The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-03-22
MISS POLLARD,
The Plaintiff Tells Her Story on the stand,
and Describes the Betrothal Scene in De-

| tail.
| WASHINGTON, March 17.--Miss Madg,
Pollard, plaintiff in the Pollard Breck
inridge breach of promise case was OF
the stand Friday and testified
My father was saddler," said she
cody, in response to AN Interrogation
He died in 1876"
ibid anything impress his death upo1
your mind" inquired Mr.. Carlisle.
my father was an Odd Fellow and
Mason. Members of the grand lodges
of the state attended his funeral Ii,
left no estate" she continued. 'Tw,
of my sisters were taken to live in tn.
Odd Fellows home. My mamma said
was born on the 30th of Novem ber
1866" She had always supposed tha'
to be the date of her birth and had at
tached it to all her papers on the civi
service bureau.
when did Mr.. Breckenridge NEE,
you in 1892" asked Mr. Carlisle.
''In one of the last days of August
1892. He met me at the Baltimore &
Ohio depot in Washington. He pu,
both arms around me, kissed me, drew
my arm through his and led me to a
carriage. He told me that all his chill
dren had grown up, that he had de.
termined to marry me, and ! said
would marry him"
She had stopped at % Lafayette
square for few days during that visit,
had seen Mr.. Breckenridge every day,
and added: He said that he had mar
! ried his second wife fourteen montl s
after the death of his first wife. and a
year after the death of his second wife
would not be too soon to marry me.
told his1 he ought not to marry for two
years, and proposed to go with Miss
Willard on Il school trip for Young
ladies in Europe He said / must not
go and leave him living in rooms. a
thing he had not done for thirty years.
Col Breckenridge had paid the ex-
penses of Miss Pollard on her New York
visit in the fall of 1892. When the colo
mel was in Washington she saw him ev-
cry few days. The question of marriage
was resumed at this time, and although
no date was fixed the colonel ALWAYS
insisted that year after his
wife's death, which would be in the
spring of 1898, would be the time most
suitable to him. Miss Pollard said that
once on lecturing trip to New Eng
land she had accompanied Mr.. Breckin-
ridge. During her stay at Mrs. Thomas
at 1918 ii street, Washington, in 1859
and '93, she had seen Col Breck inridge
always once day, some times twice
day, and often in the evening. She had
spoken OF the engagement to Mrs.
Thomas, and she repeated the circum-
stances related by Witness Claude De
La Roche Francis. pronouncing the
name Frawncis, as did the young man.
Col Breckenridge expressed regret that
she had met Francis because he knew
many Kentuckians and the engage
ment would be spread all over Ken
tucky before they were ready to have
it known. The visit to Mrs blackburn
was also rehearsed by Miss Pollard,
who declared that Col Breckenridge
had introduced her to Mrs Blackbur
with these words, 81 want to place
this young lady under your protection,
for intend to make her my wife. She
is great deal to me now and will be
great deal more" She repeated the
circumstances of Col Breckinridge's |
visit to Mrs. Blackburn. when she had |
explained to her the engagement, and |
spoke also of the instance when Col. |
had placed his arm around |
her, saying: HE was most affectionate
and kind"
II asked Mr. Breckenridge then, as
ne was talking of going to Chicago, to
name the day when he would marry
me. l think knelt down beside him
and put one arm over his shoulder, but
Mrs Black burn objected
This was on Sunday, MAY IA. 1892.
The preceding day she had visited the
office Of DIR. Lincoln with Col. Breckin-
tide and the same day went to the Of
ice of the chief of police, Maj Moore,
visit which that official had described
IN the stand. The second visit was
Nay II to Maj Moore. Then, going
pack almost ten years, to the time of
Ter first meeting the defendant in the
'ase, Miss Pollard testified: "In April
II 1854 l was called to see my sister,
Who was sick at Frankfort. Before
he train had gone far gentleman
anne to me, saying, Your face seems
amiliar; don't know you?' Ireplied,
l think not; but j know you You
'tS Noi' plCChIurluBe. III he asked II lie
ould come and see me. I said, NV
mother and my aunt will be very glad
o see you After short conversation
lie left me-"
Miss Pollard's version of her relations
With James c. Rhodes did not vary es-
from the accounts heretofore
ublished, and which are familiar to
newspaper readers. This brought her
p to the point where she had sent for
ol. Brechinridge to advise her regard
ng Rhodes threat to compel her to
harry him, and the manner in which
he congressman had put himself in
he position of relative in the sight
the school principle and others. She
lso related the incidents of his early
isits TO her at the school, and said
hat he urged her to go elsewhere with
i'm in order that they might be able TO
onsult over the Rhodes matter more
nreservedly. The second time he
ame he took her riding in a closed
arriage saying the night air affected
is throat She went to the 81. James