The Washington times., 1894-03-31
SHE MADE HIS LIFEABURDEN
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tinued, 'and told me she had an opportunity to
go abroad to study with young ladies' of good
family, and could go il would represent that
she was engaged to be married to me in two
years. This was the first time the subject Of
marriage had been broached said l had not
enough money bus would not let that stand in
the way: that under no circumstances would
consent to any representations OF q marriage
engagement. She said that she could go abroad,
two years fitted to be my wife. l said that could
that sort"
Witness and Miss Pollard had looked over his
offers to deliver lectures She had figured that the
cost would be 500 month, but he had expressed
his willingness to give her @l25 and her travel
ing expenses. The witness added: "Her final
answer at our next meeting at the Hoffman
house was that she would never go except as
my afflancei wife. She would go back TO WASH
ington and be there when arrived. We parted
with considerable acerbity, even enmity. At
our next meeting she said that she did not want
to part in that why, that must not think her
devil or 1end put her into cab saying,
You know there can be no such thing as mar
riage between US, and this affair, II you persist,
can only end in public scandal that will destroy
US both"
On several occasions, the witness said, the
plaintih had declared her intention to commit
suicide, saying that she had destroyed all her
manuscripts Including the manuscript of q
novel she was writing and that she had given
away her clothes. In one of these conversations
she got up and went into the library and came
back shortly and presented n pistol. threatening
to Kill him. By some agility he was enabled to
take 1t away from her before she could do any
harm. He kept the pistol, and 1t was the same
weapon which she had taken from his travelling
bag, with which she attempted his life In New
York city.
That scene, he said, was followed by an al
most immediate revulsion on the part of the
plaintiff She broke into a flood of hysterical
tears and declared that she had not really meant
to kill him. Col Breckenridge said he had ex-
pressed the hope that she would not make such
demonstration again, for in her nervous condi-
ton and with self-cocking pistol it might go off
and kill him Just as badly II she had had it in
her heart. Col BreckinridGe was inclined to be
1ocose over this incident and said: II told her
that hoped she would conclude to kill herself
first and me afterward; that was afraid the re-
vulsion of feeling would come after she had
shot me. Historically she said that she did not
intend to bear all the disgrace If exposure came
She asked me not 10 marry anybody else, but to
continue our relations and be happy with her
II would not do that she said she did not intend
TO live and bear all the disgrace alone"
The colonels recollection Of his interview with
Mrs. Blackburn regarding the scandals against
Miss Pollard differed from Mrs. Blackburn
He thought he had opened the interview by say
ing that he did not know what Miss Pollard had
wanted him TO call for; asked Mrs. Blackburn to
urge her to go away, which that lady had prom
ised to do and he had spoken kindly of the young
woman. He supposed when he left Washington,
March l2, 1893, that their relations had ended:
that Miss Pollard was going away to study and
lead an honorable life while he provided for her.
Later, in March. he had met her in Cincinnati in
response to a telegram from her.
She then told him that she had been obliged
under Mrs Blackbu burns cross-examination to
represent that she was engaged TO him. He told
her that he would go right back and say TO Mrs
Blackburn that It was not true. but under her
opportunities promised TO keep his mouth shut
Ii she would leave the city.
Returning to Washington March 81, he had re-
ceived call from Miss Pollard before break
fast He said Il agreed then that If she would
go away would put myself In the power of the
plaintiff and Mrs. Blackburn and pretend
there was an engagement l said: You have
put me where there is no alternative but TO put
myself in your power and trust you or 10 sub
init to a scene in the hotel Office or street. per-
haps have an attempt made on my life on the
street."
MAY interpose at this point,n suggested Mr.
Wilson, and he went on to say that there had
been no plea of coercion put in by the defense
The reply by Mr. Butterworth was that there
had been no agreement, but only the semblance
of one TO preserve what was of more value than
life, under a compulsion as effectual as loaded
pistol He did not care what the duress or CO.
ercion was called
The legal sparring became very warm, Mr.
Wilson declaring that they might show, II they
could, that an agreement was made under
duress
II said that there must be no misunderstand-
ing between u.s." continued the colonel, when
the lawyers had subsided; reminded her that
from the first had said there could be no mar
rage, but anything short of that which could
do to save those who loved me would do: that
she could not trust me, because, knowing the
relations had held with her while had such
happy family, she would always suspect me of
having similar relations with other women. l
reminded her that she had not come to me
maiden that had not seduced her"
Col Breckenridge gave his version of the visit
TO Mrs Blackburn, which occurred on Good FRI
day according TO Mrs. Blackburn. and several
days later according TO the witness With the
plaintiff he had gone to Mrs Blackburns hotel,
the Portland but Mrs Blackburn refused TO see
them Leaving him in the public parlor Miss
Tga1a
ments, and in a short time he received a mes
sage from the elevator boy, saying that Mrs
blackburn had consented 10 see him. He found
Miss Pollard waiting on the landing outside Mrs.
Blackburns rooms, and she said that Mrs Black
burn wanted witness TO confirm what she Miss
Pollard) had Just told her.
Witness said to Mrs Blackburn that she had
been extremely kind and that so long as the
plaintiff had her as a friend she needed nothing
else, but that in her distress he had offered her
the protection of his name, and that with Mrs
Blackburn's friendship and the protection of his
name the plaintiff could well afford to despise
what Mrs. Fillette might do, and that he was
grateful to Mrs. Blackburn for what she had
done. Mrs Blackburn said that what she had
done had been done out of a spirit of friendship
for an unprotected Kentucky girl Mrs Black
burn said that this had been a great surprise to
her and she could scarcely credit it. and did not
know whether she should congratulate him or
not To this he had responded nothing, simply
acknowledging 1t with bow, and in few min
utes he arose and he and the plaintiff had left
the house together and walked with her to her
house without word.
Il put the key into the door and said, You
must leave Washington before l do or will
notify Mrs Blackburn of the relations between
us She said. i can't go soon as that Il
was going TO Boston the next day to speak at
banquet) She said, Il will keep my promise
and 60 as soon as can On account of the mis-
understanding regarding the banquet did not
go. There was a misunderstanding between US
the next ten days; we both knew the character
Of the representations TO Mrs Blackburn and
finally left Washington On the 18th of April with
the same confidence in her l had held when
left on the 18th Of March
had at least two more interviews with Mrs
Blackburn before left for Kentucky. Several
ladies were stopping with her and she asked me
to arrange for Mrs. Cleveland to receive them /
did call with them upon Mrs. Cleveland. 1t was
a remarkable thing TO see four generations in
one house, Mrs Zane her daughter, Mrs. Covert,
her daughter. and granddaughter and the Oldest
In comparative youth In an interview urged
Mrs. Blackbur TO unite with me in urging the
plaintiff TO leave town. She promised to, agreed
with me, and said that unless one or the other of
US went there would be scandal and her friend
ship must cease. Afterward she told me she
had spoken to the plaintiff and that the plaintiff
said so also.
"Mrs. Blackburn said one or the other of us
must leave or there would be scandal l said
knew it; that the plaintiff would come to my.
room when / was away; that ii was perfectly