Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-04-12
THE GREAT TRIAL.

SIedl PuNhN
brought by Madeleine V. Pollard
against w. P. G. Breckenridge, the
Kentucky Congressman. The case is
being tried in Washington City before
Judge Bradley.
The REGISTER readers will, we are
sure, enjoy history of one days pro-
ceedings in that court, especially as
the day when representative OF this
paper was present happened to be one
of exceptional interest.
1t is hard to secure admission to the
courtroom. No one is allowed to
enter unless he has a pass from the
marshal. As consequence, the space
allowed for visitors was not more than
half filed last Friday, although that
part reserved for the bar and the
newspaper men was crowded.
The chief actors in the drama were
all present. Miss Pollard sat next to
Judge Wilson and Calderon Carlisle,
her counsel. She was accompanied
by female companion ofmature years.
Miss Pollard is not beautiful, but Is
fairly good-looking young woman,
appearing to be from % to 30 years
of age. She has round face and was
very pale A great mass of fine brown
hair was twisted at the back of her
head. She was plainly but neatly
and stylishly attired in black, wearing
the fashionable big sleeves. She wore
little black hat adorned with a
modest bow of ribbon, and thin veil
covered her face. Her appearance
was that of an ordinarily prosperous
and refined young woman. She has a
good figure.
Col. Breckenridge, the defendant, is
a stout man who looks about sixty
years old. He has a great quantity
of gray hair which looks like spun
silver. He wears it long and combs
it most becomingly. He has a close
cropped beard all over his face, almost
snow-white. His complexion Is rosy,
his white hair and head making 1t
appear still redder. His Roman nose
is not altogether pleasant feature,
and his eyes bulge a little. Col.
Breckenridge kept up an assumption
of Indifference and carelessness that
did not seem quite in place where the
others were so serious and the situation
at times so dramatic. 1t wasn't nat
ural enough. Miss Pollard sat very
quietly, only turning her head once
in while to whisper to her counsel.
The first witness was DR.. Mary
Parsons, who attended Miss Pollard
when her first child was born in 1888.
DR.. Parsons was an alert, smiling, res
olute woman who said what she want
ed and no more. She told how the
baby had been carried to the founding
ASYLUM by herself and Aunt Mary
Mckenzie, a colored woman, who after
ward also took the stand with some
trepidation. 1t was at Aunt Mary S
house that the child was born She
said she had never seen Mr.. Hall, y
who was supposed to be the husband
of Mrs. Hal" miss Pollard had
passed by that name), when he visited
the house. Il never saw him until
Just now" said Aunt Mary, when l
recognized him from the child. And
Aunt Mary looked at Col. Breckin-
ridge as she spoke. There was silence
for moment, and no more questions
were asked of the witness.
Mr. Calderon Carlisle, counsel for
Miss Pollard took the stand to testify
concerning the Christmas card found
in a book where it had been placed
years before by the plaintiff. He
found the card and he desire | TO clear
himself from certain insinuations
made by the defense. Mr.. Carlisle
told his story with distinctness and
positiveness that left no doubt in the
minds of those who heard it. The de-
Tense couldn't say thing against such
a perfect witness. Mr.. Carlisle is a
middle-aged man who looks as if he
were continually blushing. His face
and neck are of a fiery red, deep and
shiny, and you feel sorry for the en-
barrassment he seems to be in But
he doesn't need sympathy, for de-
spite his torrid look he is as cool as a
man can be. He parts his black hair
exactly in the middle. His colleague,
Judge Wilson, is an elderly man with
high Roman nose and pale face
which narrows down toward his white
mustache and chin whisker. He
looks like a hawk, and he is every
whit as alert and active as one. When
he attempts to make a point, that
| noint is generally made.