The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-04-19
The POLLARD CASE.
A~+VERDICT RENDERED IN THE
BREACH OF PROMISE CASE. ~

VERDICT RENDERED. IN THE
BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.
The Jury Thinks That Col. Breck-
tnridge Should Pay Miss Pollard
$1S,OOO-He VIII Appeal-Miss Pol
lard Suffers q Nervous Collapse. 4
e. Washington, April 13.-Maj. Ben But
,terwcrth had the floor again when the
Notwithstanding case was resumed
yesterday. He began with the considera-
ton of Miss Pollard's letters to James
Rhodes, which he said were the founda-
ton of the case. He did not care any
thing about the top, he said, if there were
no foundation for it to rest upon. Mr..
-Butterworth argued that verdict against
his client in this case would only be q
.t1agrant instance of vicarious punishment.
lie drew a picture of Col. breckenridge
''crouching helpless at the ,woman's feet"
and went on to say how horribly revolt
ing was her story that he could meet his
mistress before the mould had gathered
on the grave clothes of his buried wife,
and that he had taken her to a bawdy
house for two hours to convey to her the
tender message that she was to follow in
'the footsteps of that wife.
1t implied that O woman of corrupt life
from choice; who had doubtful relations
with Rhodes, who had ilegitimate chill
.dren at sundry and divers places and mis-
carriages at others, was to sit ut his table
In union that was the acme of all that
was vicious and contemplate. That wom-
an, who had lived ten years without earn
ing cent as the mistress of his life,
wanted money and not himself. Mr.. But
'terworth firmly believed that the woman
knew of that secret marriage in New
York on the 18th of April. The plaintiffs
counsel had artfully pushed to the front
some stlmable characters in order to OBJ
scure the dark background. Mrs Black
burn had been imposed upon by the
plaintiff; the defendant was helpless in
the premises. He and the plaintiff were
in the business of lying ct that time
and were justified in it because the pur-
pose was Ito rescue a"home, to rescue q
woman; to open to her better life
Mrs. Blackburn was righteously indignant
that she had been imposed upon in the
matter, and it was natural that she should
visit her wrath upon Col. Breckenridge
She was, however, confused in her recol-
lection of conversations. The major con-
cluded with a brilliant peroration, and
was complimented by several persons. Mr..
Wilson, for the plaintiff, will follow and
close the arguments, after which the case
will be given to the jury.
Washington, April II. - Judge Jere
Wilson continued his speech to-day. If
he concludes in riu.e the ease will be
given to the jury this evening. During
his address Judge Wilson discl;li,ned I'll
intention to 1eal in cratory, md yet he
was able to use orltory of the most eff
tectual kind THE defense of ADAM"
was what he called Col. Disadvantages
position, and to the credit uf humanity
no A II 1,oI o11
coward and a craven. He did not st
tempt to assert that his client was free
from fault, but that just us far lis she
had straye1 from the path of womanly
virtue she had been led by one man.
HE has been equally guilty with my
CLIENT declared the lawyer, "even more
so, for he had taken solemn VOW to
heaven and she had not. He had broken
that vow by his own confession before
he ever met Madeline Pollard. He has
admitted that he knew Sarah Guess,
knew the character of her house and had
~ been there before he went with Madeline
Pollard. He has lived a lie for ten years,
his life has been that of faitblessness to
the most sacred obligations of life He
has lived q life of duplicity, of hypocrisy,
such as you can't coin words to express
the length and breadth of. He tells you
that he went to Mrs. Blackburn inten-
tionally to deceive her; he tells you that
The went to Moore to tell him lie When
he attempts to blacken the testimony Of
my client l want to measure his testi-
rmony by the rules of law. How do you
know that he is not telling this story
TO deceive you? The proba biity is that
he is doing it, for he is now in the tolls;
The is brought to bay, and in his extremity
he asks you to believe such story on
his unsupported word. This man stepped
and soaked in depravity and original sin.
1 want the world to know that whatever
of slime is on her comes from this de-
PENDANT. It is the tail of the serpant
over her life. I wish ell the mothers of
the land could see this woman in her
true light. They would open their hearts
TO this woman; their sympathies would
we'll up for her. She would be, If not
excused, understood as not being the Sc
'ducer of this unprotected man, but as
injured by his machina TONS"
Washington, April 16. - Foreman
Charles r. Cole, of the circuit court
jury, at 4:45 o'clock Saturday afternoon
amor need verdict for the plaintiff,
Madeline Pollard, for $4,000 damages
from Congressman w. G. 2. Breckenridge
Tor breaking his contract to marry her,
thus ending the long and exciting Brock
inridge-Pollard breach of promise case.
Sensations had fairly crowded into the
last day of the trial. There had been
some of the most dramatic scenes which
ever stirred the dingy little court room,
reeking as it was with the memories of
celebrated cases. There was an app :oach
to a personal collision between Judge
Wilson and Charles Stoll during the
magnificent closing argument of the
Washington lawyer, followed by talk of
duel, and Judge Bradley, in his charge
to the jury scored Col. Phil Thompson IS
lawyer is seldom spoken of in court.
The jury retired at 3:O7 p. m. The
hands of the clock stood at 4:3O when
the jurors entered. .:..
Almost at this moment from the outer
door at the judges left was thrust the
s.lvery head of Congressman Breckin-
ridge, surveying the room for an instant
before he entered Following him came