The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-13
And Makes a Shrewd. Persuasive and
Conciliatory Appeal TO the Pollard
Breckenridge Jury.
HE REVIEWS THE TESTIMONY
And Begs the Jury, in the Name
of Mother and WOmanhood.
Not to Lower the Standard of Morality
by Commenting Such Person as the
Plaintiff Admitted Herself to Be.

WASHINGTON, April 12.-The defense OF
Colonel Breckenridge which Major Butter
worth made to-day is conceded even by his
opponents to have been one OF the greatest
speeches ever made in a Washington court
1t was effective as masterpiece OF ora
tory, and was made such largely by the
winning personality of the orator. Mr.
Butterworth was persuasive, was dramatic
was friendly. conciiatory and artfuL For
nearly nine hours Major Butterworth car
ried the speaking part in the great case.
He conjured by the name OF mother, the
firesde and American womanhood most ef-
fectively, making IL appear that all OF
these forces were enlisted on the side OF
his client. Through all the speaking the
white-haired member OF Congress from
Kentucky sat facing the jury. much Of the
time with his face shaded by his hand. and
occasionally nodding assent to the points
scored by the speaker. The slender plaint-
ff has heard none Of the denunciation Of
herself, and her attorneys have sat smiling
throughout the onset of the opposition.
Judge Jere Wilson will commence to-rnor-
row on his argument for the plaintiff and
will consume the greater part Of two days.
Major Butterworth had the floor again
when the case was resumed to-day. He be-
letters to Games Rhodes. which, ne said.
were the foundation of the case. He did
not care anything about the top, he said,
IL there were no foundation for 1t to rest
upon. After reading some Of those letters
at length he came to the ones which were
dated in New Orleans. and which she had
said were written in Cincinnati and sent
to her mother to mail 10 Rhodes He laid
great stress these tranactions. declar-
ing that there was a great mystery sur
rounding the letters. and exclaimed: There
is one human being alive and well who
could clear up the mystery of these letters
that is the mother who gave birth TO this
woman, ana she is not called. That woman
is alive and well in Kentucky. and she is
not called. Tney may ask why We did not
call her, but we do not go into the enemy's
camp for soldiers and ammunition"
Mr.. Butterworth dwelt particularly on
Miss Pollard's demands for money from
Rhodes, and when he came 20 an allusior
in one of the letters 20 her great enjoy
Wilson said: Give me that Washington
Irving letter, please" In addition TO read
much time threshing over the testimony Of
Miss Pollard from the record and pointing
out a few discrepancies on minor points.
he commented sharply upon the failure Of
the Sisters at Norwood convent TO identify
Miss Pollard, the failure to discover that
any such person as Louise Wilson had ever
Burgoyne had been I'm the place years after
Miss Pollard claimed to have been there In
| card in the book he acquitted attorney Car-
hsle OF the suspicion OF having been iTnpll-
Gated In any chicanery. He pointed out,
however, 10 show the fallibilty OF human
testimony, that Mr. Carlise had sworn that
| nothing had been said about the card until
ne found IT, while Mr.. Johnson. his col
! league, had said that Miss Pollard suggested
that IL was in the book before IL was found.
TILT BETWEEN COUNSEL.
| Ihere was a little passage between the
| speaker and Mr.. Wilson, when the former
| expressed doubt whether the books had
| ever belonged TO Miss Pollard. Mr. Wilson
| suggested that since Mr. Buterworth would
not have a chance to reply to him he might
answer question which would be asked
| why Miss Hoyt and Miss Ketchan had
not been given chance 10 identify the
books. This, Mr.. Butterworth answered
| after the Yankee fashion by another ques-
| ton, namely, why Miss Pollard had no.
| described the books before they were un-
sealed; and why Miss Pollard had not
| when she was within the tinkling of a
| bell She was not there and neither was
| Colonel Breckfnrldpe
| AIR. Breckenridge did not claim 10 have
| Deel confined there" was the reply and
| this sally drew laugh. which provoked
| Judge Bradley to threaten 10 clear the
| court ROOM
The attorneys for the other side would
| claim, Mr.. Butterworth resumed. that the
| woman was dominated by a stronger aim.
! They say that she was a moral potentially
| "a pawn on a moral chess board Accord
ing TO Miss Lowell, the Capitol typewriter.
and 10 Miss Pollard herself. Colonel Breck-
| inridge had endea~ored TO conceal his lel-
| ter 20 her in 1856 by first writing them in
his own hand, taking them 10 q woman 10
copy on House of Representatives paper,
| pencil
When noon came Mr. lsutterworth was
| lust working to the coming OF Made
| line Pollard 10 Washington. She had testi-
fed that Colonel BTeckinridge insisted
| u-on her coming. oh. they will say,
but he did it," exclaimed the lawyer dra-
| matically. THAT IS a cowardly surrender
womaniy courage, to say that he did it,
Soon afterward, as the lawyer was speak
ing of the child born in Washington. Col.
and corrected him. You are mistaken,
the Colonel saId, II did not know she had
a living child until Miss Pollard testined-
1 had heard she had n miscarriage.
Then Mr.. Butterworth portrayed the op-
portunities TO elevate herself here IN Wash
ington which Miss Pollard had before her
If she only had been minded 10 embrace
them; how she should have shrunk from
continuing a life OF shame with man
with wife and family. Mr.. BultefNOrn
argued that a verdict against his client
in this would be only naETanl m
stance Of vicarious punishment He drew
a picture Of Colonel Breckenridge crouch
ing helpless at the woman's feet, and
went on TO say how horribly revolving was
|
before the mold had gathered on the grave
clothes OF his buried wife, and that he nau
taken her 10 a questionable house Tor two
hours to convey 10 her the tender message
that she TO follow in the footsteps OF
that wife. IL implied that a woman Of
corrupt life. from choice. VINO had doubt.
ful relations with Rhodes. who had nae
illegitimate children at sundry ana divers
places and miscarriages at Others, was &c
sit at his table in union that was tne
acme of all that was unVirtuous anu con-
temptible That woman who had llNed Ten
| years without earning a cent as the mis-
tress of his life, wanted money and noth.
ing else. Mr. Butterworth firmly oeheNei
that the woman knew OF that secret mar
riage in New York on the 18th or April
| After the noon recess Major ButtefNort.
sought 10 point ont the inconsistency "
Miss Pollards testimony that beheVlng sns
! could resist the defendants wiles. as sls
| said she had twice done she waited Iol
, him at the house OF Sarah GueS3 The
! plaintiffs counsel had already pushed tS
I the front some admirable characters IN or
J der 20 obscure the dark BACKGROUND. Mrs
Blackburn had been imposed upon by th'
| plaintiff; the defendant was helpless IN ths
premises. Colonel Breck ariGge was 70,
busy a man 10 indulge II the constant as
| ISOLATION which Miss Pollard had described
He said Mrs. Blackburn had been imposed
upon. and in her natural indignation. hat
confused the things aid TO her. The lyins