The evening world., 1894-03-09
MISS P0LLARD'S SIDE.
Presented by Her Lawyer to the
Jury at Washington,
Col. Breckenridge and His Counsel
Sit Calmly BY.
All Eyes on the Fair Plaintiff In the
Great $4,000 Suit.
(By AsIociated Press.)

WASHINGTON. March s.-One OF the
first persons to enter the Circuit Court
room this morning was Miss Madeline
Pollard, the plaintiff in the $5O,O 900 breach
of promise suit against Congressman W.
c. p, Breckenridge.
This was the first sight of the plaintiff
vouchsafed to the scandal lovers who
crowded the court. and for a quarter OF
an hour before the trial began she was
the target of all eyes and the subject of
many curious comments. Miss Pollard
Is an attractive woman. apparently of
about thirty years. Her slender. some
what girlish figure was covered by a
long black ulster. Her face Is nearly
colorless. She has a small piquant
mouth, npturned nose flashing black
wore a small black bonnet his morning.
Two ladies accompanied her and sat
beside her at the table with her counsel
directly in front Of the Judge. One OF
them. an elderly lady, dressed in black,
was one of the Sisters Of the Episco-
palian House of Refuge in which Miss
beside the plaintiff, was a well-dressed
lady of middle age, who figured as n
friend of Miss Pollard. but whose
Identity every one vainly endeavored to
Miss Pollard seemed quite at her ease.
Her face was covered with II thin veil.
which in no way, concealed her features.
She talked with her lawyers most of the
time prior to the opening of court.
Col: Breckenridge was late In putting
IN NM MS Ape rance; Finally FL he came
his arm. He was fresh and smiling. and
was accompanied by his son, Desha
r. eckinridge. a stalwart young man with
Law made it necessary to have two
rows of tables-the front line devoted to
the Pollard forces. the second row occu-
the white-haired defendant sat almost
directly back of his young antagonist.
The trial was really commenced when
Ing ~languidly against "A table, and In de-
nberate conversational tones. outlined the
matters which the. plaintiff would en-
deavor to prove. He contrasted the po-
sitions OF the two parties, one a man of
FAMILY. oil. political prominence, high In
the councils of the Presbyterian Church.
famous Throughout the country as ar or
ator, the other a friendless young woman.
Something was said about the legal
aspects of the case. Then he began to
read the declaration which was published
in full when the suit was brought; how
Col. Brenckinridge had taken advantage
Of Miss Pollard's youth when she was a
girl OF seventeen at the Wesleyan Female
he was the father of her three children,
that he had. in the presence of creditable
witnesses. promised to marry her. hav-
come her husband when his wife should
die: that he had married instead a Mrs.
Louise, Wing, of Louisville: that Miss
Pollard had endeavored to leave him and
him.
During the reading Miss Pollard flush
ed crimson. She trembled violently and
buried her face in a handkerchief. Col.
Breckenridge chatted In a matter-of-fact
way with his lawyers.
Next Mr.. Carlisle read the defendants
answer denying all the material allega-
tions. asserting that Miss Pollard had
met him on a train. introducing herself
claring, that her father had given her
the middle name because of his ad-
miration for John c. Breckinridge, and
that she had afterwards written him
sketching briefly what should be
proven IN the case; Mr.. Carlisle spoke Of
dler. brilliant and always endeavoring
to rise above her station. He said that
Wh"1 she was a young girl John c:
charms, and offered to educate her IL
she would marry him. and she, a simple
promising II Rhodes would educate her
that she would marry HIM or pay back
the money. the agreement being signed
Afterwards. when Miss Pollard was in
trouble, because Rhodes was pressing her
to fulfil her promise. and because she,
a country girl, believed he could invoke
the law to his AID. she had written Mr..
Breckenridge. asking his advice. a letter
which was answered in person.
Col. breckenridge said they could not
talk freely at the school,, and suggested
tina they should feign relationship, 50
they could walk out together, n sugges
ton which Miss Pollard said was not
necessary. as she could obtain permission
readily. Afterwards he called in a closed
carriage one evening, to which she OBJ
jected. but met the plausible excuse that
his throat was delicate.
Then began the girls ruin. From that
hour began a secret life between the two
The articles resorted to were touched
, upon by the Ia Wyer until he came down
to the death OF Col. Breckinridge's wife,
when. said Mr.. Carlisle, the defendant
promised to marry the young woman he
had wronged, TO take the only step which
he could take to blot out the sin ana
| shame in the eyes of the world. and IA
step which he alone could take.
He had introduced her as his prom
ised wife into the first families of the
city. Under the law of the District there
could be no claim for damages on ac-
| count Of such action, but the remedy. or
| rather what reparation could be made
for a broken promise of marriage, the
law guaranteed. Mr.. Carlisle, in con-
%cluslon, asked only that the jury be
not blinded to the truth by the flashes
of eloquence which would come from the
| other side