Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-04-19


Madeline Pollard, for $4,000 dam
ages from Congressman W. G. i
BreoSinridge for breaking his con
tract to marry her, thus ending the
long and exciting observation-disclosures
breach of promise trial.
Upon the announcement Of the yer
dict nm inartlculate murmur was
started In tho court room which the
baililfs quickly flushed.
There was u scene In court this
morning. Wilson denounced as Il for
gerry the alleged letter Breckenridge
had produced Us received from Miss
Pollard, and said 1t had been copied
from the Weasie Brown letter which
Attorney Stoll had carried in his
pocket.
Stoll demanded to know IL he were
accused Of forgery. Wilson said he
did not say that, but returned IN UNI
satisfactory answer 10 IN inquiry us
to whether he meant that Stoll had
knowledge of the commission OF II
forgery. There were hot words, Stoll
making IN intimation OF IL physical
settlement and Wilson stiIlly keeping
his ground.
Judge WILSON started his speech
with great carnestncss All OF the
specific charges against the character
OF his client mad been disposed Of, he
said, except tho charge resting solely
on the word of the defendant, that
Miss Pollard had been intimate with
Rhodes.
According to the law, as 1t would
be laid down by the court, however,
that matter cut no figure ut MI, even
II 1t was worthy of belief, because Col.
breckenridge hnd admitted that he
knew Of III long before the first talk
Of marriage.
Entering upon II discussion Of the
testimony Of Col. Breckenridge, Mr..
Wilson started with the proposition
that the plaintiff and the defendant
took the stand upon equal terms.
The Same credemce attaches to the
testimony Of each, where 1t stood alone,
but there was one vital difference,
namely, that the statements Of Mad
cline Pollard were supported by other
most credible witnesses, while Col
Breoklnrldge must ask that his word
stand umcorroboratcd.
In discussing the testimony OF Mrs.
Lowell, Mr.. Wilson pointed out that
Col. hcckinrldge had not at the out
set denied that he wrote those letters
and that he had fenced ndroitly against
the questions until he had secured Inn
admission that they were destroyed.
Then he denied 1t absolutely.
Turning to another point Of the tcs-
tlmony us showing the credibility Of
the defendant. Judge Wilson melted IN
ans"y passage OF words,
This was not his FIRST fall, for he
tells us that he know the house of
Sarah Guess; he had been there be-
fore with some other siren"
Col. breckenridge Intcrposcd re-
monstrnnec. Now. your honor he
said, leaning forward" there is not the
slightest statement of that before the
jury, not the slightest evidence Of
that. merely said that | had been
there before. Then Mr.. Wilson con-
tlnucd:
"Genlemen, there We're written on
stone the commandments, one of which
was Thou shalt not commit adultery"
The defendant admits that over and
over again he has violated that one
On the same stone Is
written Chou shalt not
bear false Witness" and IL II man shall
violate one of these commandments
and bc caught In the tolls of law, Is
1t not possible that under such straits
he may violate the othcr?"
Every other point of the defense hay,
Ing been disposed of, Mr. Wilson said
there remained but the statement OF
the defendant that there was n mutual
understanding that the contrat tc
marry should not be carried out, and
that he characterized picturesqucly Ne
n elean-shaven, bald-headed ohes,
falsehood," manufactured to 1T the OK
igencics Of the case.
Discussing the circumstances Of Miss
Pollarl's childhood, he referred to th,
disputed letter, declaring 1t to he of II,
consequence. but he would brand 1t M
forgery, manufactured FOR the pur
poses of the third plea, adding AN,
1t Is not the only piece Of rascalit.
manufactured for this defense" |
was a common thing for papers to h
forged for the purposes OF this case
Expert evidence was haldcrdash, shan
and pretcnse," He then stirred up TIL
fierccst passage OF the trial by statint
THAI the Wessic Brown letter. frol
which this had been forged had bee
procured by the defense and carried 1
Mr.. Stol's pocket.
"Mr. wilson" demanded Attornc
Stoll, do You mean to inslnuatc tina
/ committed forgery"
II do not" replied Mr.. Wilson.
say some skilled panman conmittc
that forgery
DO you mean to say that was
party to IT."
"Say, yod had the Wessie Brow
letter, didn't your demanded Juds
Wilson fierCply Didn't Won ~