The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-15
MISS POLLARD WINS.
A Verdict Of $4,000 Against
Col. Breckenridge.
THE VERDICT a POPULAR ONE
xvea sAs KssssekiAas Gsasined-IAs
Ola Labestine Csnnss Ne
Reelected.

Charles K Cole. o. the civil court, TODAY
announced . verdict for the plaintiff,
Madeline Pollard, for $1,000 damages
from Congressman Breckenridge for break
ing his contract to marry her. thus end
ing the long and exciting Breckenridge
Pollard breach Of promise trial. SENSE
tons fairly crowded themselves into the
last day Of the trial; there were some Of
the most dramatic scenes which ever
stirred up the dingy little court room.
reeking as IL Was with the memories Of
celebrated cases; there was an approach
Of personal collision between Judge VIII
son and Attorney Charles Sioll during the
magnificent closing argument Of the
Washington City lawyer. followed by talk
to The jury, scored Col. Thompson ~ .
lawyer is seldom spoken Of In court
The jury retired at 5. o. p. m. The first
ballot taken was on the merits Of the case.
leaving out Of consideration the question
of the amount of damages. 1t resulted in
eleven votes for . verdict for the plaintiff
and one vote for the defendant. There
upon the dissenting gentleman was. dgur-
atively speaking, cornered by his coll
leagues and for some time he was argued
with. Speaking Of this discussion after
wards, Mr.. Cole said the jurymen dis
played fully as great familiarity with the
points of the testimony - had been evil
denced by tho lawyers in their arguments.
They laid the case fully before the obdu-
rate iuryman calling for the grounds on
which his belief was based, and finally
ovefcame him by sheer force of logic. The
mex. question to be settled was the figure
at which the damages should be fixed.
Three jurors though the full amount sued
for. 81. 900. should be given. The foreman
said verdict of 81 would vindicate Miss
Pollard and punish Mr.. Breckinridge
sufficiently. and he thought il was un-
necessary to impose any great financial
punishment upon him. Discussion Of this
matter followed until the usual course
was adopted, each juror writing the
amount he considered just upon slip of
paper and . balance being struck. Tho
amounts ranged from 81 to $4,000, and
$4,000 was the average.
Just before the final vote Judge Bradley
had sent q message to inquire If there was
any probability that . verdict would to
agreed upon. Receiving the reply that
the jury was about to conclude its deliber-
atoms he entered the court room. His
entrance. Of course, was the signal for
gathering Of the crowd. Not woman's
face was in tho court. The room fairly
bri,tled with blue-coated bailiffs. for
rumors of impending trouble had foated
about ali day, and there were several de-
tectives In the court. The hands of
the clock stood at three minutes
after 4 o'clock when the jurors entered.
At this moment Congressman Brock
inridge, surveying tho room for an
instant, entered. Following him came
his son and Col. Thompson. No one icing
present to represent the plaintiff. . bailiff
was dispatched across the street, and in .
few minutes Mr.. Carlisle arrived. Then
Judge Bradley stretched out his hand
warningiy to the crowd, saying: when
this verdict Is announced, for I am i'm
formed that verdict has been agreed
upon, there must be no demonstrations,
either Of approval or disapprovai."
The clerk called the roll of the jury and
then said: Gentlemen of the jury, have
you agreed upon your verdict" eve
have" replied Foreman Cole I'VE find
for the plaintiff" Inarticulate murmurs
started, which the bailiffs quickly hushed.
II was a mere mixture of vocal sounds,
which expressed no particular sentiment
except surprise. Following this there was
an awkward pause. Finally the Judge
asked, "For how much 2" "For $i5, 600, :"
answered the foreman of the jury. An
other rustic like the first arose. but was
speedily quenched. One man near win
dow shouted to q crowd outside. Fifteen
thousand dollars for plai ntin," but he
was not reprimanded.
Col. Breckenridge rose slowly to his
feet. All those who saw his face say II
was nearly rs white as his hair, but his
voice was as clear a. usual when he spoke
in hesitating way. saying: II do not
know the practice of this court. but wish
to give the usual notice of a motion for q
new trial. He then dropped into seat
beside his son. hardly less pale than him.
self,
Nobody waited to hear the formal ad.
tournament. The jurors filed out Col.
Breckinridge pulled his slouch hat over
bis eyes and followed after them. with his
son in his wake. elbowing their way across
the hall to the marshai's Office. The
Jurors were just ahead of him in the outer
hail. and he pressed through TO the green
door before the private Office. There was no
Handwriting in congratulatIon or gym
paghy between the colonel or any one
Else. Miss Pollard was not in the court
room. and her attorney reported that she
did not care 10 say anything about the
verdict. When a messenger reached her
soon with the news she exclaimed:
"oh, isn't II good? Isn't il
good7" and then burst into
sobs. Maj. Buttersorth SAID: II don Vt
care to say anything" and walked away
toward his office. There tie present Mrs.
Rreckinridge was awaiting events. There
is no reason to believe the rumor that she
is about TO apply for divorce. Mr.. But
terxorlh chsracterises the story as wholly
without foundation. The case, he said
last evening. would be Tough, 10 q finish.
along every available and proper line
That Mss Pollard Will re financially bet.
tered by the result of the case is not posi-
be. because il is well understood. and has
been SAID on the trial. that Col. R.eckin-
ridge has no property. He has lived up 10
his income for years. and although his
wife has money, il does not seem Likely
that she siil care to expend il to satisfy
tAis verdict.
There was Lively scene in court when
Jere Wilson denounced as a forgery the
lsged letter that Breckenridge produced
as rece we'd from Miss Pollard. snd ga d
II had been copied from Wessie Brown .
letter, which Attorney SIoli carried in bis
pocket. stoll demanded TO know If be
were accused Of forgery. Wilson said be
Gsd not say that, ont returned an unsatis-
factory answer 10. tie inquiry as 10
whether he meant that Stoll had knowi-
edgs OF the commission Of the forgery.
Ihsra xere hn. xords ssnl making an