Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-06
The Closing Testimony in the Breck-
inridge Trial.
Hiss POLIARD'S INDIGNANT DENIALO
Lawyers Go on the Stand to Ex.
plain Matters.
ARGUMENTS NEXT WEEK

tdtOrS present. BEFORE the morning was Iar
Advanced, however. the seats in the court
room were all filled up. Both the defendant
and the plaintiff were prompt In their at
tendance. AS the case draws near the
close the testircony given Is somewhat frag-
mentary in character, offered to meet some
point that has been brought up in the case
Today the item os chief interest brought
out was the contents of the mysterious slip
OF paper pinned, as Miss Pollard said. on
the clothing of her baby when II was sent
10 the founding asylum, February 8, 1883
This read simply: please name my baby
Dietz Downing" There was testimony Of
Or. Parsons and of Mary Mckenzie the
midwife. which showed that DR.. Parsons
had written the slip. and that the baby was
born and was sent to the asylum. No ex-
planation, however. was given in the testi-
mony as to the name on the slip. Miss Pol
lard said she wrote or dictated the name of
"Diest Carlyle" Mary Mckenzie said she
knew Miss Pollard as Mrs. Hall" She
never saw Mr.. Hail." as she avoided see
ing him when he called. She remarked she
had never seen him until today, and she
recognized him by the child" She did not
Indicate however. who the man was. The
Christmas card and the Washington Irving
works played a large part in the mornings
testimony. as Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. johnson,
OF PLAINTIFFS attorneys, went on the stand
to describe what occurred at the visit to the
Norwood Founding Asylum when the card
was found In the book. This was to meet
the intimation in the testimony of the de-
Tense that the card was placed in the books
on the occasion of that visit.
IL was expected when the court met to-
DAY that all the testimony would be in to-
day. The trial will be adjourned today
until Monday, when the arguments to the
jury will be made. Judge Bradley's inten-
ton Is not to permit any extraordinarily
long time to be consumed in argument
Probably not more than two or three days
VIII be allowed. and this time will be di-
y1ded between the counsel for plaintin and
DEFENDANT Mr.. Butterworth will close for
the defendant and Mr.. Wilson for the
plaintiff.
Just before the noon recess Miss Pollard
was called to the stand and questioned
about various statements made by the de-
rendant, and by other witnesses for the
defense, derogatory to her reputation. Her
voice had an indignant infection as she
made her denials Of some of the statements
made by the witness, and then again drop
ped to the same low musical key which
marked her testimony when under cross
examination by Mr.. Butterworth.
DIR. Mary Parsons Recalled
When Judge Bradley opened court this
morning there were not more than a score
OF spectators present DR.. Mary Parsons
was called to the stand and shown by Mr.
Carlisle the record book of the Washington
Founding Asylum, produced yesterday by
Mrs. Leidy. the former matron of the in
sutution- She was shown the slip of paper
pasted in the book at the point where there
was record of the admission of Dietz
Downing, and asked If she could state in
whose handwriting it was.
Mr. Shelby objected to this, as the paper
was not in evidence. He said they did not
claim that the writing was by tlaintin and
they old not disclaim anything They
would be willing to let the bars down for
any testimony OF this kind, If the slip were
ADMITTED to evidence.
Judge Bradley said the slip had not been
admitted in evidence The evidence before
th- jury was that there was a slip in the
9ook and name on the slip. but no evi-
oence as to what that name was
MI Carlisle'S question was not admitted
Dr- Parsons was then asked what became
81 the enid born to the plaintiff February
Ing asylum on 18th street by witness and
Mary Mckenzie. They went in a cab and
witness remained in the cab while Mary
Mckenzie went in and took the child
Who Wrote the Slip of Paper
Mr.. Wilson asked that they be permitted.
Professionally. at this time, to prove In whose
handwriting the slip was subject to the
IL
slip were not admitted, then the testimony
could not be used.
Mr.. Shelby resisted this and said he knew
of no rule that would permit counsel to
prove fact professionally about a matter
concerning which there was already some
testimony before a jury.
Mr.. Wilson said, in the course of argu-
ment, that he offered this writing for iden-
uhcauon. Just as the defense had offered
letter after letter to Miss Pollard for Identi-
hcation. and to be used subsequently in
testimony.
Judge Bradley admitted the testimony,
and Dr. Parsons then identified the slip as
In her own handwriting.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Shelby, the
witness said she wrote the slip on the even
ing of February 5, 1SSS, and handed It, she
thought to the nurse Mary Mckenzie, to be
Carried to the asylum with the child.
Mr.. Shelby then asked the witness to ex-
anime the slip further and state whether
there we're pin holes in it.
There are pin holes in it, said the wit
ness.
Mr.. Shelby then offered to read the slip in
testimony, and Mr.. Wilson objected as he
said it was shown that that was not the act
OF the plaintiff.
Judge Bradley however. admitted 1t, and
Mr.. Shelby read the words on the slip, which
We're as follows: please name my baby
DietZ Downing"
The witness in reply to questions by Mr..
Wilson said 1t was between and o'clock
IN the evening when they took the child
to the asylum. Witness recognized a col
ored woman in court as Mary Mckenzie.
Mary McNenzie's Evidence.
Mary Mckenzie was then called to the
stand. She said she recognized the plain
tif woman who was at her house, sos
% street, under the name of Mrs. Hall
Mrs. Hall was suffering with heart trouble
and was confined there. She testified to
going with the baby with Dr. Parsons to
the asylum. She told the ladies at the
asylum that she had found the infant at
her door. While Mrs. Hall was there she
Received visits from MIR. Hail.. but wit
hess did not see him. Mrs Hall occupied
the front room on the first floor. Witness
did not see him or have any curiosity to
see him She had opportunity or seeing
him il she had desired. The witness ere
ated little sensation by saying: Il never
saw him before now. but l recognize him
from the child" The witness was asked
TO state her reasons for avoiding seeing
Mr.. Hall. but this was ruled out.
Mrs. Minear Further Questioned.
Mrs Lucretia Marie Minear, who keeps
the boarding house Lafayette Square
and who was on the stand when the trial
adjourned last evening, was then recalled
70 the stand. and Mr.. Carlisle examined
her further he produced the book in
which Mrs. Minear kept her accounts. and
Mrs. Minsar said that in the book there was