The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-18
INTERVIEWING A JURY.
How the Verdict for Miss Pollard
Was Arrived At.
no DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
After tho weighty Evidence of Mrs.
Blackburn II Would Have Been Hard
Co Convince the Jury That Breokin-
ridge Had Been wrongcd.


Blackburn 1t Would Have Been Hard
Co Convince the Jury That Breckin.
ridge Had Been wrongcd.
wAsHINaToN April ia number Of
members of the Breckenridge Pollard jury
have been interviewed as to what had been
the influential factor In influencing their
verdict. S. G. Hunt said:
I'VE had first class jury, and we got
down to work on reaching the jury room.
The first vote called for by Foreman Cole
was as to whether the jury stood in favor
Of Mr.. Breckinridge or Miss Pollard. The
vote was unanimous for Miss Pollard. 30
far as the jury were concerned there was
an unanimity of opinion, and | do not
think that l would be astray in saying
that the minds of all were thoroughly
agreed that the testimony of Major Moore
and Mrs. Blackburn respecting the prsIn-
tse of marriage was the leading feature
that led strongly to the unanimous YER
dict There was very little said in the
jury room respecting the casc.
Each man had apparently made up his
mind how he would vote. do not think
that any one could have voted otherwise
than we did l considered Major Moore's
and Mrs Blackburns evidence as very
strong and pointed. The delay that we
had was due to reaching the amount OF
money that would be given the plaintiff.
There were several amounts suggested.
One juryman named 81, another 1000;
the sum of $4,000 was also mentioned.
Finally 1t was agreed that $4,000 should
be the figure, and that sum was accepted"
DR.. A. NJ. Green would not talk about
his impressions of the case, but remarked,
II don't see how else the jury could have
acted
Joseph H. Wyland said: ITO my mind
the whole weight of the evidence was in
the plaintiffs favor After sitting the
mass of testimony that was taken il
seemed to me that Colonel Breckinridge
had very weak case. The evidence of the
plaintiffs witnesses wns apparently of the
most straightforward kind When the
testimony was aJoked at in the light of the
law, as defined in Judge Bradley charge,
do not think that 1t took any member OF
the jury long to make up his mind that il
was one of the dearest cases of breach of
promise, imaginable. The only question
was as to the amount of damages When
j come to think of it, / am Of the opinion
that the strongest evidence brought ont
was that of Mrs. Blackburn and Colonel
Moore. When they left the witness stand
it would have been hard to secure any evil
dence that would have weakened the ef-
feet that their statements produced Miss
Pollard's testimony was also very con
yincing do not think she ATTEMPTED to
act at all, but appeared very much as any
one else would under the circumstances
William q. Gwyuu discussed the in
timation on the part Of Colonel Breckin-
ridge that Mass Pollard had trapped him
into promise of marriage, and said that
on this point he thought the evidence of
the plaintiff good ms that of the de-
feudant. He expressed the belief that
Colonel Breckinridge had seriously prom.
ised to marry Miss Pollard, but that Mrs
Wings attractions had swerved him from
this purpose.
Charles X. Cole, the foreman of tile Jury,
said that there had been no evidence that
the plaintiff had been intimate with any
other men while she had known Colonel
Breckinrdge, or even before siie had
known him. He thought TINT she had
loved him, and he, to have acted as he did,
=. must have thought very highly of her.
This, together with the fact that Breckln-
ridge had taken the best psrt Of her life to
himself, had led him to his ver,lit He did
not believe Colonel Breck inrdgs's 40
eount of the episode in the carriage.
George b. Sheriff, Jr., said that the
matter which had impressed him most
was the testimony of Mrs. Blackburn,
Major Moore Cluude DE la Roche Fran
els and Mary Yancy. This had not been
dfspraved By Colonel BreckinillSe and,
therefore. he could not but bgiieye that
damages were proper for tho plaintiff.
Seduction did not enter into the question
with him.
Those four witpg5sSH were likewise in
duential with l.. G, Denmau. Ha said
that Colonel Breclfluridge having as
serted the engagement was a Prctended
one, the burden of proof rested upon him.
But he had faiiGd to prove it. Moreover
BreckinrldSe had said on the stand that
such thing (ineaning the relations be-
tween thenl, while only injurng man,
ruined the woman, and as lie had ruined
Miss Pollard he thought damages should
be awarded.
r. A. Heitmuller thought that the testi-
mony of Mrs, Blackburn, who had moth.
ing to win or lose, was the strongest sub
mitted. Major Moore and Mary Yancey
only served to strengthen the impression
left on his mind by Mrs blackburn
MF. lfeitulullgr added that he had never
been convinced that it had been proved
that Miss Pollard had had intercourse
with any one hut Breckenridge. He did
not believe the testimony of kaufman
and Others on this point.
Allen Dale thought Colonel Brecitin-
ridge had no shadow of defense from the
very start Said he. ~ think the whole
thing from the first evidence given by the
plaintiff to the last argument by the coun-
ael was the plaineat | ever heard
against tnnn. Breckenridge had no de-
fenss for any action he committed.
Whether Miss Pollard was guilty or not l
could not see that that should have any
thing TO do with tho defendant, consider
ing who he was. II Is the most probable
thing in the world TO think that a l7-year-
cid girl would voluntarily yield TO man
OF age, power and station like the de-
fsndagt. She would naturally think such
y pan would ask only what was right"
Hugh Rstii said thHt he had dismissed
from the case the Testimony regarding the
Lena Singleton matter and had based his
decision largely upon the facts presented
By Mrs. Blackburn, Major Moore, Claude
De 10 Roche Francis and Mary Yancey.
The evidence Of the plaintiff was very
strong, while th8 oase made by the dc
fense was very weak. He said that the
style OF Colonel Phil Thompsons speech
had been taken foI.< hat 1t WAS worth, He
believed Miss Polard's story and could
mot imagine that 1t could have been con-
eoctcd.
Altar hrStz'z Scat in Congrass.
MITcnRLi., Ind, April ls--The Repub-
Leans Of the Second congressional district
held their convention here to nominate a
AandJ5ata fOr Cp11pal A NJ