The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-05
The BRECKENRIDGE CASE.
Miss Pollard Was Again Placed on
the Stand This Morning.
She Tells Once More About the Birth
of ner Second Child How and Why
IL Was Abandoned.

WASHINGTON, April 5.--Judge Brad
leys admonitions OF last night
had the effect of reducing the at
tendance at the Circuit Court this morn
ing TO the thinnest audience yet gathered
and some OF the men present wore sheep.
ish air. The defense made an unexpected
move by calling Miss Pollard TO the stand
and questioning her about the birth OF
her second child, which she said was born
at noon on Feb. 20, 1883.
~ only held IL in my arms two hours
according to my promise to him. she
"Now. now, Miss Pollard" Mr.. Butter
worth began nervously, warning Miss
Pollard with great solicitude To contine
herself to answering his questions.
MIR. Wilson also admonished her. The
child had been taken TO the Protestant
Founding Asylum on Fourteenth street
in Washington, where she had visited IT
with DIR. Mary Parsons once.
She continued: 81 gave IL little Ger
man name. IpinDed a note on its cloth
ing so they could name il. i was reading
an article and named ii from character
of his. Diest Carlyle, a name as far as pos
sible from that OF Colonel breckenridge
or my own.n
The second time she saw the child was
on the 3rd OF May at Wrights undertak-
ing establishment, before il was buried.
When Mr.. Butterworth asked how the
that Mrs. Parsons looked after that.
She supposed Colonel Breckinridge
paid them, but when Mrs. Parsons was
called TO the stand they could ask her.
"That's all, Miss Pollard, /" said Mr.. But
terworth, dismissing her, and then he
called for DIR. Mary Parsons, who was not
present at the time.
Pending the arrival OF DIR. Parsons a
middle aged lady with spectacles who
had been sitting in the court room was
called.
She announced her name as Mrs. Liddie,
said she was employed in the census
bureau and i'm 1883 had been matron OF the
Washington Founding Asylum on Four
teenth street The record of the asylum
for that year being shown her. she identi-
fled the records of a child brought there
by large colored woman. The child had
paper pinned on its clothing. A slip OF pa
per which she thought had come on the
clothing WAS pasted III the book.
Mo Wilson objected TO the admission OF
the book and IL was handed up TO Judge
Bradley for examination. The lawyer
explained that il was hearsay because the
matron bad merely recorded the state
ments Of the unknown colored woman,
called "Aunt Mary" who carried the
child TO the asylum.
The objection was sustained by the
Judge without hesitation or explana-
tions OF his grounds and an exception
noted. following which Mr.. Shelby beat
about the bush cleverly endeavoring to
draw out the same facts wanted through
other channels. The matron did not
know DIR. Parsons nor had Miss Pollard
ever visited the asylum so far as she knew.
Visitors were admitted on certain days
without any red tape preliminaries.
"What was the name gwen TO
the child at that timel"
MIR. Shelby was inquiring when Mr.. Will
son interpolated his "object," blocking
an answer until there had been more
sparring by the legal gentleman, which
the judge ended by the decision that the
entry was clearly bearsay.
There was more wrangling over the
authenticity OF the slip pasted in the
record, during which the matron said APP
pealingly. Let me Think and Col.
Breckenridge echoed, 4" Let me think"
Having completed her mental processes,
Mrs. Liddie started To give an explanation
of the customs OF the institution
without any provocation in the way
of direct questions and was checked
with difficulty, Mr.. Wilson informing her
that this was one place where men had
the right of way over women in the mat
ter of talking.
More disputation followed over whether
the entry in the book had been made
when the baby was delivered to the mat
ron or when it was christened two weeks
later.