The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-17
The Fair Plaintiff Tells the Jury
the Story Of Blighted
Life.
She Wont With Breckenridge
When He Leotured Before
Religious Societies.
The Ola sinner Promised 10 Marry Her
Alter lie Had Married His Pres
ent wife.

WASHINGTON. March lG.-At the opening
Of the Pollard -Brsokinridae trial. ths
morning. the witness herself took the Wit
ness chair. She testified that her father
vas a saddlsr by trade, dying In 1876. when
she was 10 years old. lie lsft no estate.
He vas an Odd Fellow and a Mason. and
members Of the grand lodges Of ths state OF
those orders attended the fansfal. Two OF
her sisters wsre taken 70 the ODD Fellows
home 10 live.
Then the testimony jumped 10 her life al
Washington. Omitting the early stages Of
her acquaintancs with the defendant, he
endorsed all her papers for a position In
the civil service burssu. In the last days
Of August 1892 he met her at the Balti-
more & Ohio depot at Washington, put his
arms around be-. kissed hsr, took her 10 a
carriage and told her that he had deter
minsd to marry her and she promised 20
marry him. he said be had married hia
second wife fourteen months after the
death OF the nrst. and q year after the
death Of the second would marry the plain
tif. She wanted him 10 wait two
years, and proposed 20 90 10 Europe
with Mas willard on school trip
for young ladies. He strenuously opposed
would be sslnsh. and she gave 10 up.
letter from Miss Catherine Willard. dated
Gray Ga ablaa. Buzzard's Bay. Mass.. in o.
tOber. 1892. referring 10 the proposed Euro
psan trip. Was read.
Ihe witness detailed az length the con-
slant attention paid her BY BrsokiRfidee,
saying be visited her daily. sometimes tvIcs
a day ahd often in the evening; how be
paid her expenses on visit TO New York,
and how she accompanied him on lsotui-
inc tour TO New England.
Witness then vent back TO her hrst meet
ing with BTsokinridRe in April. 1884, when
be approached her on = car between Lex
ing;on and Frankfort. protesting TO have
met her before. Then came the story Of
heT relations TO James G. Rhodes, who IN
dertook 70 educate her II she would mary
him; Of her sending for Breckinridge for
counsel as attorney; Of the means which he
took to be alone With her without a chance
Of Interruption; Of their subsequent in
tinaoy; of the birth Of her children In 1895
and 1855. she produced letters and tsle-
grams from him containing words OF en-
deaTment and closed her testimony BY de-
olsring that never since she knew him had
she been intimate with any other man. Her
frame was shaking with suppressed emo
tiOn as abe passed Qua of the court room
leaning on the arm Of an attendant. III
Before Miss Pollard lsft the stand she
testified that BreekinridRs had taken her
with him on several occasions when he
went cut OF she city to address religious
bodies. He had given her no reason for
postp0nsments of she dates fIed for their
marriage and she had never asked for any
until the scene in the Office Of Col Moore,
From the night he took me 20 Sarah's
in 1884, " said Miss Pollard. dram atically,
there never was a suggestion Of the dia-
continuance OF these miserable relations
until be left me with all sorts OF promises,
pledges and loving words. on the l9th Of
May, 1898"
Two distinct sensations we're furnished
to-day In the trial Foremost was the ap-
psaranes Of she plaintiff on ths stand In
Ger own behalf. but the greatest interest 10
legal circles was the oorTOboration Of the
rumoT which hAs been ahoat that Col.
b. sokiRTidRs was secretly married to Mrs.
Louise WiRg In New York last April. three
CincinnatL IL ta improbable that this
sseTst marriage will sonstituts a new legal
factor in the case. for while 10 occurred
April 30 the approximations which Col.
BTeokinTidas made 20 Mrs. BlaekbuTn thAt
Miss Pollard Vas his finance wers made
pior 20 the secret marriage; the promises
made In the prsssnos OF Major hOors.
chief of police. being those which we're
subsequent 20 the secret ceremony.
NEW York. March 16.-The Evening Post
says . certificate nlsd 81 the health depart
meat by Rev. DIR. John X. Paxton shows
that W. G. y. BrsekinFidRs married Louisa
X. s. Wing on April -. 1898 This was a
secret mArrisgs. The public ceremony
took place last July. IL 10 thought this
May play q part In the Pollard Brsokin-
ridge trial. as going TO show that when he
presence Of Col. Moore. chief of prlise at
Washington last Nay. he Was not in q posi-
tion 10 redssm that promise, beina alTeady
married.