside her. Elevated above the scene
sat Judge Bradley with his chair turned
away from the defendant his head tilted
back. his eyes closed and his features cast
into an utterly bored expression.
When court opened this morning counsel
for tho defense read . deposition Of Mrs.
w. J. Miller. Of Memphis. claiming that
she and Miss Pollard were inmates of Lena
Singleton's assignation house in Lexing-
ton.
At the afternoon session Breckinridge
himself took the stand in his own behalf.
After detailing the facts Of his life, In
answer to questions, he testified that he
meet Miss Pollard first in the .spring Of
1854. on q train between Lexington and
Frankfort. Miss Pollard accosted him in
. proper way. he supposing her some
young person who had grown out of his
knowledge. She gave him her name aud
told of her fathers admiration for his
father and how he had named her after
him, Madeline Breckenridge Pollard.
Later he received letter from her, asking
him TO call at the college on business Of
importance to her. He replied that il was
inconvenisnt, but II she would call on him
in Lexington he would be glad to give her
advice. Later he received another letter,
and Buttsrworth, handing up q black
bordered epis.Es, aske ifthst was it. Es
identified il as the letter In question. A
few days later he called At the college and
was received by Miss Pollard.
Here Butterwor offered letter In evil
dence. The plaintiffs attorneys objected
on the ground that the letter was not Miss
Poliard's. aud argument A. to its admissi-
bility began. Judge Bradley At the con-
clusion of The arguments decided to admit
the letter to be shown to the jury, on the
ground that 1t appeared subject to denial
OF authorship by the plaintiff. Defendant
declared he received it in due course of
mail, and afterward when he called at the
college talked with the plaintiff about its
contents, she remarking that no was prob
ably surprised at receiving such a missive
from a schoolgirl. The jury could exer-
cise their powers of observation on it,
comparing it with the admitted specimens
of the plaintiffs handwriting. Moreover,
the matter was unimportant. as the letter
was already published and probably read
by the jury. The publication, however, in
advance of its presentation TO the jury was
contempt of court, though probably unin-
territorial. The letter was then read.
This finished, Col. Breckinridge rose
again and described what hao become Of
the letters. He had KEEP, three flies, one
~ his house. one at his Office and one
partnership file. Ii was his recollection
the two had been placed en- the file In his
Office. Returning to the visit TO Wes-
leyan seminary. the defendant explained
tina. II lad been made while on a business
=
There beng no hotel accommodations In
Covinrton, he had gone 10 Cincinnati to
stay over night. After dinner, remember.
ing the letter OF Miss Pollard, he strol!ed
up 10 the college. He continued:
Il sent my name up. was invited into a
room. and IN = few moments the plant II
came down. We shook hands. She said
she supposed she had astonlxhei me by
the substance Of her letter; that il was
worse than a divorce ease We took seats.
che on dtvan, | on chair in the reading
room. She narrated the circumstances I'M
der which she had made the agreement
With Mr.. Rhodes. Until that night had no,
known who her mother was. had known
her father. but not y hom he had married.
As soon as she told ms she sAs living Isl i'm
her aust. Mrs. York keene, I knew who
her mother MS, because lser uncle York
keene. had been ID ms brothers reg uient.
Because her father had died ia strsiter ed
circumstances and her life with her aunt
had not been pleasant she wanted to
! leave. Mr.. Rhodes had fallen Ia love with
her, aud she had respected him as an older
man. but had not loved him. S3e wanted
80 know whether he could compel her 20
marry hi0g. | treated the InagteE with
some 4evGis; said there Was no law bv
( which she could De compelled 10 speciar
performance IL she did not like She
'|0Acd a. ttsossa sac tesF IKE cFNiny, TOO
oot hes handkerchief. pat IL TO her face
and ! got gp and walked the room.
asset her II her mother was algve. | Ia!
! not seen her mother, never have. ia
/ fact, bat she said her mother had not ap-
( proved o. the contract and had made an
pseasanIness N the family. spoke Of he,
/ grandfather | knew her grandpa aud bet
aRcies- We had ceased 10 wax the room
SIZE vas sstiingGn ihe divaa. ana / IA,
standing ees lie her, ! started TO leave
after expressions of sympathy. bgt she ie-