Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-25
BRECKENRIDGE CASE
Arguments In Pirate as to Certain
Dispositions.
WHY SECRECY Is OBSERVED.
~ Evidence OF Documents Affect
Ing Her Character.

were a number Of arguments presented
by counsel in the Breckinridge-Po Pollard
case this morning before Judge Bradley
but much to the disappointment OF
small audience that had gathered TO hear
as much as possible of this famous case
in all It's details. the hearing was held
behind closed doors. Even the newspaper
men who were present were not allowed
TO enter the sacred precincts OF the con-
sultauon-room, where the talking was
done.
The arguments presented were as TO the
admissibility OF certain dispositions which
the defence are anxious to get before the
jury in some form or other. AS IL usual
in such cases. the dispositions were sub
mitted to the lawyers for the plaintiff.
and they at once objected to the admis-
sion OF these documents. They asked the
opportunity TO argue the point before the
Judge in the absence OF the jury. so that
the twelve men VINO will finally decide the
suit should not know what the nature OF
the testimony Is unless Judge Bradley de-
cides IT may properly go before them.
This accounted for the fact that the news
paper-men were excluded from the room.
1t Was known that certain portions OF
the dispositions would have to be read in
order TO decide as to the eligibility OF the
evidence.
Promptly at 10 o'clock this morning the
lawyers in the case were on hand in
the Criminal Court where tho trial is
being held. There they learned that the
case would so on in the Circuit-Court
room. on the other side Of the corridor
There was q small group of people there
waiting for the case to be taken up.
SIX or eight of them were reporters, and
there were a score or more of lawyers
ana others who were attracted simply by
curiosity. Mr. Breckenridge was on hand.
out MISS Pollard did not, of course. ap-
pear upon the scene, as there was no
need FOR her presence at all. The white
haired defendant in this sensational case
looked little tired, and as though he
were not enjoying in the slightest degree
the ordeal to which he has been subjected
Inc reporters had their paper and pen
Gus all ready TO note every turn and
one or them, who has a prediction for
INK, had succeeded In putting the contents
Oh IL bottle Of 1t all over himself. No
one hoticed that Judge Bradley and the
lawyers had given them the slip and had
gone into an adjoining room.
One Of the bailffs announced in n stem
torian tone that no motions would be
heard this morning in this court. and
then he tipped to the newspaper men the
information that the door leading into
the little room, which is used as n con-
sultation chamber. was locked, and that
Key. They had TO content themselves
with the feeling that the arguments were
not OF much news value anyway. The
/ dispositions that were admitted will be
presented In open court in good time and
in proper order, while those that are re-
1ected are probably immaterial and uniIn-
portant.
THE DISPOSITIONS OBJECTED TO.
Ihere are understood TO be three demo-
sitions to which Miss Pollard's attorneys
make their principal objection, the point
involved being the relevancy OF test-
mony bearing upon Miss Polards char
acter. One OF these depositions was
made by Alex. Julian. the young blind
man TO whom Miss Pollard alluded in
her letter TO Wessie Brown las her
| blind Barnabas." He asserts in the af
hdavlt taken In Kentucky that n mock
marriage was performed between Miss
foiIard and himself at Squire Tnsley's,
III bridgeport, on Christmas day. 1885:
that all drank eggnoge freely, etc.
MISS Pollard testified on cross-exam-
nation that her uncle accompanicd her
70 Squire Tinsley's on that day. and
denied the incident OF the mock marriage.
me second deposition was made ty w.
W. Rosselle. to whom Miss Pollard was
engaged to be married in 1884. when she
n student al
ana at which time she was intimate with
Colonel breckenridge. Rosselle has de-
posed that he took liberties with Miss
Pollard in the library OF Wesleyan Semi
nary and that when he left that town for
Chicago Miss Pollard begged him TO take
her with him. When asked about this
matter on cross-examination Miss Pol
lard denied that Rosselle had done more
than kiss her. and denied that she had
asked him 10 take her to Chicago. In one
Of the most enthusiastically spicy dia-
logues between herself and Attorney But
terworth she attributed Rosselle's mo-
tive in opposing her TO the fact that he is
candidate for the position OF Collector
OF 1ntelnal-Revenue in Representative
Breckinridges district.
The other deposition TO which the plain
tiff is particularly opposed was made by
Or. Lewis. OF Lexington, who affirms that
Colonel SwOpe once approached him with
"A request that he perform Il criminal
operation on a woman. whom he called
Miss Pollard" The Doctor did not see
the woman. nor could he identify her with
the plaintiff, so the objection was made
that there is nothing to connect the depo-
sitiOn with the principal in this case
Colonel Swope was the Republican cam
didate for Congress against Colonel
breckenridge in the Lexington District,
and was killed in a duel with Cash Good
loe, which resulted fatally TO both men.
Parts of other dispositions are also OBJ
jected TO.
ONE REASON FOR EXCLUSION.
1t was stated that one reason Judge
Bradley has decided TO exclude the public
was that some newspapers had made the
statement that the Judge himself had said
that he had no right to exclude repre-
sentatives of the press from the trial.
What Judge Bradley actually did say was
in reference TO the full reports that all
papers contalr OF the details OF the case.
a number OF lawyers were discussing in
his presence the question OF the propriety
OF going at such length into the testimony
and he remarked that as the press had a
perfect right 10 be represented at the trial
he did not see how their reports could be
limited as to length. This was a matter
for the papers themselves to settle, and
he supposed that ii one paper went at
length into the case all others would have
to do the same. The only thing to do was
TO get them TO make an agreement among
themselves that no one would go beyond
certain point. This, of course, was out
OF the question: He had his own views as
to the merits Of the question. however,
and these he expressed quite freely
a good deal of interest is taken in the
course the prosecution will take in rebuff
ting the dispositions of the defence TO prove
that Miss Pollard was not an inmate OF
the Norwood Founding Asylum, and in
other ways to cast doubt upon her
story.
The course they will follow. so one OF