The Portland daily press., 1894-06-14
COL. BRECKINRIDGE's HONOR.
A Story that Friends Made up a
Shortage in Trust Finds.

A Louisville Newspaper Gives the Names
of those Who are aid to Have Made
Good the Amount Involved and ChaI-
lenges Breckenridge to Dispute 1t in
Court.
Louisville, KY, June 12-The Evening
Times of this city prints this afternoon
the story of the efforts Col. Breckenridge
had 60 make to get together the money
which he was charged with appropriate
ing to his own use from trust estate.
The Times says:
There is probably no feature in the
famous Notwithstanding trial at
Washington, or in the successive expos
dres of scandalous features in the Ash
land district campaign, which has been
brought out SO definitely as the alleged
defalcations of Col. Breckenridge while
practising law in this city. The public
mind is somewhat clouded by the mega
tive answer of Col. Breckenridge on the
witness stand in reply to the question of
Judge Jere Wilson if he had not misap-
propriated some money while practising
law.
"The Times, previous to Col. Breckin-
ridge taking the stand at Washington,
recited a portion of the facts concerning
the passing around of the hat for the
then distinguished lawyer at the Licking
ton bar, and now, through former
Breckinridge man, but one of those who
cut that friendship when it promised
such breach between truth and justice,
is enabled to print names and figures
from document. over the signature of
tho dafandant hinco1f Thn nil an fnr
to the Breckenridge relief fund, with
the amounts, are: Joseph G. Breckin-
ridge, So, 200; Joe q. Black burn, $500: j.
Stoddard Johnston, $500; J.P. johnson,
$500; Gen. William Preston, $3.50; Price
McGrath, $3.50; Frank K. Hunt, $3.50;
Madison Q. johnson, $3.50; Robert W.
Woolley, 5000; &C. Morgan, 1900 Total,
$4,000.
The estates for the settlement of
which this money was collected were
those of DR.. Dougand, Sack Price, Ben
Warfield, and one other which the Times
has not learned. The Warfeld estate
amounted to So, 200, and it is said that
some of the family, who are related to
Col. breckenridge by marriage, and is
not included In the above figures. Add
ing this So, 200 makes the total deficit for
up SO, 200.
"'This Warfeld property was in or
about Louisville. and Col. Breckenridge
was attorney for the estate. The prop
erty was sold through real estate broker
at Louisville, who sent the money to
Col. Breckenridge as attorney and took a
receipt for the same. A while after this
some of the interested parties became
uneasy and wrote the agent at Louisville
and received the information that the
money had been turned over to the Lex
ington attorney. Breckenridge is said to
have acknowledged that he had received
the same but was unable at that time to
pay it, stating that he could do so at a
date in the near future. This has never
been paid, according to the statement of
one of the Warfield heirs.
1.-Two insurance policies in the New
York Life were signed over to Frank X.
Hunt, with contract that they were to
be kept alive as security for these
amounts. The policies were allowed to
lapse after 1888, when DR.. Dudley, son-iu
law of Mr.. Hunt, died. The note given
Frank K. Hunt is dated Oct.12, 1876. 1t
is said that each contributor was given
a note, and each and all of these notes
were secured by these two insurance
policies. Madison johnson brought suit
on his note, but after judgment had
been secured the Sheriff reported that
no property could be found. Price Nc
Grath, through his friendship for Brock
inridge, left a provision by which the es-
tate was uOb 10 DI1uS up Iuo Clalm ne
had for $3.50 against Breckenridge Few
if any, of the other claims have been
settled"
In an editorial comment on this the
Times says: "The feature of the Pollard
Breckenridge trialwhich most astound-
| ed those who thought they had personal
knowledge ortpositive proof to the con-
trary, was the defendants denial under
oath that he had at any time during
his career as lawyer called for or re-
ceived financial help from friends to
make good trust funds which he had
misappHed. In his speech at Paris last
Monday Mr.. Owens named Senator
Black burn as one of those who had con-
tributed to this honor-saving fund, and
got in return neither financial thanks
nor political gratitude. These state
ments have forced to the front the cues
tion whether Col. Breckenridge is prov
en- perjurer, as we'll as self confessed
hypocrite, lihertine and liar. The an
swer will be found published elsewhere
in this issue of the Times. If Col. Brock
inridge cares to challenge the truthful
ness OF the statements therein contained
the courts of the country are open to
him.