The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1894-04-14
WAS A AEAS1ERLY ARGUMENT
BUTTERwORTH'S STRONO PLEA
FOR COL. BRECKINRiDCE.
ONE OF THE GREATEST EYER MADE.
n Was Most Effective Masterpiece OF
Oratory, Holding the Attentlon of the
Court Tor Nearly Ninr Hours
Judge Jerc wilson WIN Occu-
~ the Greater Part Of Two
Days la Replying.

WASHINGTON, April 13.-The de-
fense of Colonel Breckenridge, which
General Buttcrworth made yesterday,
is considered even by his opponents to
have been one ofthc greatest speeches
ever made in a Washington court. 1t
was effective as masterpiece of
oratory, and was made so largely by
the winning personality OF the
speaker Mr.. Butterworth was per-
suasive, dramatic, friendly, con-
ciliatory and artful For nearly nine
hours Mr. Buttcrworth carried the
speaking part in the great case.
lie conjured by the name of mother,
the fresido and American womar-
hood most effectively, 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 Ken
tucky sat facing the jury, much of the
time with his face shaded by his
hand, occasionally nodding assent to
the points scored by the speaker. The
slender plaintiff heard none of the de-
nunciations of herself, and her at
torneys have sat smiling throughout
the onset of the opposition.
Judge Jere Wilson will consumedh he
greater part of to-day and tomorrow
with his argument for the plaintiff.
Mr. Butterworth told the jury that
the inherent probabilities arising
from the course of human nature
were to be considered more deeply
than the statements of witnesses.
The question was not whether Will
l., -, Ia, 4
any ordinance, human or divine, had
been guilty of terpitude, conduct
which brings upon him condemnation,
but whether these two parties had
agreed that he was TO become her hus-
band, she his wife. TO awaken horror
before the public there had been a tale
that Colonel Breckenridge had led
astray a guiless little girl and had led
her down the path of nine years of
immortality TO "A marriage contract
ruthlcSSly violated. The Jury was
not to determine whether there had
been any such guilcless little girl;
ether she had not been "a mature
and knowing woman. lie denied the
woman came tn court to redress
great wrong. No wrong could be ro-
dressed in that way. Nor had she
wanted the balm Of money, for she
had said there was none. Her motive
did not rise to the quality of revenge.
nor even of hatred, but sent abroad
to every home a leaven she knew TO
be vile, the influence of which was
mcasureless.
"For what motive does the desperate
woman walk on any stage? She de-
liberately turned from everything
that man or woman could desire and
10 IL Ia, IL -. l..
bule of wider state upon which she
desired to enter Is it the right of
any individual to corrupt public
morals by the excuse of seeking
reparation for wrong. What is there
of reparation for wrong but to go
home to their mothers ireside to him
who alone can grant reparation for
wrong?'
Her early life was not what il
shoulo have been, he continued, but
was what her letters showed her to be.
1t would bc said, Butterworth, YOU
are defending sin, but no; he had a
little family of his own. one son who
had to fight the battle of life against
fearful odds. No, he was defending
the standard of womanhood: the vir-
tue of city and of country girls. No
man could say that ruination was
possible under the circumstances
which had been portrayed here. lie
protested against such standard
being raised for virtue. As
for his client, no one knew
through what mire that man
had been dragged. and such was the
penalty of sin. lie did not want the
jury carried away by the whisper
floating in the air that verdict for
4 l. "a
of his sin lie asked them also not to
commend woman who had borne
herself as this plaintiff had; not to
elevate her for the degradation of
him. Such verdict would mean that
virtue was but as cloak TO be thrown
of or put on. American womanhood
should be vindicated by the standard
TO which wives and mothers must be
held.