The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-03-10
POLLARD -BRECKINRIDGE
Plaintiff and Defendant Both In the
Courtroom.

Plaintiff and Defendant Both In the
Courtroom.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The hearing
of the Pollard Breckenridge suit was re-
sumed in the district court this morning.
Miss Pollard was one of the first to
appear, accompanied by two elderly
ladies. Though subjected to the con-
slant scrutiny of the throng which filed
the courtroom, she seemed perfectly at
ease. Colonel Breckinridge came late,
but fresh and smiling. The case opened
with the statement of Lawyer Calderon
Carlisle to the jury, reciting the contrast
In the positions of the parties to the suit,
rehearsing how Breckenridge took ad-
vantage of Miss Pollard's youth when
she was schoolgirl of II; that under
promise of marriage after the death of
his then living wife, made before credi-
BILE witnesses, he became the father of
her three children; how he failed to
keep his promise and married another
woman, and how she endeavored to
leave him then, but had been pursuaded
to continue as his mistress because of
her love for him. During his address
the plaintiff flushed crimson, trembled
violently and buried her face in her
handkerchief. Breckenridge chatted un-
concernedly with his attorneys. 3.
Carlisle said his client did not claim
to be devoid of fault or blame, but there
issue. He then sketched her life. She
was brilliant girl, of. common parent
age, anxious to rise. AS country girl,
uneducated, she met j. G. Rhodes, a
man of means, not of high station, who
became enamored of her, and promised
to educate her if she would marry him.
She signed an agreement to that effect.
Afterward, when he was pressing her
for fulfllment of the agreement, she
asked Breckinridge's counsel. He came
and at once began to take advantage oi
her youth and lack of knowledge of the
world, accomplishing his purpose under
promise of marriage after his wife's
death, and had introduced her as his
promised wife into the first families oi
the city.
Then Attorney Phil Thompson an
nounced the defense would reserve theil
opening statement till the conclusion oi
plaintiffs testimony. Attorney Wilson
demanded that certain books, one con-
tanning Christmas card given plaintiff
by defendant, taken by counsel for de-
fense, be returned. Defense asked that
the book be more accurately described
The court held the description sufficient
During the colloquy plaintiff broke into
hysterical and inarticulate sobs and ex.
clamations.
MRS. BLACKBURN THE FIRST WITNESS.
Mrs. Julia @. Blackburn, widow of the
late Governor Blackburn, of Kentucky
was the first Witness. She testified tha
in the spring of 1898, in Washington
Colonel Breckenridge brought Miss Pol
lard to her and asked her kind care anC
protection for the young lady, adding
that as soon as a sufficient time elapsed
after the death of his wife he intended
to. marry her, in spite of the fact that b.
was old enough to be her father, beins
81 years her senior. At another time b,
told Mrs. Blackburn, when she chidet
him for forgetting his devotion to hi
former wife, that he had discovered Mis-
Pollard was in love with him, and as
man of honor he felt bound to MARI,
her: At another time he asked witnes
to allay Miss Pollard's jealousy. Mrs
Blackburn asked him if he had givel
her cause and he declared on his homo
he had not. This was when he was pay
ing attention to Mrs. Wing, of Louis
vile, whom he subsequently, married
Mrs. Blackburn related how Miss Polar
once in her presence urged Breckinridg