The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-03-22
MISS POLLARD.
The Plaintiff Tells Her Story on tia Stand,
end Describes fI:e Botrc.saI Soana ia De-

WASHINGTON, March 17.-Miss Madge
Pollard, plaintiff in the Pollard-Breck-
inridga breach OF promise case was on
the stand Friday and testified.
My father was a saddler," said she.
cody, in response TO an Interrogation.
Gle died in 1875
"Did anything impress his death upon.
your mind +" inquired Mr.. Carlisle.
MY father was an Odd Fellow and a
Mason. Members Of the grand lodges
of the state attended his funeral lie
left ne estate" she continued, Two
of my sisters cere taken to live in the
Odd Fellows home. My mamma said l
was born on the 3Oth Of November,
1866" She had always supposed that
to be the date of her birth and had at
tached il to all her papers on the civil
service bureau.
when did Mr. Breckenridge meet
you In 1922" asked Mr.. Carlisle.
'In one Of the last days of August,
1892 he met inc at the Baltimore &
Ohio depot in Washington. He put
both arms around Inc, kissed me, drew
my arm through his and led me to
carriage. lie told me that all his chill
dren had grown up that no had de-
tcrmined to marry Inc, and | said l
would marry him"
She had stopped At 25 Lafayette
square for a few days during that visit,
had seen Mr.. RreckinridGc every day,
and added Gle said that he had mar
ried has second wife fourteen months
after the death of his first wife, and q
year after the death Of his second wife
would not be too soon to marry Inc. 1
told him he ought not to marry for two
years, and proposed to go with Miss
Willard on a school trip for youcg
ladies in Europe. He said l must not
60 and leave hin living in rooms,
thing he had not done for thirty years
Col. breckenridge had paid the ex-
penses Of Miss Pollard on her New York
visit in the fell of 1892 When the COLO
mel was in Washington she saw him ev-
cry few days The question Of marriage
was resumed at this time, and although
no date was fixed the colonel always
insisted that a year after his
wifes death, which would be in the
spring OF 1893, would te the time most
suitable to him Miss POLLARD! Sail that
once on q !ectur:ng trip 10 New Eng
land she had accompanied MIR. G.ccltin-
ridge. During her stay at Mrs Thomas
at 1913 ii street, Washing ton. in 1882
and '95, she had seen Col. Breckenridge
always once day, some times twice a
day, and often in the evening. She had
spoken Of the engagement to Mrs
Thomas, and she repeated the circum-
stances related by Witness Claude De
La Roche Francis, pronouncing the
name Frawncis, as did the young man.
Col breckenridge expressed regret that
she had met Francis, because he knew
many Kentuckians and the engage
ment would be spread all over Ken
lucky before they we're ready to have
it known. The visit to Mrs. Blackburn
was also rehearsod by Miss Pollard,
who declared that Col. Breckenridge
had introduced her TO Mrs. Blackburn
with these words, II want to place
this young lady under your protection,
for intend TO make her my vie. She
is great deal to me now and will be q
great deal more" She repeated the
circumstances of Col Breckinridge's
visit to Mrs Blackburn, when she had
explained to her the engagement, and
spoke also OF The instance when Col.
breckenridge had placed his arm around
her. saying: "IIo was most aifectlonate
and kind
81 asked Mir BrccI,inridgc then, as
he was talking of going to Chicago, to
name the day when he would marry
me. think llnelt down beside him
and put one arm OYER his shoulder, cut
Mrs. blackburn objected. "
This YVES or Sunday, May il. 1892
The preceding day she had visited the
Office of DR.. Lincoln with Col Ereczin'
ride and the same day went to tho Of
fee of the chief Of police, Maj. Moore, a
visit which that official had described
on the stand The second visit was
May II 20 Maj Moore. Then, going
back almost ten years, to the time o.
her first meeting the defendant in the
case, Miss Pollard testified: "in Apri-
of 1854 I was called TO see my sister
who was sick ct Frankfort. isefore
tho train had gone far q gentleman
came to me, saying, Your face scem'
familiar: don't know you?' Ireplied
Il think not; but I know you. Yer
arc Col breckenridge. He ask9i If he
could come and see me. ! sad Ally
mother and my aunt will be very glac
TO see You After a short conversation
he left me-
Miss roilard's version of her relation.
with James C. Rhodes did not va:y ea
scnt;aliy from the accounts herei9:or;
published, and which are familiar tt
newspaper readers. This brought bel
up to the point where she had sent fol
Col. breckenridge TO advise her regard
ing Rhodes threat to compel her u
marry him. and the manner III which
the congressman had pat himself II
the position Of relative in the sigh
of the school principle and others SIN
also related the incidents OF his early
visits TO her at the school, and salt
that he urged her to go elsewhere witt
him in order that they might be able x
consult over the Ehotes matter more
unroservedly. The second time h'
came he took her riding in CLOSED
carriage. saying the night air atfccte'
his throat. She went to the st james
hota! in Cincinnati in February, 1855
by Col. Brecl1inridge's direction, to con
suit with female physicians. She was
particularly enjoined not to say any
4l,,t u,o.,ld CONNECT Col. HreclSin
ridge with her condition at that tlnle.