Asheville daily citizen., 1894-03-30
BRECKENRIDGE TESTIFlES
HE ECONTRADICTsT THE EPI.AIN
TIFF's STORY.
There Were Two Syiae rabIe slu.
ners, And Breckinridxe Does
Not Admit himself The Greater.

| WASHINGTON, March 30.-Col. w. c.
P. Breckenridge faced Madeline Pollard
his accuser, in the Circuit court OF
the District yesterday, and told part
OF his version of their intimacy.
He spoke easily, softly, earnestly
with just touch of that musical ring
in his voice which has helped give him
the reputation of a spellbnder. He told
his story without attempt at dramatic
finish. He had finished only his story of
the carriage ride on the night OF the da y
he first called on Miss Pollard at Wes.
leyan Institute in Cincinnati when the
court adjourned for the day.
Col. Breckinridpe made TO Acusc for
himself in telling the story OF hJ~ he and
Madeline Pollard began their guilty re-
lations. II was man with passion. she
was woman with passion" was all he
said that could be construed as extenua-
ting himself.
During the recital, Miss Pollard moved
uncasily in her chair with plain maniles
tations of an intention to break in upon
the story.
Congressman Breckenridge continued
his testimony today, telling an entirely
different story from that told by Miss
Pollard of their nine wears OF intimacy.
The ball'tis at the court tried very dill
gently this morning. to obey Judge Brad
ley S order with reference to keeping out
all but members OF the bar and persons
concerned in the case, but the crowd
that secured admission was as great as
on any previous day OF the trial, and by
the time Col. Breckenridge begun his tcs-
timony every seat and bench in the
chamber was filled. Miss Pollard en-
tered the court room at exactly 10
O'Clock with Carlisle and MISS Ellis. and
almost on her heels came the defendant,
looking trihe careworn Breckenridge
sat down beside Col. Phil. Thompson
and chatted pleasantly, smiling the
while. until he was called to the stand
Miss Pollard sat upright in her chair,
looking straight ahead. When Col,
Breckenridge took the witness stand he
did not sit down, but stood leaning
easily on the Judges desk, his fingers
iumbling nervously with his watch
chain. Butterworth started the pro
cecdings by showi & the defendant a
little decorative basket which, the
plaintiff claims, was given her by Col
with the remark, "Madc-
line, this was lssy's tmeann his dca
wife and want you To have it, l}rtch.
inridge said the basket was given to his
late wife bv her sister Miss Desha, who
brought it from Nantucket, ard he han
seen 1t last in the furnished room he haG
taken when his children went back to
kentucky. He denied giving it to Miss
Pollard, and did not know how it came
into her possession
Breckinridgr then described what took
place on the End of August, 1884 the
day after the carriage ride with the
plaintiff. He said he entered the car
riagc for Lexington and found the plant
1T setting in it, She was not there bv |
any Encouragement ithhim, He spoke
to her and the conversation resulted in |
an arrangement to meet that evening in
Lexington at the house Of the Colored |
woman, Sarah Guest. Ilecxpressed sur
prise that she knew this place, and she
said she had gone there on one occasion
with Rhodes.
Witness then told of going to the Guest |
house with the plaintiff on their arrival |
II Lexington, which, he said, was sub |
.tantially as told bv Miss Pollard. He
said he lett Miss Pollard at the door f
he Sarah Guest house, promising to
'ome back after going to his home. He
VT mt home, took supper with his family,
and returned in less than an hour. He |
had made no such arrangement with
Sarah Guest, as Miss Pollard and Sarah
testified to, in effect that he had ,one to
sec Sarah Guess the night before going
10 her house He remained with the
plaintiff until about 1890 and the plain.
.Iti elected to spend the night there III
stead OF going to more respectable
house. There were no protestations OF
Owe and affection on his p rt, said
and no talk with the plain
til about helping her to SECURE an edu-
,aton.
Breckenridge said Mss Pollard elected
TO stay where she was instead OF going
10 the house OF a lady she knew 'as less
liable to detection" He went back nsxt
evenlng with some expectancy that he
might not find her there. Did not learn
an> thing from her about Rhodes coming
to Cincinnati during her absence. She !
appeared to be a young woman fully
grown and matured, and she understood |
matters that Il young girl would not
know. There never had been any claim
On bcr part that she was a maiden or
that he had in any sense ruined her
She had never said she was girl II or
Ia or under 20.