The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-04
That LETTER TO LOUISE"
Mrs. Lowell, Who Gains to Have Copied
II, Allowed TO Testify.
BRECKENRIDGE ADHERES TO His DENIAL
Miss Pollard Also Takes the Stand Again
and Said She Received such n Letter.
Defendant on Cross-E1amination.

| breckenridge ana MISS rohdru were po'n
on the stand to-day, and both gave testi-
monv relating to the alleged letter which
the plaintif claims was written to her
I'm 1sSs This is the letter alleged to be-
gin MY Dear sister Louise" and by
which the plaintifs counsel seeks to i'm
peach the testimony OF the defendant
,ro-dav after a hard legal fight, the
/ nlaintiffs attorneys succeeded in placing
~ 10 s.and 1irs Louise Lowell, who
testified tbat while typewriter at the
/ Canifol in 1856. she copied a letter writ
ten NV Colonel breckinridge addressed
"Nv Dear Sister Louise, and that she
had addressed numerous envelopes Tor
him with the name MISS foiiard, 90
north Upper street. Lexington NY
/ NHss poilard also took the stand and
testieed that Colonel Breckenridge fire.
ouontlv senf her letters while she was
! IN Te~ioe-ton and he in washington.
/ ,I-fe,- ,vere an tvpewritten, she said, and
Ia tben che was addressed by various
ti,iee eucb ae MY Dear Spitfire' and
MY Dear Louise. 80 A.
fcol RreeIiur,dze denied that Mrs.
r.o,ve1 had eyer copied for him any such
letter as that she described, or that she
addressed envelopes Tor him win the
name of Miss Pollard, although he ac-
knowledged that Mrs. Lowell mad written
letters for him. IT.
Most of the day was taken up III this
testimony and n argument. Ihere VAS
,,otbi,, sensational: the testimony of
Col Ereclinridge in the afternoon dragged
at times. Col. breckenridge will again
take the stand tomorrow. and, accord
inc To a statement made by Judge VIII
son AT adjournment he Will be examined
on a new line.
Tee Proceedings in Detail.
The mystery of the alleged letter per-
vaded everything about the Circuit Court
This morning when the trial Of the Pol
iard-Brecxinridge case began. When the
court adjourned yesterday afternoon,
Judge wilson. Miss Polard's attorney,
was trying 10 make Breckenridge say thdt
I'm 1886 he had taken 10 be copied by
typewriter I'm the Capitol letter Degin-
ming MY Dear sister Louise Breckin-
ridge denied all knowledge of such
letter and he also said he M no Dear
Sister Louise" Judge Wilson lurther ask
ed him il he had not taken 10 this same
typewriter a bundle OF envelopes TO be
addressed 10 Miss Pollard, IS north Upper
street. Lexington KY, and Breckinridge
denied this also. The period when the
alleged letter was supposed TO have been
written was covered by the statement of
Brckinridge that he had no relations and
no correspondence with Miss Pollard in
1856. Additional interest was given TO the
name Louise" In the alleged letter, be-
cause Miss Pollard claims that Louise
Wilson was her assumed name when in
Cincinnati IN 1850.
Judge Wilson said that the name OF
the typewriter who copied the Sister
a. =
unable to prove wal airs. Louise Lowell,
and this morning when the court conven-
ed. Mrs. Lowell who is now a clerk in
the Treasury, was present with friend.
They sat next TO Miss Pollard and Miss
Ellis Major Butterworth asked Judge
Bradley to decide whether the evidence
about the Sister Louise letter was com
petent.
Mr.. Wilson. in answer, said he propos-
ed 10 put the witness, Louise Lowell,
on the stand on the ground that the
plaintiff was not in possession Of the
knowledge she now had, at the time Of
her testimony I'm chief. lt was not the
purpose Of the plaintiff, he said, to play
any trick or to take the defence by sur
prise and the defendant would be given
ample opportunity TO make any explana-
tion he chose concerning the letter. Mr..
Carlisle said he did not learn the name
OF the witness and did not see her un-
til Sunday morning Mr. Butterworth
said he was not criticzng the counsel,
but thought the alleged contents of the
alleged letter should not be placed in
evidence until il was known what the
plaintiff expected to prove by it,
Til Te-timony Admit ed.
Judge Bradley. in rendering his de-
cision. referred 10 the question as a novel
situation" and said he had found au-
thority for the interjection Of proof Of
and concerning the existence Of docu-
ment that might be lost or destroyed. He
therefore decided that proof tending to
prove that such letter as that beginning
"My Dear Sister Louise" rad been writ
ten might be introduced Judge Wilson
called Mis-. Low ell TO the stand. She said
she had known Col. Breckenridge since
February, 1856. when she had a small
Office on the House side of the Capitol.
where she did stcnography and type
writing. She had done work for Breckin-
ridge and was acquainted with his hand
writing. The defendant had brought 10
her az The time indicated a letter 10 be
copied. The manuscript was in the de-
fendants handwriting. Witness said she
returned to Col. Breckinridge the manu-
script and copy OF the letter in question;
she also did other work for the defend
ant, such as addressing envelopes.
"Ah." said judge Wilson. what did
you put on those enyelopes?'
Mr.. Shelby objected but the question
was allowed
Miss Pollard. 36 north Upper street.
Lexington. Ky" was the answer. "A
direct contradiction Of the testimony given
by the defendant. Miss Pollard smiled,
and there was buzz Of interest through
cut the room. Breckinridge busted him
self whiting
Now. said Judge Wilson, state wheth-
er you made memorandum Of work
done by you for Colonel Breckinridge?"
Il DID," said Mrs. Lowell, and she pro-
duced a little blank book and read out
OF II The address given
why did you put that name down."
said Judge Wilson
"Feeling sure that | should hear more
OF Miss Pollard and not being willing TO
trust 10 my memory | put it down"
'Now tell what these envelopes looked
lilfe?"
"They were small envelopes, not such
that a business man would use, and yel-
low with age"
How was the first communication he
brought 10 you addressed
1--WE object 10 that" said Major SHELBY.
objection overruIed.' said Judge Brad
ley.
My Dear Sister Louise" said the wit
ness
Major Rutterworth and Major Shelby
made strenuous obJecuoh 10 the auniis-
sion Of the testimony concerning the con-
tents of One letter. Major Shelby con-
tended that the letter should be pro-
duccd