The Portland daily press., 1894-04-03


Defence Asking Questions About Let
ter which Breckenridge Is Said to Have
Written and by Which 1t Is Hoped to
Prove that Miss Pollard Told the
Truth.
Washington, April 2.-Col. Breckin-
ridge finished his direct testimony at the
forenoon session of court in the Pollard
trial today. He denied many of Miss
Pollard's statements and told of making
arrangements to send her away and her
promises to leave him and drop out oil
his life. This was in the spring and
early summer of 1898. Col. Breckenridge
told of his conversation with Miss Pollard
in the Office of Major Moore, chief of the
Washington police, as follows:
''My recollection is, that the converse
ton did not cover over ten or fifteen
minutes. I think my opening sentence
was: L have come to deliver this young
woman or myself into your custody.
might lose my life by her. and that de-
sired that he should hear what had to
say and arrest either me or her. She
threw up her hands and said she had not
threatened to take my life, that her hands
were her only weapons. Sne said to me
during our talk that she would not kill
me if would marry her that month. I
replied, L will marry you on the last day
of the month ifMoore does notinterpose.'
I then said I was going to tell the whole
matter. She placed her hand on my
shoulder and demonstrated about my
LII r 1ro1 ho,, e oh n
what / wanted if did not tell. She said
she would. I turned to Major Moore and
said: L think we can settle this matter
between u.s. l took her there for the
purpose of delivering her over to the
police, and if she had not made her
promise to me to do as l asked I would
have done it. There was no request to
Major Moore that should preserve the
secret. / told her she could not get ano-
ther dollar out of me for her support.
She then began to cry and told me that
her nervous manner and excitement re-
suited from her delicate condition.
The defendant having finished his
direct testimony,
The Cross Examination Was Begun.
The examination into his legal career
brought out thatthe defendant had edited
newspaper two years. Col. Breckenridge
said he was nominally member of the
board of directors of Sayre Institute in
Lexington, which Miss Pollard attended
and while she was a student there. Col.
Breckenridge said he had been brought
up in the Presbyterian church and was a
member of that church now, in the sense
that his name was borne on it's rolls.
did you take any interest in church
affairs?'' was the next question.
Eyes, did. was, so far as they
needed it, the lawyer of the church and
rendered such service OF legal advice,
without fee for so doing"
''Have you lectured before young la
dies seminaries?'
'sOh, I have delivered diplomas and
addresses before young ladies' colleges"
''Were you rendered a reception at
Norwood seminary in this city?'
81 was.''
Col. Breckenridge denied that he war
member of the Christian Endeavor So
ciety and said he had never taken it's
pledge. Col Breckenridge acknowledged
that he received basket of flowers on
one occasion.
''Did you make remark at the time
that you had no wife to give them to?'
asked Judge Wilson.
II did not, but let me explain what I
did say"
Judge Wilson objected and Col. Breck-
inridge appealed to Judge Bradley, but
the latter declined to allow him to ex-
plain.
Col. Breckenridge said he was Ma
son. Judge Wilson put the defendant
an examination as to the range
of his reading and studies, particularly
with reference to monarchs who had not
walked in the moral pathway, and as to
works that some people do not CO nsider
quite proper.
Now said Judge Wilson, ''Major
Butterworth made so pointed refer
ence to the plaintiffs reading of George
Eliot that / thought there must be some
reason for it. Can you tell me what that
point is?"
II do not know any treason except be-
cause of George Eliot's relations with
Mr.. Lewis. l did mention this to Major
and told him the plaintiff
great admiration for her, and
said she had rather live a life like George
Eliot lived than grow up an ignorant
country woman, raising a
house full of children, churning milk
and all tnat SOfI OF thing. l mentlOned
it to Major Butterworth to give him an
idea of the
Mawkish Sentimentality of this Plaintiff
and how she formed a romance around
George Eliot's companionship with Mr.
Lewis"
ssWere you ever at the house of Sarah
Gess?" asked Judge Wilson, referring
to the assignatian house in Lexington.
IL was,' said Colonel Breckinridge
''Before you went there with Miss Pol
lard?"
II was"
Col. Breckinridge admitted that he had |
known Sarah Cess score of years and |
knew the character of her house, which !
was four squares from his residence.
Judge Wilson questioned the witness
about the letter which Miss Pollard de- |
MED writing, with particular reference as
to how he filed his correspondence, and |
as to how it happened that only this let
ter and the so-called dummy letter were
found Col. Breckenridge said he did |
not understand how the other letters
were not found, particularly the first
letter to him which Miss Pollard ac-
uic hohit no .o;<l