The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-16

The verdict on the Pollard -Breckin-
ridge case in Saturday adds another to
the list of the curiosities of the jury
system. 1t is understood that the jury
stood eleven for conviction and one for
acquittal and when the lone individual
was converted TO the opinion that the
plaintiff had been wronged by the
defendant he assessed the damages she
had sustained at one cent. He evidently
regarded her as equally guilty with
Breckenridge. The verdict was arrived
at by averaging the amounts that each
juror thought should be given. From
a pecuniary standpoint this system was
very fortunate for Miss Pollard, provided
she ever reaps the benefit of it. The
lone juror who didn't want to award her
anything and finally compromised on
one cent probably was as near the right
in his estimate of the damage
done Miss Pollard by the refusal
Of Breckenridge TO wed her, as
the man who wanted to give her 500, 900.
There was not an element of justice in
the verdict, looked at coldly and dispas-
sionately. The system of averaging can
not be considered other than as furnish
ing lazy method for arriving at a COM
mon verdict on the part of the jury.
The two extremes noted above give the
best evidence of this possible, but there
isn't justice, nor even plausible argu-
ment that savors of reason, in it.
An ideally honest verdict would repre-
sent the agreement of the whole jury on
n verdict which each man would con-
cede represented his honest opinion in
the case, but the ideal is rarely reached.
No sane man or woman believes that
the award was made because of any
damage Miss Pollard sustained in not
being made Mrs. Breckinridge, which
was the ground Of her complaint. There
can not be the slightest question that
Breckinridge's cowardly plea that
he was the one seduced, and his
unblushing, cool, matter of
fact way of dealing with the story of
his double life, together with the outrag-
eous summing up of his counsel, Colonel
Thompson, influenced the jury more than
any consideration of the wrongs of Miss
Pollard. The plea of Colonel Thompson
was one of the most infamous ever put
forth in any court room.
GAN great merr declared Colonel Thompson,
have sinned as much AS Colonel Breokinridge.
making love TO Cleopatra. David had put Urish in
the forefront of battle because he had looked on
the mans wife, and she was lovely. II there
fond Of '' women @ tSesy we're S great Sypooritss. @
There was ponagaris Washington and
well as OF war. don't see why this man, who is
no worse than the rest OF us, only he has been dis
covered and we have not should be punished un-
less We are TO be hypocrites"
Breckenridge was damned by his
counsel fully as much as by his own ad-
missions, and what wonder is it that the
jury ignored the real case before il and
inflicted punishment ON Breckenridge,
not because of his failure to marry Miss
Pollard, but for his own villainous, hy-
pocritical life and the out
rageous summing up of his counsel.
That he should be punished severely goes
without saying. but the verdict in the
present case should not represent punish.
ment for his vile and continued lnfrac-
tions of moral laws and by just SO much
as it does, it is an improper verdict, for
he was not on trial for his immoralities,
but because he refused to marry the
woman with whom he had sinned
The verdict should have represented
what she lost by his failure to keep his
agreement Were Breckenridge on
trial for mis- miserable double life, his
gross disregard for morality and decency
and his treatment Of his wife, the tor
ments pictured in Dante's Inferno
would hardly be punishment enough for
this man, and il he is not expelled from
the House Kentucky should see TO it
that he never again misrepresents that
State in the legislative halls of Congress.
Miss Pollard deserves neither sympathy
nor compassion. She had none for
the woman she so cruelty wronged,
Mr. Breokinridge's second wife, aud
her suit was brought for revenge and
for no other purpose. She is not re-
pentant but a reyengeful Magdalene.
Having dragged her parsmour and her
self through the mire and outraged
public decency by exposing the hideous
indecencies Of which both were guilty
and having satisfied her revenge she
should sees obscurity and oblivion.