The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-14
WASHINGTON Anril 12


WASHINGTON. April 13
FUDGE JERE NJ. WILSON was
complimented today by the pres
nj encs Of large audience of his
W colleagues of the legal profession
and of mem bers of congress to hear his
reply to the attacks OF Colonel Phil
Thompson upon his client and tho elo.
queut appeal of Major Ben Butter
worth.
Mr.. Wilson's voice was low and i'm
pressivs as he told the jury that it was
his duty to reply to all the defendant
had said AS witness. and through his
counsel.
Mr., Wilson said that the jury had
heard u most remarkable argument
| from one Of the defendants chosen
friends, Colonel Phil Thompson. 1t
was in substance that. as all men were
bad, as all men were laying suares,
why should the defendant be con-
demned2 Solomon and David had been
held up parallels Of the defendant, One
story had been overlooked in his Bib
lical researches. That was the story of
Tamar, who was country girl, and Of
Ammon, who was man of passion.
That episode ended in tragedy. There
were no juries in those DAYS. Colonel
Thompson's speech, reduced to tho final
analysis, had been identical with that
Of Mr.. Butterworth, only the second
was yeneered with the polish which the
| first lacked.
There were some things which
showed the character of the defendant
in this suit, and Mr. Wilson spoke of
the high character OF Mrs. Blackburn
and of how Colonel Thompson had
slurred her.
Mr.. Butterworth had spent seven
hours arguing that tho woman, who he
said was 20y years old, had seduced the
41-year-old defendant. that she had
dragged him from his family, his wife,
his home, to the verge of this awful
prseipice. If it WAS not 80 serious it
would be ludicrous.
RANK TESTIMONY sIFTED.
Judge Wilson held up to scorn the
attempt Of Major Butterworth to show
vicious habits through Miss Pollards
school girl letters Mr.. Wilson con-
tlnuing. without sparing the witnesses,
handled the testimony of Brand and
Kaufman and the other witnesses who
made oath to the plaintiff having
visited the house of Lena Singleton,
when that house at the time spoken of
had no existence and said be knew of
nothing more worthy of reprobation
than the putting before jury per-
jursd statement that could be- hunted
up in the back alleys aud slop barrels
of Lexington to blacken the character
of this unfortunate girl
Then Judge Wilson took up the
testimony of Rankin Rosssll, who was
at one time engaged to the plaintiff,
and said that Rossell had furnished
loop which the defense had tried to
place around the neck of his clients
character. II wish, said Judge Viii
son, that l might say of him Ms Tom
Corbin said of a notorious scoundrel
named Vanzindt, May God have
mercy on your soul, and stop there.
He referred TO Rossell's statement that
he had broken his engagement with
Miss Pollard because she let him fondle
and caress her. "That's another lie, 4"
he said, "a black lie--a damnable
lis."
Judge Wilson took up the statement
of Colonel Breckinrige that on the day
he called on Miss Pollard at Wesleyan
college, she told him that she had
wrongful relatations with Rodes. This,
Miss Pollard had denied. "Her word
is as good rs his"
Said Judge Wilson. "Her word in
in this case is as good as his, and this
doctrine of improbability comes here
with crushing force against this de-
fsndant."
ARRAIGNMENT OF THE DEFENDANT
With dramatic manner and deer
voice Of accusation. Judge Wilson made
a severe arraignment of Colonel Breck-
inridge. 1T pains me to say it, gentle
men," he said, "but | must say it--he
has lived lie For ten years his life
has been that Of faithlessness to the
most sacred obligations of life. He
has lived a life of hypocrisy. such q
life as he himself has said, You cant
find words to coin in phrases to define
the height and length and depth of my
fault. am so filled with pity for thi,
homeless, friendless woman, that car
find it in my heart to say things that
would not otherwise have said.
After he has told you he has lived q
lie for ten years, do not believe
could find man so foolish as to be-
lievs him now. What has he not done
He has even falsified his marriage GER
tifcats. Can you believe the story he
tells with all its improbabilities, and
which he asks you to believe in the
same breath in which he tells you oI
all these deceptions of other people.
How can you know he is not prac
tlcings these things on you. 1t il
simply impossible for you to find tha
Madeline Pollard told him any such
story about Rodes, or that Rodes tol
this story about himself Whatever
, there is of slime upon her comes from
this defendant. Every distorted muscle
: and every broken bone in her charac
ter comes from this defendant. 1t i
trail Of a serpent that is over her life. ;
Judge Wilson painted picture o.
the plaintiff. kept out OF the society O
her sisters, but taken in by the Hous,
of Mercy. and he paid high compli
ment to Miss Ellis. the elderly lad,
= from the House of Mercy here, whI
Q has accompanied Miss Pollard to th
court house every day When he hat
concluded on this line. it was 8.8