The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-14
Effective Speech for Madeline Pollard
by the Gifted Ex-HOosier and Leader
of the Washington Bar.
HE SCORES THE DEFENDANT
DenOunces the Testimony of Per-
jured Kentucky Witnesses,
And Claims that the Plaintiff Sinned
Only in Surrendering to the Wiles
of Plotter Against Virtue.

WASHINGTON, April 13.-The great
speech of Maj benjamin Butterworth in
the Pollard case was sur
passed to-day by the greater argument of ex-
Judge Jere Wilson. who began the final
summary for the plaintiff. He disclaimed
all intention to deal in oratory. and yet he
was able to use oratory of the most effect
i've kind. THE defense OF Adam" was
what he called Colonel Brecliinridges posi-
tion. and, to the credit Of humanity, he
said Adam had always been deemed a cow
ard and craven. He did not attempt to
assert that his client was free from fault,
but that just as far she had strayed from
the path Of womaniy virtue she had been
led by the man. On two or three import
ant points he drew logical deductions from
the evidence which surprised even the law
yers- He has a long right arm, tipped with
an accusing index finger, which serves to
drive his deductions home. The long. bony
forefinger was several times leveled in de-
nunciation at Colonel Breckenridge, which
made the Kentucky orator shift uneasily in
his chair. 1t was a terrible arraignment
to which he was subjected, and he would
have been something less than human had
he not shown the effect of il as he did.
Judge Wilson will continue for indefinite
time tomorrow, and then Judge Bradley
viii deliver his charge to the jury, and the
trial will be ended when verdict is an
nounced
Mr.. Wilson's voice was low and i'm
pressive as he told the jury that 1t was his
duty TO reply to all the defendant had said
as witness and through his counsel a
startling thing had been urged on his be-
half. namely. that this case. with all it's
revelations. should not have been brought
He thinks" began the attorney, speak
should have been brought; that Ii is spread
ing pollution through the country. and I
Ben Butterworth Is not here. He has said
that We are 10 blame for spreading this
poiluticn through this country. If what
be true Is 1t possible that such things are
net To be redressed? Is IL possible that in
the sunlight of our civilization there is no
redress? You cannot tie a milestone around
his neck and sink him In the sea for the
fishes to feed upon him; you cannot shut
him from polluting the women of the coun-
try; you cannot do that. but YOU can Sc
have provided" Major Butterworth had
spoken OF the revulslon OF feeling abroad
that In Great Britain when such things be-
came stencil In the Anglo-SaxOn nOStrils
peers and mobiles had had their black skele-
condemned, had been banished-aye, bright
stars. as had been said, had been dragged
from the armament.
THE STANDARD OF MORALITY
Even II this were the first case" thun-
dered Mr.. Wilson. II would be proud of
my part in condemning such conduct Ny
friend Carlisle and 1 take this response
bility. and we take 1t willingly even proud
ly. l suppose my friend Butterworth would
say that If the third count in this indict-
ment be true he would Danish the woman
and send the man to Congress. / stand
here for a higher womanhood. 1 stand here
10 demand the same standard from woman
and man. / stand against such sentiments
as this defendant has uttered, that such
baseness Injuries the man but destroys the
woman"
Would the jury say that this defendant
was TO be admitted to their parlors and
the outer gates locked and barred against
the woman? 1t had pleased Mr.. Butter-
worth 10 declaim pyrotechnically that the
Womanhood OF the land was arrayed in
behalf or the defendant. No, a thousand
times no. He had said that the country
girls or the country did not need chaperons
and he (Mr. Wilson, had expected to hear
IL said that gray-haired men OF forty-seyen
need body guards.
Here Mr.. Wilson produced a sheet of let
ter paper and said that he could imagine
the mothers of the land sitting up writing
such letters as the imaginary one he would
read OF course IL was simply imaginary
he said. but every one could see the femi-
nine handwriting as the Judge held IL up
ana every one knew that Ii was one letter
from the correspondence he has received
during the trial II was In part as follows:
Plead for the dear young girls. I cannot
watch and pray for them constantly I
was left in the world young 10 care for
. myseit and can remember how men have
tried 10 rob me OF all that was worth liv-
ing for. l have lived n pure life because I
early took the Lord for my guide. and if I
nave been very hard"
Mr. Wilson said that the jury had heard
most remarkable argument from one of
nj
Thompson IL was. in substance. that as
all men were bad; that as all men were
laying snares, why should the defendant
be condemned? He was no worse than the
rest solomon and David had been held up
as parallels OF the defendant. 1t had been
said That David was man of great educa-
ton. He may not have practiced law all
his life, but he had been educated In the
best schools of his land he had a SilVery
tongue, he was a man of passion, but Israel
had come from his lOins. and he had not
been condemned, and therefore why should
the defendant be condemned? One story had
been overlooked in his biblical researches.
That was the story of Tamir. who was a
man OF passion. That episode had ended in
q tragedy. There were no juries in those
deys. but since then the Prince of Peace
had come. There were methods of peace and
1ures provided. and those methods were
Jures failed TO do their duty more violent
methods were resorfed TO bv OUTRAGED peo-
pie. the first old barbarous methods.
LIKE ADAMS PLEA.
There were some things which showed
the character of the defendant in this suit
\ and Mr. Wilson spoke OF the high charac-
Yer of Mrs. Blackburn and of how Colonel
thompson had slurred her. He next re-
Oferred' TO the filings Of Colonel Thompson
at the female doctors. There had been a
time when women were merely the drudges
or men, but they We're fast working to the
front, and the higher they came the better
for the world. Mr. Wilson said that the de-
nunciation or the plaintiff as a woman of
Dad character bordered upon the ludicrous
when IL was recollected that what she was
was due TO the defendant. Adams poor plea
after the fall. had not saved him from being
through all ages a man OF bad repute
There was slight clash when Mr. VIII